On October 22nd Beijing time, a number 4 jersey hangs in the Thunder arena, belonging to Nick Collison. This jersey was retired by the Thunder in 2019. Reggie Miller said, "In the coming five to seven years, Nick will not be alone."
Afterwards, Miller started naming Thunder players he thinks deserve jersey retirement. "Russell Westbrook's jersey should be retired here. Kevin Durant, I know this is unpopular, but his jersey should also be retired here. I believe Serge Ibaka's jersey deserves retirement here as well. James Harden, I think his jersey should be retired here too."
Westbrook's case is indisputable. He played 11 seasons in Oklahoma City, was a superstar, and won the regular season MVP in 2017 as a Thunder player.
Although Durant left the Thunder in 2016 to join the Warriors, he is one of the best scorers in NBA history and was the regular season MVP in 2014 while with the Thunder. So, at least from a basketball perspective, this clearly makes sense.
The American media considers Ibaka's case somewhat controversial, but it is at least understandable. He was selected three times to the All-Defensive First Team and, during his seven seasons with the Thunder, was a strong presence inside thanks to his excellent shot-blocking ability.
As for Harden's eligibility for a Thunder jersey retirement, it is the most questioned by American media, who believe Harden has almost no chance of having his jersey retired by the Thunder. Although Harden has been an 11-time All-Star and three-time NBA scoring champion, he was not like that during his time with the Thunder. He only spent the first three seasons of his career there, averaging 12.7 points per game and starting just 7 games.
Which players among the four nominated by Miller do you think the Thunder should retire jerseys for?