THE LONG-TERM success of Oklahoma City's NBA franchise may be tied to the Turner Turnpike by several factors.
It will be important, some time in the future when the Thunder takes a downward slide, that OKC nurtured the thousands of fans coming to games in Oklahoma City from Tulsa.
However, there may be a secondary tie between the Thunder and Tulsa that may help prevent such a slide.
The evolving relationship between the Thunder and the Tulsa 66ers, OKC's NBA Development League team, is on the cutting edge of player development.
"There's no doubt that the success of the parent club has had a very big impact on our success, too," said Tulsa 66ers president Jim Brylewski. "I think the Thunder has become Oklahoma's team across the board and we are an extension of that.
"There is a long-term plan for this organization, and this team in Tulsa is a part of it."
Many in the NBA are watching how the Thunder has integrated the 66ers into the structure of the big league team.
The 66ers are much more than your typical NBA D-League team.
Tulsa has been home to five Thunder players at various points of this season. In 50 regular-season games, a Thunder player was in a Tulsa uniform 34 times.
Tulsa isn't just a second home for Thunder players. It is almost like a commuter job for some Oklahoma City players.
"That has come about because of a change in the rules that allows such player movement," Brylewski said. "It is something we've wanted to do. Several teams had been pushing for it, too.
"Moving forward I think you will see more of this. It is done to get these players some playing time. It is not done as punishment. It is not a performance thing. It is a matter of getting these players some live playing time in a very high level of basketball."
The Thunder has assigned a player to the 66ers 37 times this season, by far the most active relationship between an NBA team and its NBA D-League affiliate.
That is more than the next two teams combined (Houston Rockets 14 times to Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio Spurs 13 times to Austin).
The Thunder has been using Tulsa much more like a major league baseball team uses its Triple-A baseball affiliate.
Instead of placing players in the D-League at the start of the season, then forgetting about them until the next season's training camp, the Thunder has been using the 66ers to keep its bench players active and engaged.
No one knows if the current practice will become the norm in the NBA.
However, there's little question the Thunder has decided players at the end of the bench can best be utilized by keeping them active and sharp with short stints with the 66ers.
"Everyone sees what we are doing," Brylewski said. "I think they are seeing the value of getting them some playing time."
It is possible to shuttle players between OKC and Tulsa for a simple reason. It is less than two hours on the Turner Turnpike.
For instance, let's say rookie Perry Jones from Baylor, OKC's first round draft pick last year, hasn't played in several weeks while sitting on the Thunder bench.
So, up to Tulsa he comes for a few games. He gets some game action, a chance to work on his skills and he stays fresh in case the Thunder need him in an NBA game.
Plus, Jones remains close to the big league team. All it takes is a call and he can be in the locker room at Chesapeake Arena within two hours.
"As an affiliate, we run the same offense, the same defense as the Thunder," Brylewski said. "We use the same system. We use the same terminology.
"Our coaching staff with the 66ers is an extension of the Thunder coaching staff. It is a great relationship on both ends of the turnpike because it has benefits for the Thunder, which is our primary goal, and that relationship pays off for us with recognition of these NBA players on our team."
It has all made for an interesting season in Tulsa.
The five Thunder players who have spent some time with the 66ers this season include: Jones (15 games), Reggie Jackson (three), DeAndre Liggins (19), Jeremy Lamb (21) and Daniel Orton (29).
Two other 66ers, Andy Rautins and Hollis Thompson, joined the team from the Thunder through the D-League affiliate rule.
The 66ers, struggling for a fan foothold in a city with two Division I college basketball teams, made the move to the back out to south Tulsa to the SpiritBank Event Center for this season.
Many believe it put the 66ers closer to their potential fan base. That, coupled with the closer affiliation with the Thunder, seems to have sparked a new interest in the NBA D-League.
"It has really been a perfect storm for us this season," Brylewski said. "We moved back out south and that has turned out to be a very good move. And, the affiliation with the Thunder organization, and all of the player movement, has really generated interest among our fans.
"Fans can identify with our players. They see them play here and then they see them play in NBA games for the Thunder. It is good for the Thunder and us."
Original Print Headline: Thunder-66ers relationship mutually beneficial
John Klein
Oklahoma State needed a game. The players needed to play. The coaches needed to coach. The fans needed to cheer. Everyone needed a break from the daily barrage of wild accusations and nasty allegations in a Sports Illustrated series of stories about OSU football.
The tone of Oklahoma State's response to allegations has been serious and determined.
