Bryson Akins, a 2021 Keota graduate, started working for LastWordOnSports in January as a writer covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. As of June 30, he has written 35 articles for the company with his last being “Grading The Thunders’ 2025 NBA Draft Class”.

“It was a dream come true (Thunder winning the NBA Championship.) I still get a little emotional when I look at pictures from the parade and clips from Game 7. I also think this championship and team mean more than basketball. I am currently writing a story on how the Thunder not only rebuilt the team, but the city and state. I wasn’t alive when the Oklahoma City Bombing happened, but I do know that day changed everything for the state. It brought everyone together, no matter who you were. 25 years ago if someone said they were from Oklahoma, people would bring up the bombing. 10 years ago if you mentioned you were from Oklahoma, they would bring up Kevin Durant and (Russell) Westbrook. Now if you say you are from Oklahoma, they will recognize you, the fanbase, and state as NBA Champions,” Akins said.

Akins fell in love with the Thunder when his dad (Bryan Akins) took him to watch his first game. He remembers watching Westbrook play with such intensity and it was one of those things that encouraged Akins to bring intensity to everything he does.

Although many people who enjoy watching the NBA say that a certain player is their hero, for Akins his hero has always been Thunder General Manager Sam Presti. Which played a huge role in Akins leaving Oklahoma for college and attending Emerson College in Boston, MA as Presti graduated from Emerson College in 2000. Akins graduated from Emerson College this past May with a major in sports communication and a double minor in marketing communication and radio, broadcasting, streaming media.

Payne, communication studies Department Chair; Mark Brodie, a professor; and Akin’s best friend Anna Woods. He stated that without them he wouldn’t be where he is today as they pushed him out of his comfort zone.

While in Boston, Akins interned at 98.5 The Sports Hub, a radio station in Boston that has been ranked the number one sports radio station for multiple years. After a few months, he started at Digest Media which is where he launched a Thunder YouTube channel called Thunder Digest. Today the YouTube channel is one of the top channels that cover the Thunder. In the midst of his success, he was denied an internship at Sports Illustrated. After that he got a job at FanSided for Thunderous Intentions and after a few months he was offered a job at Last-WordOnSports. His goal is to one day be the most well known reporter and content creator covering the Thunder.

A majority of his articles and online videos come from what Rylan Stiles at Sports Illustrated or Clente Almanza at The Thunder Wire ask during press conferences. Some nights it makes it to where he only gets four hours but other days he can get a full eight hours of sleep. “It’s gruesome and tiring, but that’s what I love about my work. You truly have to love basketball and sports to do what I and every other reporter out there does, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” Akins said.

A lot of his work depends on what part of the year it is. This past week he worked on draft coverage and trade speculation. During the playoffs, Akins focused on the betting side of writing as it’s the biggest time of the year for betting topics. He stated that the majority of his work comes in January and February as the trade deadline approaches. The night Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, he remembers not being able to sleep due to the amount of work he had to finish.

Since it was his first season working at Last-WordOnSports, he was unable to receive press credentials for Thunder games, however he was still working during the games. Akins always took notes on things he believed were significant whether it be a play or something a player said. He would then make that the highlight of his content. He intends to cover some G league games during the 2025-2026 season for the Oklahoma City Blue and work his way up from there.

You can follow Akins’ journey on YouTube at Thunder Digest, Last-WordOnSports or on X at BrysonAkins.