On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder and their fans celebrated their first NBA championship with a parade through the streets of the city. It's been a long time coming for the Thunder, who have suffered numerous playoff heartbreaks over the years before finally breaking through in 2025.

The Finals MVP trophy went to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history this year en route to the championship.

During the parade, Gilgeous-Alexander's father Vaughn Alexander spoke on what he is most proud of about his son.

“Yeah Shai plays basketball, he's amazing, but that doesn't mean he's better than anybody as a human being. What makes him a better human being is how he acts off the court. That’s what I'm more proud of,” said Alexander, per NBA TV on X, formerly Twitter.

Indeed, Gilgeous-Alexander has become a staple of the Oklahoma City community over the years, including letting fans touch the Larry O'Brien trophy at one point during the parade on Tuesday.

An epic time for the Thunder

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) makes a heart gesture as the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate after winning game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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The Thunder have now completed one of the best seasons in NBA history, having won 68 games and also setting numerous franchise records during their playoff run, which culminated in a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Through it all, Gilgeous-Alexander has been the steady guiding force behind the team, leading them from the cellar of the NBA just a few years ago at 22 wins (including the most lopsided loss in NBA history at one point) to now being the league MVP and one of the game's biggest stars.

The Thunder are incredibly well-positioned to build on this championship success, having a treasure trove of draft picks and other assets over the next several years and with their three best players either not yet in or just now entering the prime years of their career.

Still, Thunder fans are probably just focusing on relishing the moment at this point after the years of playoff heartache they have endured.

Next up for Sam Presti and company is the NBA Draft, which is slated to get underway on Wednesday evening.