OKC Thunder royalty: Fittingly Nick Collison’s number first to be retired

Nick Collison will become the first OKC Thunder player to have his number retired Sunday. It’s an honor only he deserves.

If there’s ever a nickname well suited for Nick Collison, it’s “Mr. Thunder.” Oklahoma City has a fan base unlike any other in that the team takes on the “blue-collar” mentality of the citizens. It’s the shared worked ethic and commitment to excellence which bonds the team to the city and the players to the citizens. And nobody embodied the spirit of the community more than Collison.

Explaining his popularity to an outsider or even a young Thunder fan is almost impossible, as one could only gain a full appreciation of Collison by watching his career unfold. You can’t look…