Well, somehow this posted before I finished the heading. I think these two articles compliment how the Thunder are an important part of an improving national image. It's nice to see the phrase: "around the league"
From the Washington Post:

The Thunder (42-23) has yet to win a championship or a playoff series for that matter, but it has already created a team-building strategy that is referred to around the league as “the Oklahoma City model.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards-hope-to-copy-oklahoma-city-model-in-washington/2011/03/13/ABPHr4T_story.html

And the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"I want to use that as a blueprint for us," Collins said. "I want us to be built like Oklahoma City was built."

http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-11/sports/28680522_1_serge-ibaka-coach-collins-sixers

Those articles are a testimony to our teams overall "professionalism" from the boardroom to the locker room.

One of the things that has made the Thunder sucessful is that the players on the team are respectful. No hooliguns or borderline criminals. It is hard to build a team around players that you can't count on to stay out of jail or not fail drug tests. It doesn't matter how great a player is if he can't play in the game or if he is a disruptive influnece. Just ask the former cast of Two and Half Men.

http://www.foxsportsohio.com/msn/03/13/11/Thunder-devise-plan-Cavs-may-want-to-pur/landing_cavaliers.html?blockID=439726&feedID=3724

Here's another one. Now, if we hadn't gotten Durant and Presti hadn't made some of the picks and trades he has, we might not be getting as much attention as we are. But, it's hard to argue that the Thunder haven't helped...big time...in putting Oklahoma City on the map.

I have to laugh at these articles. Cleveland alread drafted one of the best players and they couldn't keep him. The Presti plan is pretty simple. Draft character and hope they can play basketball at the NBA level. I seem to recall Presti or Brooks making a comment that if a player wasn't a good citizen they didn't want them playing in OKC.