Oklahoma City has been named the No. 1 Best NBA City in the country, according to the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, with Paycom Center also claiming the top spot among NBA arenas and Thunder mascot Rumble the Bison winning Best NBA Mascot. The sweep lands as the city rides a wave of basketball-driven momentum, from a 2025 championship to a new arena deal that aims to keep the Thunder in town for decades to come.
The city's No. 1 ranking and Paycom Center's arena honor were both reported by Oklahoma Gazette, which noted Paycom Center's dining and concessions also placed second nationally. Paycom Center also placed first among NBA arenas. Oklahoma City was also recognized as a top destination for NBA fans.
Rumble the Bison's win was reported by News on 6, which also noted the mascot previously earned NBA Mascot of the Year in 2009 and the inaugural Community Impact Award at the NBA Mascot Conference in 2022. As KFOR reported, Christy Gillenwater, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, said the recognition reflects Oklahoma City's vision, energy and community pride, and that the Thunder draw national and international attention to the city.
A Championship Year Backs Up the Hype
The honors follow a run that has made the Thunder hard to ignore. The team arrived in Oklahoma City in 2008 and won the franchise's first NBA Championship in 2025, per Oklahoma Gazette's reporting. The 2025-26 playoff run kept the momentum going, with the Thunder sweeping the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in the first round and the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the semifinals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals, according to Basketball Reference.
Brian Byrnes, the Thunder's senior vice president of business operations, said the recognition reflects the connection among the team, fans and community, and the unique experience at Paycom Center, KFOR reported. The arena sits in downtown Oklahoma City, with access to nearby entertainment districts including Bricktown dining, the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Scissortail Park and Myriad Gardens, according to the same KFOR report. The city also hosts collegiate championships and the OKC Memorial Marathon, and is slated to host Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games softball and slalom paddle events.
The Dollars Behind the Trophy Case
The accolades arrive alongside striking tourism numbers. Oklahoma City welcomed 25 million visitors in 2025, generating a record $4.8 billion in economic impact across the metro, according to Oklahoma Gazette's separate report on the city's tourism data. Visitor spending grew 3.5 percent that year, averaging $7.9 million per day, while the visitor economy supported 36,142 local jobs and generated more than $664 million in government revenue, including $396 million in state and local taxes, per the same outlet.
The Thunder's own footprint is substantial within that broader picture. Oklahoma Gazette's sports coverage credits the team alone with an estimated $600 million economic impact. A separate economic analysis published by VelocityOKC found that arena operations, Thunder operations and visitor spending together supported an estimated $590 million in annual economic impact, with close to 1.1 million people attending Paycom Center events in the 2022-23 season alone. That same season, the arena hosted 43 Thunder home games, 23 Oklahoma City Blue home games and 47 other ticketed events, and arena and team operations supported an estimated 2,484 jobs and $273.8 million in annual labor income, the analysis found.
Betting Big on the Thunder's Future
City leaders have moved to lock in that economic engine for the long haul. According to a report from VisitOKC, the Oklahoma City Council approved four agreements intended to keep the Thunder in the city through at least 2053. The deal includes a new $900 million arena of at least 750,000 square feet, per the same report.
Taken together, the string of 2026 Readers’ Choice honors arrives as more than a popularity contest for Oklahoma City. With a championship banner, a top-ranked arena, a beloved mascot in Rumble the Bison, and a ten-figure visitor economy all pointing the same direction, the city's basketball identity has become inseparable from its broader civic pitch.
