Thunder to Host Several Events Honoring Native American Heritage Month

The Oklahoma City Thunder is hosting several events throughout November to honor the rich heritage of Native Americans within its hometown during Native American Heritage Month, the team announced Monday.

The Thunder will kickstart the month’s festivities by hosting Native American Student Day on Nov. 6. Chance Rush, a motivational speaker and a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, will present and also lead the concourse activations throughout the day.

In addition, Rush and the Thunder will teach the 18th century game, stickball.

“Stickball was historically played to settle conflicts over land and politics between First American tribes,” said in the Thunder’s press release.

“More than 1,100 students representing tribes across the state are expected to attend and vendors including First Americans Museum, the U.S. Secret Service, at least 15 tribes and more will be on the concourse.”

The organization will also hand out tickets to each student to the game that night, where the Thunder will host Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers during Native American Heritage Celebration Night.

These festivities will include several concourse and in-game performances by Native Americans. Prior to the game, the national anthem will be sung by Ava Rose Johnson, an Osage and Cherokee native from Eufaula, OK, who’s the youngest person to claim a Native American Music Award.

The final event hosted by the Thunder will come on Nov. 20, where Thunder Youth Basketball and the Choctaw Nation will host a basketball camp for select students in Durant, OK.

Another year of hosted events from the franchise during the celebratory month displays the continued support the Thunder has offered toward its Native population. On Aug. 19, the team brought back Oklahoma beloved Lindy Waters III, who’s of Kiowa and Cherokee descent, on a two-way contract ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Its ties to the community, as well as Waters’ time with the organization, has progressively improved upon the relationship between the Thunder and its high number of Native Americans around the state.

“The Thunder is proud to celebrate the rich history of Native American people and culture in Oklahoma,” said Natasha Stamper, vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“We want to continually teach, honor and build relationships with those around us, not just during this special month, but all year long. It’s more than just the understanding of how historic events have shaped our landscape; it’s about how we can continue to honor the traditions and find ways for those traditions to be present in the next generation to come.”

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