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Culture June 24, 2025

Oklahoma City Thunder players, fans celebrate NBA title with parade

WATCH: OKC Thunder storm their way to 1st NBA title

Oklahoma City turned out Tuesday to celebrate the hometown Thunder's first NBA title.

The celebration began inside the Paycom Center, where Thunder players and fans gathered for the Champions Opening Ceremony.

In addition to the players, the star of the opening ceremony was the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which the Thunder earned Sunday night with a 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

PHOTO: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holds up the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the Champions Opening Ceremony for the parade inside the Paycom Center, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Alonzo Adams/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holds up the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the Champions Opening Ceremony for the parade inside the Paycom Center, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

From the opening ceremony, the championship celebration continued with a parade through downtown Oklahoma City.

OKC Thunder storm their way to 1st NBA title
PHOTO: Fans arrive at Scissortail Park ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder Championship parade & rally on June 24, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Joshua Gateley/Getty Images
Fans arrive at Scissortail Park ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder Championship parade & rally on June 24, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Thunder players including Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star Jalen Williams rode in open-top buses as thousands of fans cheered them on.

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Oklahoma City has waited since 2008 -- the year the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City -- for their first-ever NBA title.

PHOTO: A fan holds a flag before a celebration of the Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA basketball championship, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City.
Nate Billings/AP
A fan holds a flag before a celebration of the Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA basketball championship, June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City.

Gilgeous-Alexander said Monday on "Good Morning America" that winning the championship was "everything" he imagined it would be.

"The opportunity has been amazing and I'm happy and blessed to be a part of it," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who became the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP and top scorer titles during the regular season and MVP of the NBA Finals.

NBA Finals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to Thunder’s win, MVP title

"It's hard for me to even wrap my head around, but it just goes to show that when you work hard, when you focus on the right things, when you take care of the right things and you stick with that program for a certain amount of time, you can achieve anything," he added. "And most importantly, when you dream and go after it, that anything is possible."