The Oklahoma City Thunder continue their tradition of providing complimentary playoff shirts to fans, first started in 2010. In 2026, fans wore a blue 'House of Thunder' shirt during the first round of the playoffs.
Key points
OKC Thunder started playoff shirt tradition in 2010
Complimentary shirts are given to fans at playoff games
2026 shirt design features 'House of Thunder'
Fans wore blue shirts during the first round of playoffs
Thunder won an NBA Championship in 2026
Oklahoma City ThunderNBA Championship
When the Oklahoma City Thunder made it to its first playoff run in 2010, the organization posed a question: How can we bring fans together?
At the time, the OKC Thunder's Fan Development team thought a crowd of matching T-shirts might be a one-time deal to solidify the community going into that first appearance. They never thought it would be as big as it turned out to be, nor that they would still be doing it over a decade later.
But in 2026, with an NBA Championship under their belt, the Thunder organization still places a complimentary, exclusive shirt in every seat at the Paycom Center during playoff games.
On Sunday, as the Thunder players walked into the arena for the first round, they could see a sea of blue in the stands. Fans were wearing the first design of this season's playoffs: a simple, blue shirt with "House of Thunder" written in a large font.
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signs shoes before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signs a toy before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Q&A
What is the history of the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff shirt tradition?
The tradition began in 2010 during the Thunder's first playoff run, aimed at uniting fans with matching shirts.
What do the playoff shirts look like for the 2026 season?
The 2026 playoff shirts are blue with 'House of Thunder' printed in large font.
How does the Oklahoma City Thunder distribute playoff shirts to fans?
The Thunder organization places a complimentary, exclusive shirt in every seat at the Paycom Center during playoff games.
When did the Oklahoma City Thunder win their NBA Championship?
The Oklahoma City Thunder won their NBA Championship in 2026.
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Fans wait to have items signed before Game 1 of their the round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Phoenix guard Devin Booker (1) walks into the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Oklahoma City guard Jalen Williams (8) walks in the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) walks in the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signs shoes before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
1 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signs shoes before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
2 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signs a toy before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
3 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans wait to have items signed before Game 1 of their the round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
4 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
5 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
6 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
7 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
8 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
9 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Phoenix guard Devin Booker (1) walks into the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Oklahoma City guard Jalen Williams (8) walks in the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
11 / 11
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 1
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) walks in the arena before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The Thunder's Fan Development team works with the Oklahoma Shirt company to create each shirt from designs created internally by a team of graphic artists. Each time fans walk into the arena, they see a different design.
"It's not that we hold on to any T-shirts and recycle them," said Jennifer Watson, Thunder director of community engagement. "It's a whole new process every single home game."
After the idea came the logistics.
Would they place the whole arena? Would it only be partial? From the floor to the press level, Paycom Center has 18,203 seats. So the team created a map of the arena, divided by sections, to figure out how many shirts were needed per section.
"We committed from the very beginning," Watson said. "It didn't matter what our record was or how the attendance was going to be. We still sit every single game. We sit all 18,203 seats, no matter if it's sold out or not."
To help with cost and efficiency, the majority of shirts are large, but if a fan requires a larger size, there is an exchange area where they can size up. People have come up with creative ways to adjust the shirts to their body type: some cut them or tie them up to wear as a crop top, others tuck them into their shorts, or just use them as an oversized outfit.
"We have eight to 10 different designs at my house and still wear them all the time, mostly my kids sleep in them," said Porter Cunningham, a Thunder fan. "I do get really excited to see the designs; it's a fun reveal."
Before each home game, the team does a pre-launch, announcing the new design. Watson said fans even call the front desk in advance to ask what color the shirt will be so they can create a matching outfit for the game.
"People take a really good pride because that's something unique that you get a souvenir for coming to support us," Watson said. "That's something that people love and cherish."
It's not just the design or the color that varies from game to game. It's also the overall concept. While Sunday's game was a sea of blue, the next could be a checkerboard theme or a multicolor shirt.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Fans take their seats before Game 1 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The excitement to see what the arena will look like on game day has become part of this tradition.
"There were themed nights for other organizations, but we were really the first to say we'll have matching T-shirts for every playoff game, and now almost every team does it," Cunningham said. "Since the Spurs did Fiesta Night this weekend, I'm hoping we get some more fun stuff besides the normal blue or white combos, like the black with yellow and orange we got last year."
Watson remembers the first time the players stepped onto the court to see nearly every fan in the stands wearing the same shirt. She recalls them pausing and looking around, a bit overwhelmed with the support. Today, it might no longer be a surprise, but the impact of the crowd is still relevant as the Thunder fights for a back-to-back championship run.
"We're their biggest cheerleaders," Watson said. "I know some family members love the shirts too; they may ask for an extra shirt later. But the guys enjoy it, it's a big push for them, it's encouraging during the playoff run...It's another fun part of what has become a great playoff tradition. I look forward to it every year."
And if you're not wearing the shirt, you will be a not-very-liked outlier, and chances are you'll see yourself on the jumbotron as the whole arena boos you until you put it on.
Even the Oklahoma City Police Department joined in on the tradition in 2025, posting “OKC ordinance requires those in attendance to put on the T-shirt! (probably). We’re watching," on social media.
