Who’s headed to the next NBA Finals? The Uber drivers’ point of view
From Los Angeles to Las Vegas to San Francisco: 25 drivers, one question, and a street-level prediction
We traveled through Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, asking 25 Uber drivers a single question: who do they see in the next NBA Finals? The answer, somewhat surprisingly but not entirely, was nearly unanimous: Oklahoma City Thunder.
The drivers didn’t just cite the talent and energy the team has shown in the first half of the season – they also pointed to last year’s championship, a title that seems to have solidified collective belief in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company.
They came back strong, more mature, and truly hungry. They’re a contender ready to win now and in the future.
Uber driver from Los Angeles
The most frequently mentioned counterpart to OKC was the New York Knicks. In Las Vegas, drivers talk about the Knicks as the most consistent and self-aware team of recent years, even though they still haven’t reached the Finals. In the casino capital, though, there’s a sense that fans are simply waiting for their moment to arrive.
Out West, beyond OKC, the most common alternatives were the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors. In San Francisco, it’s almost an act of faith: as long as Stephen Curry is around, something can happen – or at least that’s what the drivers say. Denver is viewed as the most solid contender, even while dealing with Nikola Jokic’s injury, while in Los Angeles the predictions lean more on the heart, with fans hoping Luka Doncic and LeBron James can deliver.
In the East, beyond the Knicks, responses ranged from the predictable to the surprising: Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers. Drivers explained those picks as a kind of affection for young, rising projects – teams perceived as capable of breaking through at just the right moment. That’s the beauty of this mini street survey: no statistics, no models, just the most honest snapshot of the American NBA imagination.
For those who spend their days driving between skyscrapers and highways, the league’s future seems clear: OKC is already big, New York wants to be big again, and everything else depends on what happens in these final months… one ride at a time.