FLAGS FLYING HIGH. WHAT A JOY TO GET TO SEE THE PLAYERS IN PERSON. I LOVE THAT THEY STARTED AT THE PAYCOM CENTER, BUT TO END HERE AT SCISSORTAIL PARK AND TO TALK IN FRONT OF THE SEA OF PEOPLE, THEIR FANS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THEM THROUGH SO MUCH. IT MEANS A LOT. WELL, I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST FEEL LIKE FOR THEM, BECAUSE THE JOURNEY TO GET HERE, I MEAN, THIS IS A DREAM THAT ANYBODY, ANY KID THAT LIKES BASKETBALL WOULD HAVE. NOW THAT THEY’RE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES, JUST TO GET TO THIS POINT, THE AMOUNT OF HARD WORK IT TAKES IS JUST IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER JUST SAID, AND YOU HEARD IT. HE SAID, DON’T EVER FORGET THIS. HE SAID, THESE THINGS AREN’T GUARANTEED. AARON WIGGINS KIND OF ALLUDED TO THAT. HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS MIGHT NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT HE SAID, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE’RE HERE NOW. BUT WE DID IT. WE’RE HERE NOW. AND SO LET’S CELEBRATE. WE CAN WORRY ABOUT FUTURE YEARS AND FUTURE TITLES AND FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE CAN WORRY ABOUT THAT SOME OTHER TIME. BUT RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR AND THE INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT THEY HAVE. AS WE’RE TAKING A LOOK NOW AT THE VIDEO FROM EARLIER IN THE PARADE, SGA GREETING THE FANS. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. CARUSO, OF COURSE, WHO LOST HIS SHIRT AS WELL EARLY IN THE PARADE. OH YEAH, BY THE WAY, THE BROTHERHOOD THERE AND THE WAY THEY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. I WILL SAY WE SAW SGA HERE IN PERSON JUST OFF THE BALCONY. HE WAS, YOU KNOW, HIGH FIVING, FIST BUMPING, SMILING, SHAKING HANDS WITH A LITTLE GROUP OVER HERE AND THEN MADE HIS WAY ALONG. AND I WAS WATCHING THAT GROUP AND THEY WERE STILL SO EXCITED. THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES. IT WAS LIKE 15 MINUTES LATER, AND THEY STILL COULDN’T GET OVER THE FACT THAT THE MVP WALKED BY THEM, DIDN’T JUST KEEP ON WALKING, BUT STOPPED, TALKED, SAID HELLO. I MEAN HIGH FIVE. MULTIPLE TIMES. I MEAN LIKE LIKE THEY WERE YELLING AT HIM. HE WAS YELLING BACK. I MEAN, IT WAS TRUE ENGAGEMENT. IT WAS TRUE. IT WASN’T. IT WASN’T FORCED. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO BE HERE. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU GOT TO KNOW. THEY WERE IN WERE AS EXCITED, IF NOT MORE SO, THAN THE FANS WHO SHOWED UP TO WATCH THEM. YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. YOU KNOW WHO’S BEEN WITNESSING THIS FROM UP HIGH LIKE WE HAVE AS WELL? BRYAN KEATING AND HANNAH HOOVER, THEY ARE JOINING US ON ANOTHER BALCONY JUST OFF THE SCISSORTAIL PARK. GUYS, THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE DAY IN OKLAHOMA CITY HISTORY. ZOOM IN A LITTLE MORE. HEY, GUYS. SORRY, SORRY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S A LOT GOING ON HERE, GUYS. WHAT AN AFTERNOON. I THOUGHT THAT WAS WILD. YOU KNOW, TO SEE THE TEAM COME RIGHT BEFORE US TO SEE THE LARRY O’BRIEN TROPHY. JUST BEING CARRIED AND BEING TOUCHED BY THE FANS. BECAUSE HE HAS MADE THIS COMMENT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. OKAY. GOLD OF THE TROPHY WAS MUCH MORE GOLD THAN HE EXPECTED. HE’S TALKED ABOUT IT IN GAME SEVEN AFTER THE CELEBRATION. OF COURSE. WHAT YOU DESCRIBE THIS TROPHY, BRIAN, WHEN YOU SEE IT GLISTENING OUT HERE IN THE SUNLIGHT, IT WAS IT IS COLDER THAN I THOUGHT. AND WHEN I SAW IT IN THE ARENA, THAT’S THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT IS, MAN, HOW GOLD IS THIS THING? BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SO COOL TO BE CARRYING THIS TROPHY DOWN THE STREET. YEAH, THAT AND LETTING THE FANS TOUCH THE TROPHY. I MEAN, THAT IS THAT IS SPECTACULAR THEATER. THAT IS SPECTACULAR STUFF. THAT’S ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I’VE EVER SEEN. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SHAY AND WE’VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS COOL ON STAGE. BY THE WAY, ON STAGE, MAYOR DAVID HOLT, HE CRUSHED. HE HAD TO BRING IT AND HE CRUSHED, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERY PLAYER GETTING AN INDIVIDUAL DAY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS AWESOME. THE MAYOR SOLD THAT. IT WAS SPECTACULAR STUFF. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU? HEY, I’M ALREADY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN HIGHLIGHT EACH PLAYER ON THE DAY THAT IS THEIRS IN OKLAHOMA CITY. SO BE STAYING TUNED FOR THAT COVERAGE. I THINK WE GOT SOME GOOD IDEAS BREWING OVER HERE, BRIAN, BUT WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS JUST HOW CONNECTED EVERY PLAYER WAS WITH THE FANS, WHETHER THEY WERE ON THE BUS OR THEY WERE IN LITERALLY THE STREETS. IT WAS JUST SPECIAL TO WATCH THAT AND NOTHING LIKE IT, BECAUSE OKC IS SO CONNECTED TO THEIR FANS IN THIS CITY. THEY LOVE THEM. THEY CAN’T STAY AWAY. WHAT A DAY. WHAT AN AFTERNOON FOR OKLAHOMA CITY AND A CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION FOR THE AGES GUYS. WE WILL SEND IT BACK TO YOU FOR THE FINAL TIME. BUT SPECTACULAR STUFF HERE IN OKC. THIS IS THE WAY TO CLOSE OUT A SEASON. I WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE. BRIAN HANNAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS ALWAYS. WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS SEASON HAD ADVERSITY. IT HAD CHALLENGES. IT HAD INCREDIBLE TALENT. AND EVERY SINGLE TIME JUST THIS THUNDER TEAM WAS DOWN. THEY HAD SOMETHING UP AGAINST THEM. THEY ROSE AND THEY FINISHED THE JOB AND THEY OVERCAME THOSE OBSTACLES AND ULTIMATELY THEY GOT IT DONE. THEY GOT IT DONE FOR THE TEAM FOR THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. AND THEY GOT IT DONE FOR OUR CITY. BRINGING HOME A. CHAMPIONSHIP. WE ARE CHAMPIONS. ENJOY IT, ENJOY THE CELEBRATIONS AND WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE. FOR MORE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT A
Thunder celebrate team’s first championship with fan-packed parade in Oklahoma City
Fans filled the streets of Oklahoma City as the community celebrated the Thunder’s first NBA championship.
Updated: 2:23 PM CDT Jun 24, 2025
Fans filled the streets of Oklahoma City as the community celebrated the Thunder’s first NBA championship. The festivities kicked off Tuesday morning with an opening ceremony at the Paycom Center, where, three days earlier, the Thunder hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City. The opening ceremony was closed to the public, but season ticket holders as well as Thunder and arena staff were invited to attend. It was a party inside the Paycom Center, as several players addressed fans before heading outside onto Thunder championship buses. Aaron Wiggins even gave a shoutout to Nick Collison, who was known as “Mr. Thunder” and is the only Thunder player to have his number retired, during his speech. Video Below: Aaron Wiggins gives Thunder legend Nick Collison a shoutout during championship opening ceremony. Click here to learn more. The opening ceremony also featured speeches from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams and more. The big party, however, was still waiting outside in the Oklahoma City heat. Thousands of fans started lining the streets and Scissortail Park throughout the morning, and seemingly tens of thousands, if not more, were in place by the time the championship parade kicked off shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday. Thunder players, coaches, executives and staff filled the championship buses and toured downtown Oklahoma City. The parade started near Northwest 10th Street and Harvey Avenue, and fans as well as Thunder players and staff have been celebrating throughout the route that eventually ended at Southeast Sixth Street.Before reaching that end point, though, it was a time of celebration for the city of Oklahoma City, the team and its diehard fans. Video Below: Sky 5 shows players showing off trophy during Thunder championship parade in OKCPlayers showered fans in champagne from the open-top buses, and many went to the streets to celebrate with fans and give them high fives – sometimes with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in hand. Gilgeous-Alexander and Caruso celebrated shirtless while Hartenstein wore a T-shirt bearing Collison’s face. Thunder sideline reporter and fan favorite Nick Gallo also was spotted partying alongside the players. The championship parade concluded with a closing ceremony at Scissortail Park. Mayor David Holt, who excitedly fired up the fans while participating in the parade, emceed the parade finale with Loud City energy while players gave their final speeches and thanks to fans. The championship parade was the culmination of a dominant and historic season for Oklahoma City. The Thunder won 68 games during the regular season, surpassing the previous franchise record of 60, and became the seventh team ever to win 68 games. Video Below: ‘This is a special thing’: Thousands gather at Scissortail Park ahead of Thunder championship parade closing ceremonySky 5 shows Thunder fans gathering for final stretch of paradeThe Thunder also set the regular season record for the most double-digit wins in NBA history with 54. Additionally, Oklahoma City went 29-1 against the Eastern Conference during the regular season. The team’s dominance wasn’t just on the offensive end of the court. The Thunder finished the regular season with the best defensive rating (106.6), landing two players (Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams) on NBA All-Defensive teams. Oklahoma City continued that dominance into the playoffs, with the Thunder sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round. Questions about the Thunder’s championship caliber, however, were brought up during the Western Conference Semifinals when they took on the Denver Nuggets. The matchup was a back-and-forth affair with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and former Thunder star Russell Westbrook, but Oklahoma City took the series in a decisive Game 7 at the Paycom Center. The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals, easily dispatching the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to clinch the franchise’s second conference championship. Video Below: Aaron Wiggins shows off Larry O’Brien Trophy as championship parade continues in OKCNow, this team that was deemed “too young” and “inexperienced” was poised to play for a championship. The only team standing in their way was the Indiana Pacers, an underdog throughout the playoffs who entertained with several gritty comeback victories throughout the playoffs. That mentality continued in the NBA Finals, as the Pacers erased a 15-point deficit in Game 1 and beat the Thunder thanks to a last-second shot by Tyrese Haliburton. The Thunder and Pacers exchanged wins throughout the rest of the series, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City. Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso celebrate with each other and fans during championship paradeThe Pacers started hot at the Paycom Center, but their star player, Haliburton, was forced to leave the game after tearing his right Achilles tendon. Indiana hung around and even took a one-point lead into the second half, but the Thunder dominated the final two quarters to win 103-91. Gilgeous-Alexander, who was already named the NBA MVP and the Western Conference Finals MVP, earned the NBA Finals MVP to cap off the historic season. He averaged 30.3 points per game during the NBA Finals and scored 29 points and posted 12 assists in the decisive Game 7. Now, the Thunder get the summer to recover and regroup before attempting a run at winning a second straight championship. Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates on Thunder championship bus during parade Thunder Championship Parade Celebration HeadlinesThunder celebrate team’s first championship with fan-packed parade in Oklahoma CitySky 5 shows Thunder player and fan fun during championship parade in downtown Oklahoma City’Don’t ever forget this’: SGA speaks at parade closing ceremony at Scissortail ParkShirtless Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates with Canadian flag around his waistThunder coach Mark Daigneault thanks Thunder fans during championship paradeShirtless Alex Caruso celebrates with fans during Thunder championship paradeThunder players get off bus to celebrate, shower fans with champagneOklahoma City Mayor David Holt fires up crowd while going through Thunder championship paradeJalen Williams says he was drafted to Thunder 3 years ago on parade dayChet Holmgren says the fans helped him overcome injury, win NBA titleOklahoma City Thunder championship parade opening ceremony’I’m ready to get on the bus’: Alex Caruso talks winning NBA title during first year with ThunderAaron Wiggins gives Thunder legend Nick Collison a shoutout during championship opening ceremony’We win because we have each other’: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander discusses emotional season, MVP honorsIsaiah Hartenstein talks about Thunder’s special season, NBA titleAaron Wiggins kicks off Thunder championship parade opening ceremony by firing up fansThunder players introduced ahead of championship parade opening ceremonyFire department hangs Thunder flag above Oklahoma City road ahead of championship parade
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Fans filled the streets of Oklahoma City as the community celebrated the Thunder’s first NBA championship.
The festivities kicked off Tuesday morning with an opening ceremony at the Paycom Center, where, three days earlier, the Thunder hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City. The opening ceremony was closed to the public, but season ticket holders as well as Thunder and arena staff were invited to attend.
It was a party inside the Paycom Center, as several players addressed fans before heading outside onto Thunder championship buses. Aaron Wiggins even gave a shoutout to Nick Collison, who was known as “Mr. Thunder” and is the only Thunder player to have his number retired, during his speech.
Video Below: Aaron Wiggins gives Thunder legend Nick Collison a shoutout during championship opening ceremony. Click here to learn more.
The opening ceremony also featured speeches from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams and more.
The big party, however, was still waiting outside in the Oklahoma City heat. Thousands of fans started lining the streets and Scissortail Park throughout the morning, and seemingly tens of thousands, if not more, were in place by the time the championship parade kicked off shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Thunder players, coaches, executives and staff filled the championship buses and toured downtown Oklahoma City. The parade started near Northwest 10th Street and Harvey Avenue, and fans as well as Thunder players and staff have been celebrating throughout the route that eventually ended at Southeast Sixth Street.
Before reaching that end point, though, it was a time of celebration for the city of Oklahoma City, the team and its diehard fans.
Video Below: Sky 5 shows players showing off trophy during Thunder championship parade in OKC
Players showered fans in champagne from the open-top buses, and many went to the streets to celebrate with fans and give them high fives – sometimes with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in hand.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Caruso celebrated shirtless while Hartenstein wore a T-shirt bearing Collison’s face. Thunder sideline reporter and fan favorite Nick Gallo also was spotted partying alongside the players.
The championship parade concluded with a closing ceremony at Scissortail Park. Mayor David Holt, who excitedly fired up the fans while participating in the parade, emceed the parade finale with Loud City energy while players gave their final speeches and thanks to fans.
The championship parade was the culmination of a dominant and historic season for Oklahoma City. The Thunder won 68 games during the regular season, surpassing the previous franchise record of 60, and became the seventh team ever to win 68 games.
Video Below: ‘This is a special thing’: Thousands gather at Scissortail Park ahead of Thunder championship parade closing ceremony
Sky 5 shows Thunder fans gathering for final stretch of parade
The Thunder also set the regular season record for the most double-digit wins in NBA history with 54. Additionally, Oklahoma City went 29-1 against the Eastern Conference during the regular season.
The team’s dominance wasn’t just on the offensive end of the court. The Thunder finished the regular season with the best defensive rating (106.6), landing two players (Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams) on NBA All-Defensive teams.
Oklahoma City continued that dominance into the playoffs, with the Thunder sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round.
Questions about the Thunder’s championship caliber, however, were brought up during the Western Conference Semifinals when they took on the Denver Nuggets. The matchup was a back-and-forth affair with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and former Thunder star Russell Westbrook, but Oklahoma City took the series in a decisive Game 7 at the Paycom Center.
The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals, easily dispatching the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to clinch the franchise’s second conference championship.
Video Below: Aaron Wiggins shows off Larry O’Brien Trophy as championship parade continues in OKC
Now, this team that was deemed “too young” and “inexperienced” was poised to play for a championship. The only team standing in their way was the Indiana Pacers, an underdog throughout the playoffs who entertained with several gritty comeback victories throughout the playoffs.
That mentality continued in the NBA Finals, as the Pacers erased a 15-point deficit in Game 1 and beat the Thunder thanks to a last-second shot by Tyrese Haliburton. The Thunder and Pacers exchanged wins throughout the rest of the series, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso celebrate with each other and fans during championship parade
The Pacers started hot at the Paycom Center, but their star player, Haliburton, was forced to leave the game after tearing his right Achilles tendon. Indiana hung around and even took a one-point lead into the second half, but the Thunder dominated the final two quarters to win 103-91.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was already named the NBA MVP and the Western Conference Finals MVP, earned the NBA Finals MVP to cap off the historic season. He averaged 30.3 points per game during the NBA Finals and scored 29 points and posted 12 assists in the decisive Game 7.
Now, the Thunder get the summer to recover and regroup before attempting a run at winning a second straight championship.
Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates on Thunder championship bus during parade
Thunder Championship Parade Celebration Headlines