Thunder strike in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (AFP) — Oklahoma City Thunder players slapped hands with fans and let supporters touch the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship trophy during a parade on Tuesday to celebrate the team’s first title.

The Thunder captured its first crown since moving from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008 by beating the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in a winner-take-all seventh game of the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

Police estimated more than 500,000 people gathered to see the parade and rally, some waiting 10 hours to see the Thunder players celebrate.

“Thank you guys so much,” Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told fans at the rally in Oklahoma City.

“Don’t ever forget this. Moments like this, they don’t always come along.”

Fans chanted “O-K-C” as players rolled by on several open-topped buses, Thunder stars spraying champagne onto the crowds that lined the downtown parade route before getting off the transport and walking on the streets, posing for photos and high-fiving fans.

Gilgeous-Alexander, also the NBA Finals MVP and league scoring leader, carried the trophy for fans to touch, walking shirtless with a Canadian flag draped around his waist in tribute to his homeland.

Players, clad in white “champions” T-shirts, tossed out souvenirs to the crowd as they made the journey from Paycom Center, the Thunder’s home arena, to a rally celebration in Scissortail Park.

“Get loud OKC. You have been with us through all the ups and downs of the Thunder organization and we thank you,” Thunder guard Luguentz Dort said.