The Seattle SuperSonics were a cult NBA team, its successor, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is not yet, but as of this year, it stands alongside the greats, alongside teams whose halls still hold the championship flag.
What has been awaited since 2008, when this franchise moved to Oklahoma, has finally happened - now everyone is afraid of the "thunderstorm", OKC is the NBA champion.
The team from the "Paycom Center" ended an unforgettable seven-game finale with the Indiana Pacers with a victory in front of their fans - 103:91For the first title in Oklahoma's history, and the second for the franchise, after one from the distant 1979, which Seattle won.
Just how dominant this team was is also demonstrated by the fact that it finished the season with 84 wins, and that throughout NBA history, only Golden State (88 in the 2015/16 season) and the Chicago Bulls (87 in the 1995-96 season) have had more triumphs.
"These guys act like champions, they compete like champions. They cheer each other on, which is rare in professional sports. I've said it many times and I'll say it again - this is an extraordinary team. And now they are champions," said Michael Degnolt, coach and creator of the great Oklahoma.
SGA as Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan and O'Neal
Many may still criticize him for enjoying himself when he forces fouls, but Shai Gilges-Alexander is the true MVP - both in the league and in the grand final.
The phenomenal Canadian, with 29 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, led his team to victory in the seventh game, and marked the season with a feat that only NBA legends had achieved before him.
SGA became only the fourth player in history to be the MVP, leading scorer and NBA champion in the same season - after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal.
"It really doesn't feel like it's real. There are so many hours, so many moments, so many emotions behind us. So many nights of doubt and so many nights of belief. It's crazy that we're here, but this group deserved everything. We did the job and we deserve this," said the MVP, who scored 64 or more points in 30 games and finished the season with a total of 3.172 points.
As good as Gilges-Alexander was, Oklahoma wouldn't be what it is if he didn't have great teammates - most notably Jaylen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
These two were his best companions in the seventh match as well - the first added 20 points, and the second 18.
Indiana still hasn't succeeded 25 years later
The other participant also contributed to making the Grand Finals memorable - Indiana played great basketball, gave everything to make this a part of their history, but in the end they failed. Just like the generation of 2000, led by Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose, Dale Davis and others, who were defeated in the Finals by the LA Lakers, did not succeed.
The team that opened the season with 10 wins and 15 losses was only one match away from glory. However, in that title-clinching duel, they lost Tyrese Halliburton very quickly, making everything much more difficult until the end.
"It hurts, no doubt about it, but this team has given all our fans a reason to be proud," said Rick Carlisle, coach of the East's best team.
In the seventh game, the Pacers' best players were Benedict Maturin with 24 points, T.J. McConnell and Pascal Siakam with 16 each.
A final to remember, the first since 2016 to end after seven games, goes down in history - Oklahoma was the best from the first to the last game of the season, Oklahoma deserved its glory days.
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