OKC Thunder
2023-2026
Howl Motion has proudly partnered with the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2023, creating motion graphics that power the energy of game day at Paycom Center. Across three seasons, we’ve produced hundreds of in-game moments from noise prompts and rally graphics to welcome animations, rapid-fire hype montages, and our signature win animation.
Our work has appeared across 123 regular-season home games and 21 home playoff games, including the Thunder’s 2025 NBA Championship victory. Our work has extended beyond the graphics themselves, with recurring on-site visits allowing us to collaborate directly with the Thunder team, stay closely connected to the game-day environment, and continually develop new work throughout the season.
Paycom Center has earned a reputation as one of the loudest arenas in the NBA. We've enjoyed helping bring that “Loud City” energy to life, one graphic at a time.
Motion Exploration
In 2023, we began developing a motion design kit for Thunder home games at Paycom Center. We got to work building out the visual language from the ground up, exploring text animations, generic backgrounds, transitions, and different motion behaviors.
Not every experiment made it to the videoboard, but each one helped establish the foundation for what came next. Those early explorations gave us a visual language to build on as the Thunder’s in-arena motion library continued to grow.
Over the 3 years working with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the animation style has evolved tremendously. Howl Motion was in charge of the design & animation for our motion graphics package across all boards. We built upon a flat 2D style, leaning heavily on kinetic typography, basic shapes, and occasionally a 3D element or two to change things up.
Every stadium graphics package has those moments that call for an almost absurd amount of energy, the kind that makes you feel like your eyes might explode. This is where we pushed the Thunder’s motion graphics to the extreme over three seasons, layering strobe flashes, camera shakes, text movement, rapid color changes, and shifting pace to create moments designed to send Paycom Center into pandemonium.
2023-24 Season
This season was about establishing the foundation and getting the Thunder’s visual language right. We focused on building a deep library of well-designed Thunder-branded motion graphics, giving the team a strong collection of content to pull from throughout game day while setting the direction for what came next.
Having Fun With It
We explored a range of culturally relevant phrases and “meme” prompts designed to bring a more playful, current energy to the in-game experience. After testing several directions, we landed on two that felt right for the Thunder: “He’s Got That Dog in Him” and “Hold Up, Let Him Cook.” Both were designed to hit during hot streaks and big moments, giving the crowd an immediate, high-energy visual reaction.
Designing For Multiple Screens
Paycom Center features 21 different board sizes to account for when designing big-moment animations like “Thunder Win.” At Howl Motion, we take pride in building motion systems that adapt seamlessly across every screen, no matter the size or format.
Below is a snapshot of the various sizes rendered for our “Thunder Win” animation.
For in-game prompts, we design across three primary board sizes to create a cohesive visual experience and maximize fan energy across every moment of the game.
2024-25 Season
For the 2024–25 championship season, we leaned heavily into energy and hype. After finding our rhythm with the Thunder, we pushed the motion language further with faster pacing, bolder transitions, and more visual intensity. We developed a new full prompt package for both the regular season and playoffs, giving the in-arena experience an even bigger presence when the stakes were highest.
Winning The Championship
When the Thunder reached the 2025 NBA Finals, we updated our “Win” animation to meet the moment. Howl Motion is always ready to move quickly, allowing us to adapt graphics and deliver new work as the stakes change.
2025-26 Season
This was the season of hype. We went all in! fast, flashy, and just a little bit chaotic. There’s enough energy in these graphics to make you want to run through a brick wall, so we’ll let you hit play when you’re ready.
Project Recap
Created for the Oklahoma City Thunder, this motion graphics package was built to support the energy of game day across multiple seasons, from regular-season action to the NBA Playoffs and Finals.
Across three seasons, we created hundreds of in-game graphics spanning noise prompts, hype montages, welcome animations, big-moment graphics, and our signature “Win” animation. The work was designed to adapt across anywhere from 3 to 21 different board sizes throughout Paycom Center, with graphics built to hit wherever the action was happening.
As the seasons progressed, so did our knowledge of what Thunder basketball in Oklahoma City is all about. Our motion graphics continued to evolve to create the loudest fan environment in the NBA, while recurring on-site visits allowed us to work directly with the Thunder team and stay closely connected to the game-day environment.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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2023-2026