Latest news with #Thunder
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder Disrespected After Lakers Claim During Offseason
Thunder Disrespected After Lakers Claim During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Oklahoma City Thunder just capped off a magical postseason run by winning the NBA Championship. The Thunder had only made one appearance in the NBA Finals before this season's trip, but this one ended in the Thunder's favor, hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in their young history. Advertisement Many believed that the Thunder were the best team in the league, a sentiment that had been held for months. And why not? They finished the regular season third in offensive efficiency and first in defensive efficiency. It also helped that they had the best player in the league on their team in Most Valuable Player award winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) against the Indiana Pacers during the 2025 NBA Adams-Imagn Images Thunder disrespected after Lakers claim during offseason Following the Thunder's win in the NBA Finals, some are already knocking their road to the championship. On Friday's edition of First Take on ESPN, Peter Rosenberg seemingly disrespected the Thunder while talking about how close the Los Angeles Lakers are to contending for a championship. Advertisement "We can all act as if it's impossible that they can get there, but we also just saw the Indiana Pacers take the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games," Rosenberg said. "As great as OKC is, and they are a great team, they were taken to seven games two times throughout the playoffs. "Did anyone realistically think about the Indiana Pacers challenging and making it to a seventh game for the NBA Finals? So, I'm sorry, no. I cannot rule out a LeBron James and Luka Doncic-led Lakers this year." While it's not impossible for a Lakers team starring those two players to make the NBA Finals, it feels unlikely based on what we've seen from them. Top-tier talent is clearly there. However, what makes the Thunder so lethal beyond Gilgeous-Alexander is their depth. Advertisement Their depth is what allows them to play as tenaciously on the defensive end because they always have bodies on the bench that can come in and give them real minutes in big games. Former Lakers guard Alex Caruso is the case and point. While they didn't rely on him for his scoring, he was brought in for his defense, which helped shift games at times. The Thunder return many of this group, and repeating as champions will undoubtedly be on their minds next season. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Thunder championship parade turnout: 'Best city in the world'
Holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had plenty of highlights from the Oklahoma City Thunder's championship parade. Hot summer temperatures didn't scare folks from attending. Half a million packed themselves into downtown to see them celebrate the franchise's first title. Gilgeous-Alexander and his Thunder teammates showed a side of themselves that hasn't been publicly seen before. A championship will bring that out of you. The usual stoic Aaron Wiggins showed off his charisma on the microphone to kick things off. Jaylin Williams had the Scissortail Park hang onto every one of his words in an epic expletive-filled speech to close the parade off that would've had Stone Cold Steve Austin smile. Usually, NBA champions stay on their buses as they make the rounds. But Gilgeous-Alexander did the opposite. The MVP winner walked the streets. Reaching out the championship trophy over the barricade for fans to touch, Gilgeous-Alexander showed the Thunder faithful his love for their commitment over the years as they went from a rebuild to one of the greatest teams ever. 'Best city in the world, if you guys can't tell already," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Best city in the world.' That's music to Thunder fans' ears. The scary part for the rest of the NBA is that this is only the beginning in OKC. Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren ensure the Thunder will remain in title conversations for the foreseeable future. Heck, they're the favorites to repeat next year. For Gilgeous-Alexander to show Thunder fans love on the biggest day of his career shows the bond built between the team and OKC. He's quickly risen through the ranks as the greatest player in Thunder history. Sorry, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. "Best feeling in the world... Best city in the world."Nothing SGA would rather be than a champion in Oklahoma City 💯🏆
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Report: OKC Thunder sign Pittsburgh's Zack Austin as UDFA
Just because the 2025 NBA draft is over, doesn't mean teams stop ringing the phones. As soon as the last pick is announced, a whole class of undrafted free agents hope to get signed by an NBA squad with summer league weeks away. The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Georgetown's Thomas Sorber with the No. 15 pick and Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick. Now, they added somebody from undrafted free agency. The Thunder have signed Pittsburgh's Zack Austin to an Exhibit-10 deal, per Draft Express's Jon Chepkevich. He played in four college seasons from 2021-25. He spent his first two years at High Point and his last two at Pittsburgh. Austin averaged 9.2 points on 42.4% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 32 games last season. He shot 38.1% from 3 on 4.6 attempts. He was also a 90.2% free-throw shooter. He tallied 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals. The 23-year-old is a 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward. Austin will get a chance to play for the Thunder on their summer league squad. If he impresses enough, he could get added to their G League's OKC Blue roster. The Thunder's summer league schedule can be viewed here.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
When is the Thunder's NBA Finals championship parade?
The post When is the Thunder's NBA Finals championship parade? appeared first on ClutchPoints. Following their 103-91 win in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Oklahoma City Thunder won their first championship in the OKC era. The Thunder do not claim the Seattle Sonics' history, so this is essentially their first championship in franchise history. The question then becomes, when is the Thunder's championship parade? Advertisement After their NBA Finals win, the Thunder's championship parade is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24 at 10:30 a.m., as per Brandon Rahbar of The Daily Thunder. The Thunder were among the few teams considered contenders for the NBA championship this season. They were the best team in the Western Conference this past season with an overall record of 68-14. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. They followed that up with a grueling seven games series in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, and then easily dispatched the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder were then challenged again by the Pacers in the NBA Finals, being pushed to a deciding Game 7. The Thunder finished with the best record and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference during the 2023-24 season as well, but they were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals. It's been 13 years since the Thunder have made it to the NBA Finals. The first time they reached the Finals was in 2012 with the star trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Advertisement Scott Brooks was the head coach when the Thunder last reached the NBA Finals. His tenure was followed by Billy Donovan who coached the team to five playoff appearances in five seasons, including one conference finals appearance. Donovan was replaced with Mark Daigneault, who has led the team to two playoff appearances in five seasons so far. But one of those seasons includes an NBA championship. Related: Isaiah Hartenstein's son fast asleep on Thunder's NBA Finals podium Related: Thunder guard Alex Caruso forced to give champagne-popping tutorial
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans hit Skip Bayless with Spurs receipts after bizarre 22-minute Thunder video
The post Fans hit Skip Bayless with Spurs receipts after bizarre 22-minute Thunder video appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Oklahoma City Thunder have finally climbed the mountain. The Thunder won its first NBA Championship in franchise history on Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, 103-91. The game was somewhat marred by the devastating Tyrese Haliburton Achilles injury. But that did not stop fans and celebrities from giving the Thunder their flowers. Advertisement But in an interesting twist, former television personality and self-proclaimed San Antonio Spurs fan, Skip Bayless, posted a strange 22-minute video on X, formerly Twitter. In the video, Bayless is seen getting emotional, wearing an Oklahoma City Thunder hat. 'I am so elated, even though I am not showing it because I am so deflated. This is all so bittersweet,' Bayless said to open the video. 'My emotions are more mixed than the drinks my father used to drink, my drunk father back at that house I grew up in on 43rd Street in Oklahoma City. 'That little two-bedroom, one bath house with that drunk dad of mine,' he said while away from the camera. He would go on to lament Haliburton's injury and declare that this Thunder championship should be regarded as one of the greatest of all time. But one major problem, he sounds like the most bandwagon of bandwagon fans ever. Advertisement Fans noticed, too, replying to his tweet with receipts. 'I've been a Spurs fan since the Ice Man nights of the '70s. First time I've ever dreaded watching a Spurs game,' Bayless wrote in May of 2017. But that was far from the only one. A year prior, he even invoked the Thunder in reference to his Spurs fandom. 'As a Spurs fan, I'll be rooting like crazy for the Thunder to finish Dallas.' But X user A Different Conversation really brought it all home. 'Are you finally at that age where you've lost it? You were already cooked, but a 21 minute video, you being a Thunder fan all of a sudden, and now we gotta hear about your drunk dad 😬 wtf skip.' Advertisement Bayless was indeed raised in Oklahoma City. He was actually named John Edward but upon his nickname of Skip sticking, he eventually officially changed his name. It is somewhat confusing to see such a bizarre video. On one hand, Bayless appears to be opening up about his childhood trauma, expressing vulnerability. On the other hand, he has built a career as an attention-seeking, dramatized personality. So, it's hard to know how much of the displayed emotion was genuine. But one thing is clear. Any fan that suddenly jumps onto a championship bandwagon will always get called out for it. Related: Thunder's Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren in line for $247 million contract extensions Related: Thunder player who made history by winning title before even playing a game
