Being the only professional sports team in the state, the Oklahoma City Thunder captured an NBA championship that tasted sweeter for their fanbase than others. The small-market squad has had a chip on its shoulder for nearly two decades because of its little brother status.
Because of that, Thunder fans celebrated their Larry O’Brien trophy all summer. They packed out the downtown parks during the short-notice championship parade despite hot temperatures. Hard to blame them, either. After all, the football-crazy state hasn’t seen Oklahoma or Oklahoma State win a national championship since 2000.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables hopes to experience the same sense of accomplishment as Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault did this past June. He’s in his fourth season as the Sooners’ head coach. While the results have been mixed at best, a strong season in the SEC could save his job.
Preparing for a highly anticipated Week 2 game against Michigan, Venables reflected on the Thunder’s championship. They had one of the greatest seasons in NBA history and were clearly the best team in the league for the entire season. A championship run united the state.
“That’s great for the state. A lot of people, you give people the hope, and during the course of the season,” Venables said. “Just week in and week out, and there’s a buildup to every game.”
Venables said the Thunder’s championship season inspired hope. He hopes Oklahoma can do the same this season. Under quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, perhaps the new OC-QB tandem can provide a shot in the arm for the program that’s been middling since Venables became head coach.
#Sooners coach Brent Venables says watching the OKC Thunder’s NBA Finals run was inspiring.
“That’s great for the state. A lot of people, you give people the hope, and during the course of the season, just week in and week out, and there’s a build up to every game.”
— Colton Sulley (@colton_sulley) September 2, 2025