Nearly 500,000 line parade route to celebrate Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship victory

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hundreds of thousands of people lined city streets, cheering in the confetti-filled air as open-air buses carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder paraded by.

Oklahoma City Police estimated that nearly 500,000 people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder along the nearly two-mile parade route that stretched through downtown to commemorate the Thunder’s first NBA championship since coming to the city in 2008.

They cheered en masse as Thunder players popped champagne and waved at fans.

Maverick Stephenson, of Norman, sat toward the back of the crowd, waiting for the parade to begin. Stephenson, who was covered from the waist up in the Thunder’s trademark blue and orange body paint, said he’s been a longtime Thunder fan.

“I’m really happy,” Stephenson said. “I’ve been a fan for a long time. I was a fan when we were losing a bunch of games, and it feels really good to see your team win.” 

He held a handmade poster that read “SGA + DORT Chug A Beer (It’s Canadian),” a reference to Thunder players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort, who are both from Canada. He said he hoped one of the players would accept the Canadian beer he was holding as they passed by. 

Other fans said they were proud to celebrate their team after finally winning a championship. Some said they had supported the team since they were formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics and played in Seattle. 

“They overcame a lot of hate and stuck together,” said Makayla Basco, of Mustang. 

She said the team, which is the youngest in nearly 50 years to win an NBA championship, faced a lot of doubt because of their ages and because more people seemed to be rooting for their opponents, the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder beat the Pacers in seven games.

“I was here when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook almost did it,” Basco said. “Seeing a team that’s just as young as they were to finish it is pretty cool.”

The last time Oklahoma City played in the NBA Finals was in 2012 against the Miami Heat, but they lost that series in five games.

Megan Robinson, of Yukon, wore an embroidered Thunder hat and gold lightning earrings to the parade. Robinson said her husband is a diehard Thunder fan. The two have been cheering on the team since the beginning.

“The camaraderie between them is amazing,” she said of the team. “Their teamwork throughout the whole series was amazing.”

Shawn Clay, of Oklahoma City, who was standing with his wife and daughter, attended the parade in a Hawaiian-themed Thunder shirt. His wife and daughter wore Thunder gear and hats.

He said this marked the first time an Oklahoma team has won a major championship, outside of college football, and he wanted to celebrate that accomplishment.

“The team reflects the city, and the city reflects the team we most support,” Clay said.

Adryan Adams, of Oklahoma City, said he’s been a Thunder fan since 2009. He said when he went to college in Texas he often heard people criticize the Thunder.

Now the Thunder has proven that it’s “the best team in the world.”