Even under the blazing sun and soaring temps above 90 degrees, Oklahoma City turned out in full force to celebrate something it’s never experienced before — a major professional sports championship.
The streets were packed on Tuesday as fans cheered on the Thunder during their first-ever NBA title parade.
Downtown buzzed with excitement as the team basked in the glory of Sunday’s Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers, officially crowning the Thunder as NBA champions for the very first time since relocating from Seattle back in 2008.
A Victory Parade Full of Fan Love and Trophy Sharing
The championship parade lasted about an hour and a half, but the memories will stick around far longer.
Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and the rest of the Thunder roster made their way through downtown OKC, waving to fans and soaking up the moment.
Big man Chet Holmgren and backup center Branden Carlson didn’t just stay on the float—they walked into the crowd, hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy for fans to see up close.
Meanwhile, Jaylin Williams was all smiles, giving out high-fives as he moved through a sea of supporters.
Isaiah Hartenstein even stepped off his bus entirely to join fans, followed closely by news crews eager to capture every second.
A City That’s Waited Long Enough
While this might be the Thunder’s first title, Oklahoma City’s relationship with NBA basketball goes back almost two decades.
The city first got a taste of the NBA when the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated there after Hurricane Katrina in 2005-06.
It was during that short stint that fans fell in love — especially with a rookie named Chris Paul.
Then came the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008.
Though it started with growing pains, the Thunder quickly built something special with the trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
They came close in 2012 but lost in the Finals to the Miami Heat.
Injuries, trades, and heartbreak followed — including blowing a 3-1 lead to Golden State in 2016, after which Durant famously left to join the Warriors.
Through it all, the fans stuck around. And now, they finally get to celebrate.
Thunder’s Rise Draws Big National Attention
Game 7 wasn’t just a big deal in Oklahoma — the whole country tuned in.
The Thunder’s 103-91 win over Indiana drew a massive audience, averaging 16.53 million viewers on ABC and ESPN+.
It even peaked at 19.28 million late in the game.
This was the most-watched NBA Finals game since 2019, when the Toronto Raptors took down the Warriors.
The last time a Game 7 pulled in more viewers?
That was Cleveland’s iconic 2016 win over the Warriors, which averaged 31 million viewers.
Overall, the Thunder-Pacers series averaged 10.27 million per game — not quite as high as last year’s Celtics-Mavs series, but still a strong showing.
The Thunder’s Future Looks Even Brighter
What’s even more impressive?
This title might just be the beginning.
The Thunder are young — really young.
Chet Holmgren is just 23.
Jalen Williams is 24.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort are only 26.
Cason Wallace is 21.
And then there’s Nikola Topic, who didn’t even play this season due to injury — but now has an NBA ring at just 19 years old.
That youth and potential are why oddsmakers already have Oklahoma City as favorites to win it all again next season.
They opened this past season at +950 odds but stormed into the conference finals as the top pick.
At +240, they’re the team to beat.
The next best? The Cavs and Knicks, both sitting back at +700.
A Champagne Celebration… Sort Of
Sunday’s locker room celebration wasn’t quite the polished, pop-the-bottle party you might expect from a championship squad.
Why? Because most of the Thunder players had no idea how to open a champagne bottle.
“We were looking around like, ‘Where’s the champagne at?’” one player joked.
Bottles were definitely there — it was just the team who wasn’t ready.
Turns out, being the youngest NBA champion team in nearly 50 years comes with some quirks.
Players were literally pulling up YouTube tutorials to learn how to uncork their drinks.
Isaiah Hartenstein confirmed it: “None of us knew how to do it.”
Enter the Vet: Alex Caruso Saves the Day
Thankfully, one guy in the room had been there before.
Alex Caruso, the 31-year-old guard with a previous championship under his belt, stepped in like a true veteran.
He led a quick tutorial on how to make the bubbles fly, and after a couple of failed attempts, the team finally got the hang of it.
“We didn’t get it all at once — not until the third try,” Caruso laughed. “I tried my best.”
In a way, that moment symbolized the entire Thunder season: young, eager, learning on the fly — but eventually getting it right.
Looking Ahead: Can They Run It Back?
With all their key players under contract and a championship now behind them, the Thunder have every reason to be confident heading into 2026.
Caruso summed it up best: “We’ll get some rest, reset, try to go again next year and see if we can do it again. We’ll be better. We’ll be better next year.”
So what’s next? Another run, more growth — and maybe this time, they’ll nail the champagne pop on the first try.