OKC Thunder Heard, and Silence, Critics at Championship Parade

The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA Champions for the first time in team history.

Since relocating to Bricktown from Seattle in 2008, the Thunder have put together a sustained run of success. This small market franchise has bucked the trend. Consistent winning in the NBA isn't supposed to happen in places like Oklahoma City, but Sam Presti and company made it so.

Now, the Thunder have staked its claim to its first NBA title, breaking through after years of heartbreak, coming up short and plenty of criticism.

Coastal elites love nothing more than for flyover cities to be losing franchises; when they win, they seek any reason to bash said franchises. It comes with the territory. Most National folks are not in this business for the love of the game or the dream job nature of it. Instead, it is about the lifestyle, the clout and they view trips to the NBA Finals or big playoff games as all-expense vacations. Swiping the company card for meals and travel. Having to do so in Oklahoma City ruins the experience for them.

So, the criticism gets loud. The Thunder were too young to have a title. Oklahoma City shouldn't have a team, Presti was hoarding draft picks, and superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should demand out. You name it, they said it.

Oklahoma City's NBA team heard them. Not only responding with a Championship but taking multiple shots at this ivory tower media members during the first professional sports parade in the city.

"I came in as the 55th pick in the 2021 draft. My rookie season, we won 24 games. 24 games...They tried to call us the black hole of the NBA. But four years later, when they mention the Thunder organization, when they mention Clay Bennet, when they mention Sam Presti, when they mention Mark Daigneault and every single one of you in this arena, they better mention you as NBA Champs!," Swingman Aaron Wiggins said emphatically before slamming the mic to the stage of the Paycom Center just before hitting the town.

Wiggins pot shot at Sirius XM radio host Justin Termine –– who pleaded for the Thunder to mirror its rebuild after a team that does things right, the Charlotte Hornets (Truly the exact time the talking head pointed to) and going as far to call Oklahoma City the black eye of the league in a now tweet cowardly scrubbed from the internet.

The Thunder didn't stop there. Backup big man Jaylin Williams hopped on the mic at the end of the Parade route to pull off a well-executed call-and-response speech with the fans gathered.

"They said we were too young. They said Oklahoma shouldn't have a team. But guess what? We F–– Champs!" Williams screamed with joy.

Oklahoma City was called overrated by most all season, anonymous quotes expounding a lack of fear of the Thunder. They were called immature, and somehow, their postgame antics with sideline reporter Nick Gallo would hinder a title chase.

Now, all anyone can factual say about the 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder, is that they are champions.