Sometimes, the stars align. For reasons beyond our understanding, real life turns into a movie scene. We saw that happen as the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated their NBA championship with the fanbase during their parade celebration.
The Thunder had one of the greatest seasons ever. They finished with a historic 68-14 record and brought home the Larry O’Brien trophy. In their memorable playoff run, they survived two playoff series that went the distance with lopsided Game 7 wins.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opened the door to all-time greatness. After one of the more unique superstar ascensions in NBA history, he checked off about every individual goal of his. He added the MVP, NBA Finals MVP and a championship ring to his trophy case.
Gilgeous-Alexander was also the subject of one of the greatest photos in OKC history. At the championship parade, Thunder photographer Jimmy Do took an iconic shot that has been framed in hundreds of households and turned into a phone background on thousands of iPhones.
As Gilgeous-Alexander stood on top of a championship bus that drove around downtown, he extended his arms out as the Gates of Time of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum served as the background. As soon as the photo went live on social media, it was an instant hit that went viral.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is a memorial site that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers and everyone affected by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. It is located at the former site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was part of the bombing. The attack remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in United States history.
The championship parade photo captured the worst day in OKC history and arguably the best. The symbolism wasn’t lost on anybody that’s spent time in Oklahoma. The Thunder have always been proud of their roots. Anytime a new player is acquired, the organization takes them on a tour of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum to understand the magnitude of the tragedy and the fanbase they’ll represent.
At 2025-26 training camp, Gilgeous-Alexander talked about the special moment. The Thunder will soon start their NBA championship defense. The rest of the league will circle their calendars for their matchups to see how they stand against the top team.
“It was crazy. I didn’t plan it or anything so I didn’t know. It was ironic how it worked out. Super cool photo. I’ve gotten a bunch of requests to sign that photo, as I expected,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Some things in life are just meant to be. Right place, right time.”
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to an NBA championship. After nearly two decades of finishing agonizingly close, he finally accomplished something that other franchise greats like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook couldn’t.
Now, it’s about maintaining that status. The Thunder will experience being the reigning NBA champion for the first time. But from the sound of it, Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t satisfied with one ring as he hopes to join all-time greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
SGA on his parade photo that went viral of The OKC Memorial being in the background: “It was crazy. I didn’t plan it or anything so I didn’t know. It was ironic how it worked out… I’ve gotten a bunch of requests to sign that photo… Some things in life are just meant to be.” pic.twitter.com/OFHIu2p29m
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 3, 2025
In the heart of celebration, #WeRememberpic.twitter.com/sJWwAE6nxl
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 25, 2025
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: What does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander think of iconic OKC Memorial photo?
