Thunder fans, NBA FInals
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Fans wave flags prior to Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
For 15 years, Oklahoma City Thunder fans have maintained a strong tradition: they stand in unison until the team scores its first basket.
The fans open each game with an invocation, or a prayer, which is a nod to the Paycom Center’s proximity to the heart of the Midwestern Bible Belt. Heather Koontz, a writer from Oklahoma City and a diehard Thunder fan, gave insight into the ritual.
“We bow our heads and nod in agreement with the request that our players, fans, and staff remain safe. The national anthem is performed, and the visiting team lineup is announced,” she wrote in an article for ThunderousIntentions.com.
Following the prayer, the fans continue to stand through the starting introductions of both teams, only sitting down after the Thunder score their first basket. The ritual serves as a way to both create a lively atmosphere and to intimidate the opposition. However, the college-like energy persists even after the 18,000 or so fans take a seat.
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When the Tradition Began
“Even after you sit, the energy doesn’t fade. There are plenty of people whose sole job it is to keep the hype alive,” wrote Koontz, mentioning the Thunder Girls, The Storm Chasers and other mascots who keep decibel levels high and the atmosphere electric.
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The tradition began during the 2010 NBA playoffs, marking the franchise’s return to the postseason after relocating from Seattle. In Game 3 of the first-round series against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, Thunder faithful shocked the NBA world with their display of matching logo color t-shirts and their decision to stand until Jeff Green made a shot at the 9:18 mark in the first quarter. Until Green’s bucket, the Thunder turned the ball over thrice and missed their only field goal attempt (Russell Westbrook).
Thunder went on to win both Game 3 and Game 4 to mark a triumphant start to their new playoff tradition.
The Fanbase: Thunder’s Sixth Man
Thunder have five players on the court when they play at home, but a perennial sixth man in the form of their boisterous fan base.
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As described by the Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds, the fanbase played a critical role in the team’s return to the 2025 NBA Finals, 13 years after it helped Kevin Durant and Co. reach the 2012 NBA Finals. According to Reynolds, the support extends beyond just the cheers on the court — to airports and public places across the state of Oklahoma.
“The crowd of 18,000 or so always arrives early. They stay late,” wrote Reynolds.
“They show up in the middle of the night at the airport to welcome the Thunder charter flight home and maybe get a wave or a fist bump from a player, even though a chain-link fence separates the team from the fans. It’s like a college atmosphere at Thunder games at times.”
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While the Thunder claimed the No. 1 seed in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, they endured many seasons in irrelevancy after the departures of Durant and Westbrook. To that end, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault recounted a story from the 2020-21 season when he was stunned at the fan support even after his team began the season 0-3 .
“They gave us a standing ovation at the end of the game [after going down 0-4,” Daigneault recalled. “And it was a week into the season. We had not won a game. As great as they are right now, and they are unbelievable right now, that’s the one that I always go back to because it really struck me. It certainly was unexpected.”
The strong fan base propelled the Thunder to an NBA-best 35-6 home record in the regular season and a 9-2 record in the playoffs (as of June 15).