After 15 years as a professional basketball player, former Thunder guard Alex Abrines has retired from basketball at the age of 33.

A fan favorite for his beard celebrations after every bucket, Alex Abrines announced his retirement on Tuesday. He spent three seasons on the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2016-19.

On Monday, the basketball world learned of Reid’s untimely death at age 38, and among the first to take notice was his former Thunder teammate and now ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins. Perkins sent a tribute to Reid on Instagram, writing, “Rest in Peace young 👑 Fly high my brother 🙏🏿 🕊️.”

Chris Paul, the 'Point God,' and his son attended Game 2 of the NBA Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Indiana Pacers. Paul, currently with the San Antonio Spurs, previously ...

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's exclusion might be one of the biggest snubs, there were other players who represented the Oklahoma City Thunder among the 100 players. One is James Harden. He came in at No. 34 spot in the rankings.

Instead, the Pacers came out swinging as the underdog, just as they had done against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Thunder had finished the regular season with the NBA's best record, giving them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, which would prove crucial over these finals.

The former Utes center is an NBA champion with the Thunder and has signed a second two-way deal to stay with the Thunder for the 2025-26 season.

As we enter the sizzling summer months, we're approaching the point in the calendar year when the NBA takes a couple of months off. That allows for plenty of time to be perspective and reflect on what's happened in the past.