OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in franchise history, the Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA Champions. After their 103–91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Finals at Paycom Center, the city erupted in celebration both on the night of the championship and on Tuesday, June 24 during the celebratory parade.
Oklahoma City resident John Schlenner was downtown when the Thunder clinched the title Sunday night. He described the scene to Free Press on Monday leading up to the parade as “joyful and a little chaotic,” with fans chanting “O-K-C,” exchanging high-fives, and celebrating what many consider the city’s biggest sports moment.
“I think that this Thunder playoff run brought joy to a lot of people over the past two months,” Schlenner said.
And that energy didn’t let up after the championship. On Tuesday morning, with boomboxes in hand, flags flying from car windows, and horns blaring, hundreds of thousands of Thunder fans packed the streets to celebrate the historic win with a championship parade through the heart of downtown.
Normally, you might expect to see suits and ties during a weekday morning commute, but this time, it was Thunder jerseys and black championship shirts that filled the sidewalks.
Estimates of 500,000
In anticipation of the parade, city officials expected large crowds, referencing similar celebrations in other cities that have drawn upwards of 500,000 attendees.
By the end of the day, unofficial police sources estimated that around 500,000 people participated along the ten-block parade route as reported by several news outlets that day. However, the official report of crowd size has not been released and will likely not be for a few days.*
Road closures, parking restrictions, and increased security were implemented beginning Monday to help ensure public safety. Emergency personnel from metro police departments, agencies beyond the metro, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and parade volunteers were stationed throughout the route, coordinated by the City’s Office of Emergency Management.
‘Sports immortality’
Ahead of the event, Mayor Holt invited all Oklahoma City residents and Thunder fans from across the state to take part in the celebration, calling it “a celebration of our team and our city” that would be remembered as a historic milestone.
He also encouraged local employers to offer flexibility, noting that normal operations in downtown OKC would likely be affected by the day’s festivities.
“This is a moment we will each remember for the rest of our lives,” Mayor Holt wrote on social media ahead of the event. “OKC has achieved sports immortality. Through the prism of that achievement, we stand in awe of how far our city has come.”
The trophy
Festivities began at 9 a.m. with a televised Champions Ceremony inside Paycom Center, where the team gathered for speeches, highlights, and a moment with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The program was broadcast on large screens throughout downtown along the parade route. Fans gathered on grassy spots near landmarks like the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, cheering as highlights from the championship game were played.
The crowd erupted during scenes of Jalen Williams holding the trophy and proclaiming, “this is my family,” about his fellow teammates, and again when Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on what it meant to bring a title to Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexendar spoke about the “blood, sweat, and tears” that went into the win, saying he felt “thankful and blessed,” lucky to be part of the championship team, and grateful for the fans who always believed in him.
“Without them, we are not this,” he said about the fans at the ceremony that morning.
Straining the barriers
With fans leaning over barricades, the 2025 Champions Parade kicked off at 10:30 a.m. starting in Midtown at NW 10th and Harvey and winding south to Scissortail Park. Supporters from across Oklahoma and beyond lined the streets in Thunder blue and orange, some staking out their spots as early as 6 a.m.
Amy Gillet and Jessica Mayfield found a prime spot near the confetti trucks, which burst out waves of blue and orange throughout the parade.
“It’s just a really special time for our city,” Gillet told Free Press that morning. “I feel like the Thunder has brought a spirit of unity to our world right now, something we really need.”
Mayfield added on that sentiment, calling the event “beyond joyful.”
“Everyone has been kind and made space for each other to be here and celebrate,” Mayfield told Free Press at the parade. “I think we’re all just happy to be a part of it together.”
Gary Smith, another early attendee, came equipped with a camping chair and Thunder flag, ready to cheer on the team he’s supported for years.
“I’m just so excited,” he said at the parade. “I can’t believe it happened. It’s pretty cool seeing all the people here.”
As confetti rained down and fans waved signs and chanted, the parade carried the celebration past downtown landmarks like Bicentennial Park and Together Square.
The city provided water refill stations, shaded cooling areas, medical tents, restrooms, and pedestrian crossings to help fans stay safe and comfortable. Shuttle service from three designated lots also helped manage the large turnout.
Packed ten-block parade
The route continued south on Harvey Avenue, west on NW 5th Street, south on Walker Avenue, east on Oklahoma City Boulevard, and south on Robinson Avenue, before ending at SW 6th Street and Scissortail Park.
Along the way, icons like Gilgeous-Alexander gave high-fives to the crowd, and some fans were even sprayed with champagne by Thunder players.
The crowd erupted as the team arrived, culminating in a final ceremony. Among the many gathered was attendee Lucio Verdeja, who called the moment “unimaginable.”
“I’ve never witnessed anything like this in my life,” he told Free Press in an interview. “Probably never will again, but fingers crossed we do this again.”
It’s a sentiment shared by many in attendance and one echoed by city leadership. At a press event on Monday, June 23, Mayor David Holt said, “These moments only come along once in a lifetime.”
From the first tip-off of the season to the final moment of the parade, the Thunder’s historic championship run brought Oklahoma City together in a way that fans won’t soon forget.
*UPDATE — Our wording about crowd size in the first version of this report on Tuesday was more certain than it should have been. Since then, the Oklahoma City Police Department has cautioned that the official crowd estimate has not been released.
Zoe Elrod covers events and happenings around Oklahoma City for Free Press bringing her skill as a reporter and photographer. Zoe has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks.
