The Oklahoma City Thunder Absolutely Crushed Their First Ever Championship Ring

William Purnell. Getty Images.

If you've been fortunate enough in your life to experience it, you know there's absolutely nothing like Ring/Banner Night. Professional sports bring you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but Banner/Ring Night? That's a level so high it almost feels like some sort of religious experience as you go through it. You can't help but be filled with an emotion you may not have even known existed. I remember crying like a goddamn baby this time last season as I watched Banner 18 be raised to the rafters and my favorite team be cemented as one of the greatest teams in the history of the NBA. It was euphoric.

No different than how I'm sure Thunder fans were feeling tonight for their Ring/Banner Night. While all titles and banners are special, there's nothing like your first. I actually find it to be pretty cool that in the last 3 years we've seen the Nuggets win their first-ever title, the Celtics win their NBA-leading 18th, and now the Thunder win their first-ever title. I like how the best players from this era, who are on an all time historic pace, won't have to deal with the "never won a ring" bullshit. Giannis got his, Jokic got his, Tatum got his, and now SGA has his. 

Make no mistake, the Thunder were historically dominant from Day 1 of the 2024-25 NBA season. What might have happened had Haliburton not gotten hurt in Game 7? We'll never know. Unfortunately, that's sports. At the end of the day, the Thunder were a worthy champion who checked every box from October to June. 

So with this being their first-ever title, that comes with a decent amount of pressure when it comes to the ring. You cannot fumble the first-ever championship ring. How'd they do?

First impression? I like the simplicity. I think the blue looks great and is just the right amount so that it doesn't overpower or feel like too much. Also a big fan of the orange border as a way to incorporate that team/brand color. 

In terms of the inside, I can't lie I love the double ring move. A ring within a ring is pretty sick. We've seen a few different ideas when it comes to what teams do once the top of the ring comes off, the Celts put a mini banner surrounded by the parquet floor in theirs. The Nuggets had a banner that slid out of the middle and dropped down, you can do all kinds of things. The Thunder going with an additional ring is a nice touch.

Given what was at stake when it comes to the pressure of getting this ring design right, I'd say the Thunder nailed it. They didn't overdo it, they had a cool original twist, the color scheme is perfect, I have no real notes. I personally think last year's blows this out of the water, but admittedly, I may or may not be a little biased.

Still an awesome moment for that franchise and that fanbase, which is all that really matters. Now of course comes the hard part. Winning an NBA title is nearly impossible. Defending it? That's a whole different level that OKC is about to experience.