Oklahoma City Thunder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oklahoma City Thunder |
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| Conference | Western | ||||
| Division | Northwest | ||||
| Founded | 1967 | ||||
| History | Seattle SuperSonics 1967–2008 Oklahoma City Thunder 2008–present |
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| Arena | Paycom Center | ||||
| Location | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | ||||
| Team colors | Thunder blue, sunset, yellow, dark blue |
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| Main sponsor | Love's | ||||
| General manager | Sam Presti | ||||
| Head coach | Mark Daigneault | ||||
| Ownership | Professional Basketball Club LLC (Clay Bennett, Chairman) | ||||
| Affiliation(s) | Oklahoma City Blue | ||||
| Championships | 2 (1979, 2025) | ||||
| Conference titles | 5 (1978, 1979, 1996, 2012, 2025) | ||||
| Division titles | 13 (1979, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2024, 2025) | ||||
| Retired numbers | 7 (1, 4, 10, 19, 24, 32, 43) | ||||
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Western Conference's Northwest Division. The team plays its home games at the Paycom Center.
The Thunder are the only major professional sports team in the state of Oklahoma. The team has a rich history, which started in a different city with a different name.
The team was first known as the Seattle SuperSonics, which was founded in 1967. In 2008, the team moved from Seattle, Washington, to Oklahoma City. As the SuperSonics, the team went to the NBA Finals three times and won the 1979 NBA championship.
After moving to Oklahoma City, the team quickly became successful. They made it to the 2012 NBA Finals but lost to the Miami Heat. The team returned to the NBA Finals in 2025 and won their first championship in Oklahoma City, defeating the Indiana Pacers.
Contents
Team History
1967–2008: The Seattle SuperSonics
The team began in 1967 as the Seattle SuperSonics. For 41 years in Seattle, the team was very popular. They won their division six times and won the NBA championship in 1979.
In their last year in Seattle, the team drafted a future superstar, Kevin Durant. This set up the team for great success when they moved to Oklahoma City.
2008–2016: The Durant and Westbrook Era
2008–2009: A New Start in Oklahoma City
In 2008, the team moved to Oklahoma City. The owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo, and colors in Seattle in case a new NBA team ever came to that city. The new team in Oklahoma was named the Thunder. This name was chosen because Oklahoma is in an area known for thunderstorms, called Tornado Alley.
In the 2008 NBA draft, the team selected Russell Westbrook, a talented point guard from UCLA. He, along with Kevin Durant, would become the face of the team.
The Thunder's first season was difficult. They started with a record of 3 wins and 29 losses. But the team started to improve under their new coach, Scott Brooks. They finished the season with a 23–59 record, which was better than their last season in Seattle.
2009–2012: Becoming a Top Team
In the 2009 NBA draft, the Thunder drafted another future star, James Harden. With Durant, Westbrook, and Harden, the team had a powerful young core.
They quickly became one of the best teams in the NBA. In the 2009–10 season, they won 50 games and made the playoffs for the first time. Kevin Durant won the NBA scoring title, becoming the youngest player ever to do so.
The team kept getting better. In the 2012 NBA playoffs, the Thunder made it all the way to the 2012 NBA Finals. They played against the Miami Heat, led by LeBron James. The Thunder won the first game but lost the next four, losing the series 4–1.
2012–2016: Chasing a Championship
After the 2012 Finals, the team made a difficult choice. They traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets because they couldn't afford to pay all three of their young stars.
Even without Harden, the Thunder remained a top team. They had the best record in the Western Conference in the 2012–13 season. However, Russell Westbrook got injured in the playoffs, and the team was eliminated in the second round.
For the next few years, the Thunder were always one of the best teams but were often hurt by injuries to their star players, Durant and Westbrook. In 2016, they made it to the Western Conference Finals and had a 3–1 series lead over the Golden State Warriors, but they lost the next three games and were eliminated.
2016–2019: The Russell Westbrook Era
2016–2017: Westbrook's MVP Season
In the summer of 2016, Kevin Durant left the team to join the Golden State Warriors. This left Russell Westbrook as the team's only superstar.
Westbrook had an incredible season. He became only the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. A triple-double is when a player gets 10 or more points, rebounds, and assists in a single game. He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists. For his amazing performance, Westbrook was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
2017–2019: Teaming Up with Paul George
To help Westbrook, the Thunder traded for two other All-Stars, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. With this new "Big Three," the team hoped to compete for a championship again.
The team had good seasons but struggled to win in the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round in both 2018 and 2019.
2019–Present: The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Era
2019–2023: Rebuilding the Team
In 2019, the team decided it was time for a change. They traded both Paul George and Russell Westbrook. In return, they received many talented young players and a record number of future draft picks. One of the key players they got was a young guard named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, also known as SGA.
The Thunder began a rebuilding process, focusing on developing their young players. For a few seasons, the team did not win many games. They were focused on building a team that could be great in the future.
2023–Present: Return to the Top
The rebuilding process worked faster than anyone expected. In the 2023–24 season, the young Thunder team shocked the league. Led by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with help from rising stars like Jalen Williams and rookie Chet Holmgren, the team finished with the best record in the Western Conference. They won their first playoff series since 2016 but lost in the second round.
The team continued its amazing rise. In the 2024-25 season, they finished with the best record in the entire NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the league's MVP. The Thunder fought their way through the playoffs and reached the 2025 NBA Finals. There, they defeated the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game series to win their first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City.
Season-by-season record
This is a list of the last five seasons the Thunder have played. For the full history, see List of Oklahoma City Thunder seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage
| Season | GP | W | L | W–L% | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2020–21 | 72 | 22 | 50 | .306 | 5th, Northwest | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 24 | 58 | .293 | 5th, Northwest | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 40 | 42 | .488 | 3rd, Northwest | Did not qualify |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 57 | 25 | .695 | 1st, Northwest | Lost in conference semifinals, 2–4 (Mavericks) |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 68 | 14 | .829 | 1st, Northwest | NBA champions, 4–3 (Pacers) |
Home Arenas
- Seattle Center Coliseum (1967–1978, 1985–1994)
- Kingdome (1978–1985)
- Tacoma Dome (1994–1995)
- KeyArena (1995–2008)
- Paycom Center (2008–present)
When the team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, they began playing in an arena first called the Ford Center. The city's residents voted to use tax money to improve the arena for the new NBA team. The arena is now called the Paycom Center and holds over 18,000 fans for basketball games.
Mascots
The team's mascot is Rumble the Bison. He was introduced on February 17, 2009. Rumble is a very popular mascot and was named the NBA Mascot of the Year in his first season.
Before moving, the Seattle SuperSonics had two mascots: Wheedle (1978–1985) and Squatch (1993–2008).
Fans
The Thunder have some of the most passionate and loyal fans in the NBA. The arena is known for being very loud during games, which gives the team a big home-court advantage. Fans often use the slogan "Thunder Up!" to show their support.
When the team was new to the city, general manager Sam Presti made sure that every new player visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial. This helped players understand the city's history and connect with the community. Because the Thunder is the only major professional sports team in Oklahoma, the entire state shows great support for the team.
Personnel
Current roster
Retired numbers
The Thunder have retired one number since moving to Oklahoma City, in honor of a player's contributions to the team.
- 4 – Nick Collison, F, 2003–2018
The franchise also honors the numbers retired when the team was the Seattle SuperSonics.
- 1 – Gus Williams, G, 1977–1984
- 10 – Nate McMillan, G, 1986–1998
- 19 – Lenny Wilkens, G, 1968–1972
- 24 – Spencer Haywood, F, 1970–1975
- 32 – Fred Brown, G, 1971–1984
- 43 – Jack Sikma, C, 1977–1986
- The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all teams in 2022.
Images for kids
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Oklahoma City defeated Minnesota on November 2, 2008, for their first win.
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The Thunder selected Steven Adams as the 12th pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
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See also
In Spanish: Oklahoma City Thunder para niños
