The Oklahoma City Thunder captured the 2025 NBA championship after defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Finals. Although OKC was widely regarded as the favorites, the Pacers’ journey to the Finals represented a remarkable achievement for the franchise.
Tyrese Haliburton suffered a devastating Achilles injury in the first quarter of Game 7, which severely damaged the Pacers’ championship hopes. Despite this setback, Haliburton had been one of the most clutch performers throughout the 2025 postseason, becoming the first player in NBA history to hit game-tying or game-winning shots in all four playoff rounds during a single postseason run.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the Finals MVP award after averaging 30.3 points and 5.6 assists in the championship series. The Canadian star led the Oklahoma City Thunder by example, alongside Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso. This marks the Thunder’s first title in OKC after the franchise previously won a championship in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics.
The championship parade occurred on June 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans to celebrate the franchise’s historic achievement.
Thunder Championship Celebration Brings City Together
The championship parade was held in downtown Oklahoma City, starting at Northwest 10th Street and North Harvey Avenue before concluding at Scissortail Park near the Thunder’s home arena, the Paycom Center. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt helped organize the massive celebration, which attracted fans from across the state and region.
“WEDNESDAY JULY 30TH… IS SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER DAY!”
Mayor David Holt announces SGA has his own day named after him in Oklahoma City 🗣️🌟 pic.twitter.com/1d3PJHsJGC
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2025
This comes as tremendous recognition for the Finals MVP, who completed one of the most dominant individual seasons in NBA history during 2025. Holt has also declared honorary days for other Thunder stars and personnel as well.
OKC Mayor David Holt declares the following Oklahoma City holidays.
June 30 Clay Bennett Day
July 1 Sam Presti Day
July 2 Mark Daigneault Day
July 7 Brandon Carlson
July 8 Alex Ducas Day
July 9 Adam Flagler Day
July 10 Nikola Topic Day
July 11 Ousmane Dieng Day
July 14 Dillon…
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) June 24, 2025
Holt’s declarations honor every member of the Thunder organization, reflecting the team-wide effort that delivered the championship. Remarkably, Nikola Topić received recognition despite missing the entire season due to an ACL injury. The Serbian guard became the first player in NBA history to win a championship without playing a single minute in the league, as he had not yet made his NBA debut when the injury occurred during the preseason.
Historic Season Culminates in Championship Glory
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and general manager Sam Presti have also been honored with dedicated days, joined by Clay Bennett, one of the franchise’s ownership group members. The month-long festival of recognition celebrates the comprehensive organizational success that produced Oklahoma City’s first major professional sports championship.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2025 campaign was historic by any measure. He became just the fourth player in NBA history to win the regular season MVP, scoring title, and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Michael Jordan (four times), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal. The Thunder finished the regular season with a league-best 68-14 record and posted the highest point differential in NBA history at plus-12.9 points per game.
The championship parade route wound through downtown Oklahoma City, allowing fans to celebrate alongside the players, coaches, and front office staff who delivered the franchise’s long-awaited title. For a city that has embraced the Thunder since the franchise’s 2008 arrival from Seattle, the championship represents the culmination of nearly two decades of growth, rebuilding, and unwavering fan support.
