From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s dominance, to Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers defying expectations, and Luka Doncic’s blockbuster move to Los Angeles, these were the moments that defined the NBA in 2025.
Where amazing happens.
2025 in the NBA became a story of emerging talent, resilience, and bold gambles.
From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s dominance to Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers defying expectations, and Luka Doncic’s blockbuster move to Los Angeles—these are the moments that defined the Association.
Thunder’s youth movement culminates in historic breakthrough
Youth took center stage during the year 2025 in the NBA, and no team embodied that shift more than the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With an average age of 25.2, Oklahoma City became the second-youngest team in league history to win an NBA championship, completing a methodical rebuild with a seven-game Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers.
[ALSO READ: Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelm Pacers in Game 7 to win first-ever NBA championship]
Only the 1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers fielded a younger title-winning roster.
From the opening week, Oklahoma City looked different.
The Thunder stormed out to a 7–0 start, then never loosened their grip on the league, finishing with a franchise-best 68–14 record — the most wins in the Oklahoma City era.
At the center of it all was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who authored a historic season by becoming the first player to win the scoring title, regular-season MVP, Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP in one season.
He led the league with 32.7 points per game, totaled 2,484 points in the regular season, and somehow found another gear when the lights grew brighter.
In the Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists, anchoring a Thunder squad that lost just one home game throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
When Oklahoma City closed out Game 7 at home, 103–91, it wasn’t just a championship.
It was confirmation — the future had officially arrived.
Haliburton, Pacers deliver unforgettable postseason run
If Oklahoma City represented youth realized, Indiana stood for belief that refused to break.
The Pacers entered the postseason without headlines or hype, but quickly made themselves impossible to ignore.
Led by superstar Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana played with freedom and fearlessness, flipping games late and stealing Game 1 in every series they played.
No lead felt safe against them. No moment felt too big.
They brushed aside Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Bucks in five games, shocked Donovan Mitchell and the top-seeded Cavaliers, and outlasted Jalen Brunson and his Knicks to punch their ticket to the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
Haliburton conducted the chaos, his flair peaking in Game 1 of the Finals when he buried a buzzer-beater to complete a stunning fourth-quarter comeback on the road.
The Finals went the distance, but the ending turned cruel.
In the opening quarter of Game 7, Haliburton collapsed with a torn Achilles tendon, silencing the moment and stripping Indiana of its championship dreams.
Hollywood Havoc: Luka Doncic Joins LeBron in LA
Besides the Thunder’s historic rise and the Pacers’ unforgettable postseason run, one moment in 2025 sent shockwaves throughout the league.
In perhaps the most stunning trade of the decade, the Dallas Mavericks sent former franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that also involved former champion Anthony Davis.
[ALSO READ: Outtanowhere: The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis mega trade in Philippine terms]
Suddenly, Doncic was paired with LeBron James, giving the Lakers an instant glimpse of a championship-caliber future.
Dallas used the trade to pair Davis with Kyrie Irving and later secure the 2025 NBA Draft’s first overall pick, Cooper Flagg, but the move drew sharp criticism for former general manager Nico Harrison.
While neither team saw immediate postseason success — the Lakers fell in the first round and Dallas missed the playoffs — the trade dominated discussion across the league and will be remembered for years as a bold, game-changing move.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.