Party in Oklahoma City: The Thunder celebrate the NBA title with their fans

Oklahoma City's die-hard fans can finally celebrate a championship after several failed attempts and heartbreaking moments over the past two decades.

Jalen Ross couldn't stop smiling during the Oklahoma City Thunder's championship parade.

Ross, 19, was one of thousands of die-hard fans finally able to celebrate an NBA title after several failed attempts and heartbreaking moments over the past two decades.

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers on Sunday to secure their first NBA title. Yesterday, Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and their teammates happily greeted their adoring fans, who lined the streets of downtown despite the heat.

Ross said it was all worth it. “It’s crazy,” he said. “From the days of wearing my KD (Kevin Durant) jersey every day, to crying when he left, to having Russell Westbrook’s Fathead in the living room during the playoffs, and all the Thunder playoff jerseys, programs, and caps hanging on my wall to this day, it’s crazy to think about. But we did it.”

The parade route ended at Scissortail Park, where Mayor David Holt declared a city holiday for Clay Bennett, the head of the team's ownership group, and later added holidays for general manager Sam Presti, coach Mark Daigneault, and every player on the team. Fans cheered each announcement.

“I just feel like they really represent us as Oklahomans and put us—the whole state and the whole city—on their shoulders,” said Chris Willert, a 15-year-old fan from Norman, a nearby city.

Oklahoma City first hosted an NBA team during the 2005-06 season, when the New Orleans Hornets relocated to the city temporarily following Hurricane Katrina.

Oklahoma City fans fell in love with the team and a young point guard named Chris Paul, who would go on to be named Rookie of the Year.

The Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in time for the 2008-09 season, and fans have rallied around the team ever since, despite the difficult times. The Thunder emerged as contenders with young stars like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

One step away

Even with all that talent, they never won the coveted title. They lost to the Miami Heat in the 2012 Finals, and Harden left for Houston. That chance was derailed in 2013 when Westbrook was injured during the playoffs. The 2015-16 team held a 3-1 lead against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, but ended up losing in seven games.

Durant left to join the Warriors after that season, and that version of the Thunder was over. Westbrook was the league's MVP in 2017 and averaged a triple-double for three consecutive seasons, but the Thunder never made it past the first round in those years. With its new stable of superstars, Oklahoma City is finally having its moment.— AP