Josh Giddey had every reason to feel conflicted watching his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, celebrate their first-ever NBA championship.
But the Australian guard responded with nothing but class.
“Congrats to the guys,” Giddey posted on Snapchat with three heart emojis, sharing a photo of the Thunder’s championship moment.
Josh Giddey via snapchat: pic.twitter.com/0DMkaZ9OLB
— 𝙎𝙠𝙮𝙚𝙙 🇦🇺 (@SkyedOKC) June 23, 2025
It’s been exactly one year since Oklahoma City traded Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for defensive specialist Alex Caruso, a move that, in hindsight, helped finalise OKC’s championship blueprint.
Caruso became “a pivotal piece in the Thunder’s championship puzzle,” while Giddey has quietly flourished in Chicago.
Australian NBA champion Andrew Bogut spoke on Giddey’s situation.
“I mean he essentially got benched and was somewhat told that ‘We can’t win with him in the line-up.’ He’s been on record saying he’d rather it happened now than in year seven, eight, nine, ten — and work out the kinks at an earlier age,” Bogut told news.com.au. “But to some young guys that could derail you, that could mentally screw you.”
Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this season, while shooting a career-best 37.8 percent from three-point range.
He’s reportedly on track to sign a massive $46 million per year extension with the Bulls.
Bogut added, “He’s bounced back even better for it and now you know second half of the year for him was phenomenal. Chicago’s gonna have to pay him, I think. I don’t think they have any choice with the way the cap is.”
Luc Longley, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, doesn’t think Giddey needs any sympathy.
“I don’t feel a single bit sorry for Josh,” Longley told news.com.au. “With Josh, I hope that they build the right pieces with him and around him. And I do believe in his appetite for it. I think he is supremely motivated by things more than money. He is deeply competitive.”
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