OKC Finally Puts a Ring on It
Alonzo Adams | Imagn Images
After a long ten weeks of extremely exciting basketball, the Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA championship in Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers on June 22nd. Every single game of the NBA playoffs was exhilarating, but the tiebreaker was something special. Here are some of the most exciting and head-turning moments from the NBA championship game.
Shai Joins the Legends
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA Finals MVP award after winning the season MVP award just a few weeks ago, joining a small collection of legends who have won both awards in the same year. The list of players to accomplish this before him includes Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed. After Shai’s 30+ point average in both the regular season and the playoffs, as well as his championship win, he has certainly cemented himself as a legend.
Prayers for Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton in Game 5 (Kyle Phillips | AP Photo)
Perhaps the saddest moment of the championship game was the exit of Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton with an Achilles injury. After being probable for Sunday night’s game due to a right calf sprain, Haliburton went down with a right Achilles injury after a non-contact slip on the floor while driving to the basket in the first quarter of the game. Despite all of this, Haliburton stuck around with crutches to cheer on his team, just speaking to the kind of player and teammate that he is. Despite the championship loss, Haiburton’s playoff run was incredible, and he scored a last-minute winning or game-tying shot in all four rounds to become the first player ever to do so, solidifying him as a star of the 2025 NBA playoffs. We’re wishing you well, Tyrese - feel better soon!
Family Ties
It’s no secret that the greatest part of any championship game is seeing a player’s support system celebrate with them afterward. Whether that’s parents, a spouse, friends, or children, it’s always heartwarming to see the athletes and the people they work so hard for. Many of the Thunders’ families came down to celebrate with them after the win, including a very sleepy Elijah, son of OKC Center Isaiah Hartenstein. Ares Gilegous-Alexander and his mom Hailey were also there to celebrate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Ares got to touch a few pretty cool trophies during OKC’s post-game celebration.
Jalen Williams Takes The Party on the Road
Jalen Williams decided to take some food on the road with him after celebrating OKC’s win. According to him, his bag of popcorn might have weighed more than the trophy, but after all of this team’s hard work, they more than deserved to enjoy some buttery stadium popcorn.
Glinda’s National Anthem
Oklahoma-born and raised Kristin Chenoweth sang the National Anthem ahead of Game 7, famous for her roles, including Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. After admitting she’d named her dog Thunder after OKC’s Thunder, she blessed everyone’s ears with her rendition of the National Anthem before the championship game tipped off.
Showing Up in Style
As always, Pacers and Thunder players showed up in their Sunday best for the final game of the NBA season. Some notable trends included team logos, bomber jackets, and eye-catching jewelry, but everyone wore their finest and meant business for the Game 7 tunnel walk.