Oklahoma City Thunder players aren't dishing out assists to each other, they've also got some up their sleeve for their equipment manager Wilson Taylor. Nearly a decade ago, Taylor, a McAlester, Oklahoma native, was halfway through a master's program at Oklahoma State University when he landed an internship with the Thunder organization. Over the years, Taylor moved up the ladder and eventually landed the job he holds today as the team's equipment manager.
During his time with the franchise, Taylor has developed a strong bond with many of the Thunder players and it culminated in a very special proposal to longtime girlfriend Felicia Hudak, who was familiar with all of the OKC players, back in March. A little more than a week before the proposal took place, Taylor and "six or seven guys" went to a Milwaukee steakhouse to plan everything out.
Per Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports:
"Six or seven guys went to this steakhouse, and (Novak) had a private room for us, and KD and I were kind of off to the side," Taylor remembers. "He was like, ‘I know this (proposal) is coming up. What are you thinking? Have you talked to Russ and Nick?’ So I told him I’d been thinking about this whole scavenger hunt thing."
The scavenger hunt consisted of six stops with each destination having "its own special meaning." After the first couple of locations which involved a mid-day massage with her friend Stacy, a nail appointment with her mother, and a trip to the place where they first met, Felicia met with Russell Westbrook, who came prepared with a challenge, and an unexpectedly lengthy visit with Nick Collison.
The trip to the Thunder’s practice facility, where a challenge, and Westbrook, awaited: make two free throws, and receive the fourth clue. Sounds easy enough, sure, but the inside joke is that even DeAndre Jordan could beat Felicia at a shooting contest. Then it was off to the Empire Slice House, where they first kissed at Collison’s Halloween party and where, fittingly, Collison would play the next part.
For Felicia's final stop, Taylor got a little help from Kevin Durant.
The grand finale was at the Gaylord Pickens Oklahoma Hall of Fame museum, where Durant waited on the side of the building for the pivotal last handoff.
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