The overall teams in small markets are not of high quality? The bonds like the Thunder are the foundation of the NBA

(Original article was published on June 7, authored by William C.Rhoden of Andscape website, and the content of the article does not represent the translator's opinion)

The craze of the slogan "Thunder Up" hit my senses for the first time when we were about to land in Oklahoma City, when the first finals between the Thunder and the Pacers were about to begin. When the plane landed, the flight attendant proudly announced: "I am honored to be the first person to welcome you to my hometown, Oklahoma City." When the plane taxied to the gate, the same flight attendant enthusiastically reminded everyone "Thunder Up". The waiter at the car rental counter predicted with confidence that I would most likely not return to Russia because the Thunder will end the Pacers with four consecutive victories. However, with the Thunder losing to the Pacers 110-111 in the last moment of G1, the trip to return to Russia is a foregone conclusion.

However, the sudden defeat in the first game failed to shake the beliefs of the Thunder fans.

The atmosphere of cheering for the thunder is everywhere. At the Ralph Ellison Library in the city's East Side, staff were wearing Thunder T-shirts. In the hotel and in the restaurant, there are fanatical slogans and street signs that promote the Thunder, all of which highlight the emotional bond that is closely connected between the city, the team and the fans.

As the Thunder and the Pacers occupy the center of the stage in the coming weeks, this year's NBA Finals have been ridiculed by some as a "not-class" showdown between two small market teams. But history tells us that small market teams are exactly the soul of the NBA. When metropolitan teams need to compete with professional teams from other sports for survival, those small markets with pure enthusiasm for basketball have become the source of life for the NBA.

Markets like Oklahoma City and Indianapolis have always been the unpretentious spiritual core of the league, and I am in it, and the soul of the NBA is rooted here.

"The outside world would say that the league officials are unhappy because there are no Lakers, Warriors, Knicks, Heat or Celtics participating in the finals." Chris Perry, a native of Oscar and Southwest Airlines public relations director, said, "But this is the original intention of the NBA to implement a strict salary cap system. Now this is truly an equal league, and every team has a chance to compete."

Thunder fans are not only cheering together, but also praying collectively before each game. In a state severely divided by college football, different people will frantically support the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, and the Thunder became the bond that unites the emotions of fans. Perry graduated from Oklahoma State University, and his bones are soaked with the university's orange faith.

"I have many friends with the same passion for the University of Oklahoma," Perry said. "This is Oklahoma's long-standing split state, and it's really great to unite us."

For devout fans, the Thunder is not only a spiritual bond that runs through urban development, but also a measure of the growth and transformation of Russia.

"From the day this team settled, I have been a loyal fan of the Thunder." said Erica Batson, 46. The all-American certified pharmacist and chief technician of CVS Pharmacy’s Oscar, grew up in the East Side, said Thunder provided a spiritual pillar for the remote community.

"Everyone is crazy about the Thunder now," Batson said. "People always say how behind Oklahoma is, we live a slow pace of life, this and that, but look at us now. We have an NBA team that reached the Finals, and everyone is praying to win the championship so that we can hold a championship parade in our hometown." In 1995, 16-year-old Erica Batson was pregnant with his first child when a bomb planned by Timothy McVeigh destroyed the Alfred Mehra Federal Building, killing 167 people and injuring 684 people. The horrific memory of this tragedy can never be erased, and the existence and success of the professional basketball team, the Thunder, has healed the pain to some extent and reshaped the image of this city that urgently needs development.

"I think it helps promote the city, and what we are getting now is free publicity," Batson said. "While unfortunately we are famous for the bombings, people will come to visit the ruins, but now more people want to see this city with NBA Finals teams." When the bombings occurred, there was no professional basketball team in the city. Although Thunder has become a positive force in the local community, Batson believes that Thunder's existence mainly highlights the city's development process.

"We have had no professional team for so many years, and that means we have made progress. Because people always say that unless a city can support the team, the team can't stay." Batson said, "Oklahoma City has done a great job in supporting the Thunder." Chef Andrew Black, who moved here from Memphis in 2007, initially opened the Pearl Mesta restaurant at the Skilvin Hotel, and then founded the Black Walnut and Gray Sweater Restaurant. In 2023, he was awarded the title of "Best Chef in the Southwest" by the James Beard Foundation. When the Thunder first moved to Oklahoma City, Black was the first chef to provide catering to the team at the Skilvin Hotel.

"Oklahoma is a place that values ​​humanity," said Black. "We are a team, a community, and this team means a lot to us. Because they really fit into the community as soon as they came here. They have no exaggeration, they are all humble people, and we feel like friends around us." After Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets temporarily moved to Oklahoma City in 2005 and stationed here until 2007, during which the team played in the field as the New Orleans/Oklahoma Hornets.

Thunder moved from Seattle to Oscar in 2008. He won the first division championship in the 2010-11 season, won the first Western Conference championship in the 2011-12 season, and entered the finals for the first time in 2012 as the Thunder, and finally lost to the Heat 1-4.

For the medium-sized Russian City, the Thunder have witnessed too many superstars playing here: Westbrook, Harden, Durant, Paul George, Anthony, Paul. In 2016, the Thunder were reversed by the Warriors while leading 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, and this loss became the starting point for the dynasty dream to break in the hearts of most fans.

Durant's decision to switch to the Warriors in 2016 was particularly heartbroken by Batson.

"That kind of pain was unforgettable," Batson recalled. "At that time, I really thought the champion was at my fingertips. It felt like - look, we were breaking through and we were about to succeed. Everyone made the mistake of premature optimism. But things were unpredictable. At that time, the team was full of superstars, and everyone wanted to be a superhero." Batson changed his subject, "But basketball eventually depends on teamwork. Now this young team understands this truth. They are as close as a family. No one claims to be 'I'm stronger than you'. Everyone is united and understands that they must work together to create miracles."

The new era of the Thunder began in 2019, when the team exchanged Paul George for multiple first-round picks. The core gain of this deal is Alexander, this year's regular season MVP.

In the following seasons, the Thunder were slow but steady on the road to the Finals. Last year, the Thunder lost to the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. After experiencing ups and downs, Thunder fans have never changed their minds, but Black admitted that the result of losing to the Pacers in the final G1 was unacceptable.

"I couldn't sleep all night the night I lost," Black admitted, "I really tossed and turned until late at night I had to warn myself: 'Listen to Black, this is just a game.'"

Like most Thunder fans, Black firmly believes that the Thunder will win. "I know we will make a comeback because our foundation is solid enough," he said. "The entire Oklahoma State is tenacious, and these players are even more strong."

This bond has long surpassed the championship itself, and the emotional bond between the team and the city will be renewed for a long time.

"People are talking about the Thunder wherever you go," said Black. "Even in New York or anywhere else, as long as you wear a Thunder T-shirt, someone will recognize you as an Oscar. This has taken us a big step towards the top cities, and the Thunder is now the lifeline of the city."

The love of the Thunder fans for the team is no different from the New Yorkers' feelings for the Knicks, the Los Angeles people's Lakers, and the Bostons' Celtics. But here, there is a more blood-connected intimate bond between the team and the city.

Batson, who works in the East Side CVS pharmacy, is now busy pacifying customers who are frustrated by the sudden defeat of the Thunder G1. "Some customers are angry when they come in, and I say 'Don't worry, we can definitely get it back'." Batson described his daily conversation with customers. "They will refute 'No, the team messed up, completely messed up,' and I insisted 'No, we still have the initiative'."

She always comforted the customer like this: take a deep breath and continue shouting for the Thunder.

Original text: William C.Rhoden

Compiled by: Li Taibai