WE’LL TIME THESE STORMS IN HERE FOR YOU. COMING UP, JESS. DAMON. THANK YOU. THIS WEEKEND IN OKLAHOMA CITY, TWO MOMENTS COLLIDE. WE REMEMBER THE LIVES LOST IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING. 168 PEOPLE, A CITY FORCED TO REBUILD. AND NOW, MORE THAN THREE DECADES LATER, THAT SAME CITY STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AS THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER BEGIN ANOTHER, LONG PLAYOFF RUN. KOCO KILEE THOMAS JOINING US LIVE ON WHAT IS GOING TO BE KYLIE A POWERFUL WEEKEND HERE IN OKC. AT 903, THIS CITY CHOSE TO KEEP GOING. NOW, 31 YEARS LATER, THAT SAME SPIRIT FILLS OUR ARENA AND IN A TEAM THAT’S QUICKLY BECOME PART OF OKC IDENTITY, OKLAHOMA CITY’S PAST AND PRESENT, GRIEF AND GROWTH ALL IN ONE FRAME. SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER ARMS WIDE OPEN AND JOY DURING THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF OKLAHOMA’S TRIUMPHANT REBIRTH FROM THE APRIL 19TH ATTACK IN OKLAHOMA CITY. TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH ARE NOW TIED TOGETHER. THE BOMBING AND BASKETBALL BOTH SHAPING THE CITY’S IDENTITY. THE FACT THAT THE GAME IS ON APRIL 19TH IS NO COINCIDENCE. IT ALLOWS US TO REMEMBER IN THE MORNING AND CELEBRATE LIFE IN THE AFTERNOON. GAME ONE OF THE NBA PLAYOFFS FALLS ON APRIL 19TH, THE 31ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK. FANS WEARING A GAME ONE THUNDERSHIRT WILL GET ONE FREE ADMISSION INTO THE MUSEUM FOR FREE THROUGH THE END OF APRIL. AT THE GAME, RONNIE FIELDS, A GUTHRIE PASTOR WHO LOST HIS MOM, CAROL, IN THE BOMBING, WILL DO THE INVOCATION. KERRY WATKINS, CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL MUSEUM, SAYS, THE WAY THIS COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER NOW CARRIES THEIR MEMORY FORWARD. SAM PRESTI IN 2008 DECIDED TO BRING THE TEAM HERE EVERY YEAR. HE’S DONE IT SINCE AS THEY GET NEW PLAYERS AND NEW STAFF, WE BRING THEM THROUGH THE MUSEUM AND THIS WEEKEND, FROM REMEMBRANCE TO THE ROAR OF THE CROWD, THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER BECOME PART OF THAT TRIBUTE, A CITY HONORING ITS PAST WHILE STEPPING INTO ITS FUTURE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT 168 PEOPLE WHO WENT TO WORK NOT MOORE AND DIDN’T GET TO GO HOME, AND SO THE FACT THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE LIFE CARRIES THEIR MEMORY FORWARD, AND WE’LL DO SOMETHING IN THE GAME TO CARRY THEIR MEMORY FORWARD. NOW, IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT DOWN HERE SUNDAY MORNING FOR THE REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY, YOU CAN JOIN US ON KOCO.
ESPN to highlight special relationship between Thunder and OKC National Memorial and Museum
See the teaser for the E60 special in the embedded post in this story
Updated: 1:12 PM CDT Apr 20, 2026
ESPN is set to release a special highlighting the Thunder’s special connection with the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. | RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Oklahoma City reflects on bombing anniversary as Thunder begin playoff runOn April 19, 1995, the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City killed 168 people, including 19 children. The act of domestic terrorism was one of the darkest days in Oklahoma’s and American history. From tragedy has grown hope through the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, and the Thunder have made sure their players know about the history. It’s been a longstanding tradition for the Thunder to bring their players, especially newcomers, to the memorial and museum. On Sunday, a week after the 31st anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, ESPN will air an E60 special called “The Oklahoma Standard.” The title reflects a statewide initiative preserving and promoting a culture of caring people that spawned by the acts of kindness after the bombing. ESPN released a teaser for the special this past Sunday, which also was the day the Thunder started their Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. “Every time you step out on that floor, it gives you something else to play for. There’s a meaning behind what’s on your jersey,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said in the teaser.Along with the current faces of the franchise, at least one former Thunder superstar is featured in “The Oklahoma Standard.” Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflects on Oklahoma City bombing anniversary”Oklahoma City itself just went through a lot. We wanted to represent. We were bringing the city together through the game of basketball,” Durant, who played for the Thunder from the franchise’s inaugural season in Oklahoma City in 2008 to following the 2015-16 season, said. E60’s special “The Oklahoma Standard” airs at 10 a.m. on April 26. Thunder fans can watch it on ESPN and the ESPN app. Top HeadlinesLeFlore County deputy killed, police officer injured in eastern Oklahoma ambushPatrick Muldoon, ‘Days of Our Lives’ actor, dies at 57VIDEO: Humanoid robot sprints to victory in China, beating the human half-marathon world recordTwo dead after planned fight in North Carolina park escalates into mass shooting, police sayOHP identifies 2 victims who drowned after boat capsized over weekend at Bell Cow Lake
OKLAHOMA CITY —
ESPN is set to release a special highlighting the Thunder’s special connection with the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
| RELATED VIDEO ABOVE | Oklahoma City reflects on bombing anniversary as Thunder begin playoff run
On April 19, 1995, the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City killed 168 people, including 19 children. The act of domestic terrorism was one of the darkest days in Oklahoma’s and American history.
From tragedy has grown hope through the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, and the Thunder have made sure their players know about the history. It’s been a longstanding tradition for the Thunder to bring their players, especially newcomers, to the memorial and museum.
On Sunday, a week after the 31st anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, ESPN will air an E60 special called “The Oklahoma Standard.” The title reflects a statewide initiative preserving and promoting a culture of caring people that spawned by the acts of kindness after the bombing.
ESPN released a teaser for the special this past Sunday, which also was the day the Thunder started their Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.
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To better understand the community they play for, every Oklahoma City Thunder player visits the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum dedicated to those affected by the April 19, 1995 bombing.
📺 Watch E60’s “The Oklahoma Standard” April 26 at 11 AM ET on ESPN and the ESPN… pic.twitter.com/KDeC6xruiF
— 30 for 30 (@30for30) April 19, 2026
“Every time you step out on that floor, it gives you something else to play for. There’s a meaning behind what’s on your jersey,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said in the teaser.
Along with the current faces of the franchise, at least one former Thunder superstar is featured in “The Oklahoma Standard.”
Video Below: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflects on Oklahoma City bombing anniversary
“Oklahoma City itself just went through a lot. We wanted to represent. We were bringing the city together through the game of basketball,” Durant, who played for the Thunder from the franchise’s inaugural season in Oklahoma City in 2008 to following the 2015-16 season, said.
E60’s special “The Oklahoma Standard” airs at 10 a.m. on April 26. Thunder fans can watch it on ESPN and the ESPN app.
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