NBA Champ's Secret Weapon: a Presidential Biographer

Sam Presti, the general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, frequently draws inspiration from the work and methodology of Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Robert Caro. Presti first publicly referenced Caro during the 2020 NBA bubble and has since opened multiple preseason news conferences with lessons from Caro's books, such as "The Power Broker" and his volumes on Lyndon B. Johnson.

Presti applies Caro's philosophy of exhaustive, detail-oriented research to the Thunder's basketball operations. He has quoted Caro's mantra, "You have to turn every single page," to explain the organization's commitment to exploring every idea and detail. This approach influences various departments, from how scouts file reports to how analysts organize internal research to ensure nothing is overlooked.

The Thunder's organizational identity, built on patience, long-term thinking, and consistency, is seen as aligned with the decades-long, meticulous projects Caro undertook. Presti credits Caro's method for helping shape this identity, emphasizing curiosity and discipline as key to gaining advantages, especially for a small-market team.

Robert Caro has responded to this adoption of his philosophy, stating he is flattered but deflects credit, noting that championships are ultimately won by players and coaches, not authors.