Before the Oklahoma City Thunder began their quest for a second straight championship, they celebrated their first.
OKC celebrated the 2024-25 championship with its fans at Paycom Center ahead of Tuesday’s season opener against the Houston Rockets. That meant raising the banner to the rafters and receiving their championship rings for the first title in franchise history since it moved to Oklahoma City.
Here is a look at some of the celebrations and the ring:
Any celebration of the Thunder starts with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who turned in one of the most memorable seasons in NBA history while leading his team to the crown.
He won the league MVP during the regular season, was the scoring champ at 32.7 points per game and took home the NBA Finals MVP for the victory over the Indiana Pacers. He carried the Thunder all season and then delivered in the biggest moments.
SGA notched a double-double of 29 points, 12 assists and five rebounds during the Game 7 win over the Pacers. He also poured in more than 30 points in four of the NBA Finals games and finished with 35 points in the Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets in the second round.
It was far from a solo effort, though, as players such as Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren also played starring roles during the playoffs. Throw in a strong supporting cast of Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and others, and it was no surprise the Thunder took home the championship.
The majority of those same players are back again in 2025-26, which puts Oklahoma City on the short list of realistic title contenders.
If it parlays those expectations into another triumph, the Thunder will be celebrating once again to start the 2026-27 season.
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