Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder got a hero’s welcome from their fans as they paraded the Larry O’Brien Trophy around Oklahoma City after winning the NBA title on Sunday.
In a grueling, seven-game series against the gritty Indiana Pacers, the league MVP led OKC to its first title since the franchise was moved from Seattle and rebranded in 2008.
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On Tuesday morning, fans lined up on the streets of Oklahoma City to see their team just two days after their crowning moment at Paycom Center. During the parade, SGA and his teammates got up close with fans as confetti rained down on the streets.
Unlike many championship parades that feature star players on top of buses, rarely immersing themselves in the crowd, the Thunder’s biggest names walked on foot and presented the trophy for fans to touch. Gilgeous-Alexander was seen waving the team banner outside their home arena while wearing his native Canadian flag around his waist.
The parade route began on North 10th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, headed south and concluded outside Paycom Center, where the team and coaching staff addressed the audience. According to the Oklahoma Voice, around 500,000 people attended the celebration.
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“Wow. … Thank you guys so much,” Gilgeous-Alexander told the crowd, per The Oklahoman. “Don’t ever forget this. Moments in life like this, they don’t come very often. … We love you guys.”
The franchise won the NBA title in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics before moving to Oklahoma City in 2007. The Thunder appeared in the Finals in 2012, led by Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. That team lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat in four games.
After that trio vacated Oklahoma City, the team began a rebuild that included acquiring Gilgeous-Alexander from the L.A. Clippers in exchange for Paul George in 2019.
With a young core coached by Mark Daigneault, this season’s Thunder overcame the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves to win the West and then beat the Pacers for their first banner.
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