Former NBA star Reggie Miller thinks just about any good player in the history of the Oklahoma City Thunder should have their jersey retired by the organization.
The Thunder hosted the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night in what was the 2025-26 NBA season opener, and it was also the return of the NBA on NBC after a 23-year absence. Miller was part of that broadcast as a color commentator alongside Mike Tirico (play-by-play announcer) and Jamal Crawford (color commentator).
In the fourth quarter, the NBC broadcast showed Oklahoma City’s 2024-25 championship banner that was raised pregame. Tirico noted how the only other banner in the building was that of former Thunder player Nick Collison, whose No. 4 was retired by the Thunder in 2019.
Miller responded, “Nick is going to have company here within the next five to seven years.”
And from there, Miller began listing Thunder players that he believes should have their jerseys retired.
Reggie Miller: “Russell Westbrook should be retired here. Kevin Durant — I know it’s very unpopular — should be retired here. I think Serge Ibaka should be retired here. James Harden, I think, should be retired here. You’re not agreeing with *that* one there, Michael Tirico.” pic.twitter.com/3VzWS0dECG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 22, 2025
“Russell Westbrook should be retired here,” Miller said. “Kevin Durant — I know it’s very unpopular — should be retired here. I think Serge Ibaka should be retired here. James Harden, I think, should be retired here. You’re not agreeing with that one there, Michael Tirico.”
Tirico has good reason to question the last suggestion, especially (Also: “Michael” on the first broadcast from Miller? Has longtime Sunday Night Football broadcast partner Cris Collinsworth ever even gone there to Mike?).
Westbrook is a complete no-brainer. He was a superstar over 11 seasons with Oklahoma City and was named NBA MVP while with the Thunder in 2017.
Durant, while he left the Thunder for the Golden State Warriors in 2016, is one of the best scorers in NBA history and was named NBA MVP with the Thunder in 2014. So, from a basketball perspective, at least, it obviously makes sense.
Ibaka is where it starts to get debatable, but that one is at least understandable. He was a three-time All-Defensive First Team selection and a force in the paint with his elite shot-blocking ability over seven seasons with the Thunder.
But Harden? James has been an 11-time All-Star and three-time NBA scoring champion, but he wasn’t that guy yet with Oklahoma City. He only spent his first three years of his career with the Thunder and averaged 12.7 points per game over that time, while only starting seven games.
Tirico told Miller, “Not as much of a rubber stamp, I would say.”
Let’s hold the jersey retirement standards a bit higher, or else the Thunder will run out of numbers eventually (especially once this current championship core retires).