On his first visit to the Philippines, NBA champion guard Isaiah Joe talked about what it's like to play alongside superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and veteran guard Alex Caruso.
There hasn't been a repeat NBA champion since 2018, when the Kevin Durant-and-Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors were at the peak of their powers.
But for Isaiah Joe, he believes the Oklahoma City Thunder could defend their title next season as long as they keep their hunger intact.
“If we had that mindset and knowing that nothing is carried over once we get the next season, we definitely put ourselves in a good position to make it possible again,” Joe bared during a meet-and-greet event in Pasig City on Friday, August 1.
It’s been two months since the 26-year-old sharpshooter and the Thunder clinched the franchise’s first-ever title by toppling the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
[ALSO READ: Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelm Pacers in Game 7 to win first-ever NBA championship]
Despite playing limited minutes throughout the playoffs, Joe made sure to answer the call whenever needed.
He scored 14 points in just 17 minutes, making all five of his shots in a 149-106 Game 2 romp over the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference semifinal duel.
That series saw the Thunder pushed to the limit by the Nuggets, who, along with the Pacers, were one of two teams to stretch OKC to seven games in the playoffs.
[ALSO READ: Thunder oust Nuggets with dominant Game 7 performance]
"They’ve been battle-tested. They won a championship before, so the fact that they have the experience of the ups and downs of the season and playoffs made them dangerous," Joe recalled about facing three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and his squad.
He added: "They also have players who can produce, so they’re really a tough team, and we definitely gave our all to take that series."
Joe was also one of 16 OKC players who won their first title, alongside reigning regular-season MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The former Arkansas Razorback even shared what it’s like to be teammates with the 27-year-old superstar.
“He’s so good at his craft that it even makes you perfect your craft even more. The fact that he’s able to do so many things, it makes you out there to be the best version of yourself as possible,” Joe bared.
[ALSO READ: SGA drops bars vs Thunder critics: 'Only competition is the man in the reflection']
Among the Thunder players, veteran guard Alex Caruso is the only multi-time champion. The 31-year-old defensive force proved to be the missing piece for OKC.
[ALSO READ: Two-time champ Alex Caruso admits 2025 Thunder run ‘much harder’ than 2020 with Lakers]
Acquired in a one-for-one trade with Josh Giddey in June 2024, he provided the veteran presence for the second-youngest championship team in league history.
"The one thing we learned from Alex as soon as he arrived in OKC is that he’s a leader. He leads by example. He’s won a championship before, and he knows what it takes," Joe emphasized about Caruso’s impact on the Thunder.
He continued, "From day one, he’s been preaching to us how it’s possible [for OKC to win a title]. Throughout the season, he continued to be that voice, and it helped us in the long run."
It certainly did, and with the Thunder locking up All-Star Jaylen Williams and big man Chet Holmgren for the long haul with massive extensions this offseason, they might be on the brink of a dynasty in the making.