ESPN's documentary 'The Oklahoma Standard' examines the Oklahoma City Thunder's connection to the 1995 OKC Bombing. The film highlights the impact of the tragedy on the community and the team's role in embracing its history.
Key points
ESPN released a documentary titled 'The Oklahoma Standard'.
The documentary explores the Oklahoma City Thunder's connection to the 1995 OKC Bombing.
The bombing remains the biggest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history.
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were responsible for the bombing.
The film features interviews with people connected to the Thunder and the community.
Mentioned in this story
Oklahoma CityTimothy McVeighTerry Nichols
1995 OKC BombingOklahoma City Thunder
The outside of the 9:01 Gate of Time with the 9:03 Gate of Time seen through it. Oklahoma City National Memorial, Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
The outside of the 9:01 Gate of Time with the 9:03 Gate of Time seen through it. Oklahoma City National Memorial, Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder navigate their 2026 NBA playoff journey, ESPN released an E60 documentary centered around the 1995 OKC Bombing, the aftermath of the tragedy and how it's intertwined with the reigning NBA champions.
ESPN's 'The Oklahoman Standard' explored the Thunder's relationship with Oklahoma City's painful past. Over 30 years later, the OKC Bombing remains the biggest domestic terrorist attack in United States history. A homemade bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and killed 168 people. American anti-government extremists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were behind the tragedy.
In ESPN's 48-minute documentary, senior writer Baxter Holmes talked to several people around the Thunder and OKC about the tragedy and how the NBA franchise has fully embraced its fanbase's ugliest scar.
Here are three thoughts on the emotional documentary that beautifully linked catastrophe to victory:
Durant, Westbrook happy to see Thunder win NBA title
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as OKC's best player in franchise history, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook remain pillars. Hard to forget your first title contender. Especially when both are one-time MVP winners and will go down as some of the greatest players ever. Yeah, you can say Thunder fans have been spoiled with basketball royalty since they arrived in 2008.
Q&A
What is the focus of ESPN's 'The Oklahoma Standard' documentary?
The documentary focuses on the Oklahoma City Thunder's relationship with the 1995 OKC Bombing and its aftermath.
Who were the perpetrators of the Oklahoma City Bombing?
The Oklahoma City Bombing was carried out by American anti-government extremists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
How many people were killed in the Oklahoma City Bombing?
The bombing killed 168 people, making it the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history.
What is the significance of the Oklahoma City Thunder in relation to the bombing?
The Thunder has embraced the painful history of the bombing and its impact on the community, as explored in the documentary.
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Durant and Westbrook were featured in the ESPN documentary. Both talked about arriving in OKC. They were part of the inaugural Thunder squad. Nick Collison was also interviewed. He's part of the Thunder front office. While they never brought home an NBA championship, they were stoked to see Gilgeous-Alexander finish what they started.
"I was extremely, extremely happy for them, for the fans, they deserve it," Westbrook said. "Because they are truly the best fans in sports."
Even Durant was all smiles about OKC's NBA championship. Say what you want about his messy 2016 divorce as he left for the Golden State Warriors, but there's no denying his all-time status. Hurt feelings will need to be mended, but he deserves to get honored in OKC for what he accomplished there in nine years.
"Making the team synonymous with everybody in the city and the state. Wanting the community to feel a part of the success. I have a sense of pride, man," Durant said. "Like I'm really, really grateful to be an alumni of the Thunder."
Other folks' stories
While ESPN is a sports-first business, it had to include a handful of people who were directly affected by the OKC Bombing. It'd feel wrong if they didn't. As time moves forward, we're seeing more and more people grow up in a world where the domestic terrorist attack fades into the background.
Heck, more often than not, the newest Thunder players didn't even know about it. Chet Holmgren admitted as much in the documentary. Through no fault of their own, of course. That's what happens as we get further away from the tragedy. Which makes it even more important to include people who saw it unfold firsthand.
One person who stuck out in the documentary was Sara Sweet. Her father, Steve Williams, worked in Social Security. He was in the building when the makeshift bombs exploded. He was one of the victims of the attack. During the 2025 NBA Finals, she wrote Sam Presti a letter to show her gratitude for the Thunder embracing OKC's darkest chapter.
Not only did Presti write back, but he also hand-delivered it to Sweet's home. She read out his response in the documentary. She later Sharpied a note on a Thunder shirt to decorate on her father's chair at the OKC Memorial and Museum. On the lawn, they've decked out 168 chairs to represent the victims of the attack. She also parked herself there during OKC's championship parade. As a way to share the moment with her late father.
Origins of iconic photo
The photo that is probably the most popular iPhone wallpaper in Oklahoma. Thunder photographer Jimmy Do captured the best image of OKC's championship parade. Driving by the OKC Memorial and Memorial, Gilgeous-Alexander's stretched-out arms pose perfectly aligned with the 9:03 Gate — which represents the moment after the bombing when healing and hope began.
The ESPN documentary finished on that note. The OKC Memorial and Museum framed the photo at the end of their tour. To show visitors that there is hope — even in the most dire situations. Do talked about his mindset when he captured the iconic photo.
"My plan going in was just to be able to capture the moment and capture the energy and excitement," Do said. "I had a list of things I wanted to get and that included the shot of the memorial. As the bus turned, I briefly saw his arms raise up in the viewfinder."
What an emotional gutpunch to end the documentary. Really captured everything the documentary conveyed with the OKC Bombing and how it links to the Thunder.
