Oklahoma City Thunder: Barkley says OKC organization is No. 1

Charles Barkley has spent his share of time on Oklahoma City’s bad side. But he’s also spent time trumpeting the Thunder story and did so again Thursday night on TNT’s pregame show.

Barkley called the Thunder the NBA’s best organization.

“I’ve said the Spurs have been the best organization in the NBA the last 10, 15 years,” Barkley said. “I think Oklahoma City has taken that mantle now.”

It’s an interesting debate. What goes into “best organization?” Most titles? Most consistent contention? Most years making the most of limited resources?

Clearly, a quality organization is not just the bastion of small- or mid-market teams. The Lakers and the Knickerbockers both have virtually unlimited financial resources, yet one is rampantly successful and the other is rampantly a joke.

But small markets that can win consistently over long periods of time shine the spotlight on effective basketball organizations.

Barkley gave his reasoning: “They’re developing their players. (Hasheem) Thabeet is playing terrific. Their players are getting better. (Serge) Ibaka’s come a long way. This is going to be a great time for Jeremy Lamb right here, because they don’t have to rush guys. They work on their games, they get better as players.

“Nobody in this league thought Thabeet was going to be helping this team this year. He’s playing terrific. Have they won a championship yet? No. But they can only play the games on the schedule in front of ‘em right now.”