Sam Anderson in OKC for Thunder in NBA Finals: 'Boom Town' author reflects on book, city

Sam Anderson was sent to Oklahoma City in the summer of 2012 to write a piece for The New York Times Magazine about the Thunder, a young team with dynastic potential.

So transfixed by not only the team, but also the city, Andersons magazine story was the precursor to Boom Town Andersons book, published in 2018, that intertwines the rise of Oklahoma City with Thunder basketball.

Boom Town is equal parts historical and hysterical in telling the story of Oklahoma City.

Anderson, whos been back in Oklahoma City during the Thunders NBA Finals run, recently wrote about this second iteration of the Thunder.

The Oklahoman caught up with Anderson before Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

MUSSATTO: Thunder's comeback win in NBA Finals Game 4 vs.

Pacers explained in eight playsHave you been back to Oklahoma City since doing the reporting and writing Boom Town? Anderson: Yeah, so lets see.

I got sent out here in 2012, the summer of 2012 after they lost the Finals.

Was on the ground reporting, talking to people, wrote the story they did the (James) Harden trade right when my story was about to come out, so I had to write a new ending.

And then was completely sucked in by the place, decided to write a book, was around a lot of 2012, 2013 that was the main season took a long time to write the book.

Book came out in 2018.

And then Ive been in and out since then.

I came to see a couple Trail Blazers games, Im a big Blazers fan ...

and Ive been in and out to give talks and stuff about the book over the years, but not doing basketball reporting.

I always knew if and when the team ever made it back to the Finals, I had to come back to complete the circle.

I just didnt expect it to be this fast, obviously.

More: Thunder vs Pacers prediction: NBA Finals Game 5 odds, injury updates for OKC-IndianaWhats the same, whats changed about Oklahoma City since you wrote the book?Anderson: The city was changing rapidly in 2012 when I first came.

All these miraculous things were happening.

There were great coffee shops, but like four of them.

And now theres like 150 of them.

Back then the Thunder still felt like a miracle.

That the Thunder existed was an absolute miracle that people could not take for granted.

And now its not that they take it for granted, but its just not a miracle anymore that the Thunder is here.

Its awesome and people are into it, but its not like unimaginable anymore.

Its what Oklahoma City is.

CARLSON: Thunder star Jalen Williams makes NBA Finals statement: 'The more on my plate, the better'Less out of place, maybe? Anderson: It seems central to what the city is.

I just got stopped actually.

I was walking through downtown from Elemental Coffee and I was walking through the memorial and I saw somebody look at me.

And then three blocks later she came up and was like, Im sorry to bother you, this is really weird, but whats your name? Im like, ...

Sam.

Shes like, Sam Anderson? I love your book so much.

Shes 25.

She grew up in rural Oklahoma, I cant remember the name of the town now, but she moved here in 2022 I wanna say, because this was the cool place to move.

To her, Oklahoma City is the Thunder.

Theyve always been here.

She has a very early memory of going to a Hornets game, but thats just what the city is.

Shes a huge Thunder fan, shes so excited.

Thats the evolution.

When I was first coming here, it was this first-wave thing, and now its built so deeply into the city.

Ive heard the playoff crowds are still as loud as they were in 2012.

Ive heard the regular season isnt quite as nuts, because how could it be? You cant fake that level of desperation.

The newness.

You cant fake that.

Its all like weirdly the same, and weirdly way different.

More: Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defends NBA Finals ref Scott Foster, calling criticism 'stupid'What other memories do you have coming back here? Anderson: When I first drove into town, I was fighting with my GPS, because all it wanted me to do was get on the elevated highway that used to go through downtown that they were in the process of ripping down.

It was like Take this ramp, and I was like, Its blocked by cones and ends in midair.

Im not doing that.

Youve had this huge amount of construction and redefinition of downtown.

Scissortail Park was unimaginable back then.

It was a vast wasteland of auto shops and empty lots.

People drove me around and gave me tours of the city.

I remember seeing Union Station, the old train station, which I happened to walk through Scissortail Park the other day and it looked like an AI-generated, perfect, idyllic park.

People having a great time.

Diverse families having a wonderful time on a perfect sunny day, and thats what it was.

At the time I was first here, people were driving me through there, This is Union Station, the old train station.

Its in the middle of these absolutely dumpy lots in an abandoned city.

Walking through Scissortail Park I happened to find Union Station and was like, Oh my God, I didnt realize I was here.

That was a real moment of recontextualization of how far the city has come.

Its kind of the dream version of what they were dreaming of in 2012.

Then you have the city hosting literal Olympic events.

Not fake Olympics, not pre off-year Olympics, the Olympics.

Unimaginable stuff.

More: How Chet Holmgren shook off injury scare to help Thunder tie up NBA Finals: 'We need you'Does this place still fascinate you?Anderson: 100%.

Ill say to my friends or my wife, Im going back.

And then Ill be like, Its a hassle to get here.

Do I really want to do this? Ive seen it.

And then I land, Im tired, I get my rental car.

And as soon as I start driving into downtown I just get a big grin on my face.

Oh, man.

This place.

Im back in this silly, beautiful, unbelievably weird, wonderful place.

Im alway so happy to be back.

Ive spent a lot of time walking downtown and thinking about the history of where Im walking through.

Ill never get sick of it.

More: Thunder vs Pacers grades: How Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort turned NBA Finals Game 4 to OKCWhats been the feedback from Oklahomans on Boom Town?Anderson: Theyre all just really grateful.

That I spent so much time, that someone from the outside took this place seriously enough to try and see it for what it is and capture that in words for the rest of the world and teach people why this place is so cool and interesting.

Its been awesome.

I have zero celebrity anywhere in the world, but I have this funny micro-celebrity in certain places here.

No one ever walks up to me and says, Oh, are you Sam Anderson, anywhere else on planet Earth, nor will they ever.

Its a fun experience.

Its so heartfelt.

They tell me their life story, where their family is from in Oklahoma.

Its really beautiful and fun.

I love it.

More: How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder didn't flinch in legacy-defining Game 4 of NBA FinalsJoe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman.

Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected].

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