The 2010-11 season marks the fourth year for Sam Presti as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Professional Basketball Club Chairman Clayton Bennett appointed Presti to his current position on June 7, 2007.
During his tenure with the Thunder, Presti has assembled the building blocks for long-term success both on and off the court. Commencing with the 2007 draft, Presti selected Kevin Durant, the University of Texas standout with the team's No. 2 overall pick. Since then, Durant has gone onto win the NBA's Rookie Of The Year award and most recently he became the youngest player in NBA history to win the league's scoring title after averaging 30.1 points per game during the 2009-10 season.
This last year, Presti oversaw one of the largest turnarounds in NBA history. A year after winning 23 games, the Thunder concluded the 2009-10 season with a record of 50-32 (.610). The 27-win improvement was tied for the ninth largest in NBA history.
Through the NBA draft, Presti has continued to add the pieces needed to achieve the organization's singular focus of sustaining success on the floor and in the community. Most notably, Presti selected forward Jeff Green (No. 5 overall) on draft night 2007 through a trade with the Boston Celtics, UCLA guard Russell Westbrook with the teams No. 4 overall selection in 2008 and Arizona State guard James Harden with the No. 3 overall selection in 2009.
This past summer, Presti acquired the draft rights to
Since moving to Oklahoma City in July of 2008, Presti has stressed the importance of community involvement for both Thunder players and staff. Under his leadership, the Thunder has made more than 450 community appearances in and around Oklahoma City.
Prior to joining the Thunder, the 33-year-old Presti held a variety of roles with the San Antonio Spurs from 2000 to 2007. Most recently, he served as the team's assistant general manager from September of 2005 - June of 2007. Presti led the design and implementation of the Spurs scouting database, a system that is now being used by numerous teams throughout the NBA.
Presti earned his bachelor's degree in
An accomplished drummer, Presti has produced three music CDs with all proceeds benefiting the Extra Ordinary Needs Fund at Children's Hospital in Boston.