The official Oklahoma City Thunder colors are Thunder blue, sunset orange, yellow and navy blue. The primary color is Thunder blue (#007AC1), paired with sunset (#EF3B24), yellow (#FDBB30) and navy (#002D62). White (#FFFFFF) rounds out the set. The palette has been in use since the franchise rebranded in 2008.
Thunder color codes table
| Color | Swatch | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder Blue | #007AC1 | 0, 125, 195 | 89, 43, 0, 0 | PMS 285 C | |
| Sunset | #EF3B24 | 239, 59, 36 | 0, 92, 100, 0 | PMS Warm Red C | |
| Yellow | #FDBB30 | 253, 187, 48 | 0, 29, 91, 0 | PMS 1235 C | |
| Navy Blue | #002D62 | 0, 45, 98 | 100, 68, 54, 0 | PMS 282 C | |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | N/A |
A note on the Pantone values: the four PMS codes above (285 C, Warm Red C, 1235 C, 282 C) match what the league and the team’s usage guidelines have circulated for years. White has no PMS equivalent, so don’t go hunting for one.
Each Thunder color, one by one
Thunder blue, the one everyone recognizes
Thunder blue (#007AC1) is the primary. It’s a mid-bright cyan-leaning blue, not a royal, and definitely not a Duke blue. It fills the shield in the primary logo, it’s the base of the road (“Icon”) uniform, and it’s the number fill on the white home set.
Fun bit of trivia: the color was picked partly as a nod to the Oklahoma sky. Whether you buy that or not, it does read differently from most NBA shades of blue, which tend to sit darker and more conservative.
Sunset, the orange people call red
Sunset (#EF3B24) is the orange-red accent. Honestly, half the internet calls it orange and half calls it red, and both camps have a point. RGB (239, 59, 36) puts it right on the border. It shows up in the lightning bolt element, in jersey trim, and it took over as a full jersey base on the 2015 alternate and again on the Nike “Earned” and “Statement” kits.
If you’re building a palette around this shade, it behaves like an energetic orange rather than a true red. Pair it carefully. It fights with anything else in the warm range.
Yellow, the accent most people forget
Yellow (#FDBB30) is the fourth color, and it’s easy to miss. It’s a golden, slightly amber yellow, used mainly as trim and outline detail, plus in some secondary marks and merchandise. You almost never see it as a large field. It’s a highlight, nothing more.
Navy, the quiet workhorse
Navy (#002D62) does the structural work. Outlines, side panels, shadow lines, lettering on the sunset jerseys. This exact deep navy shade gives the brighter Thunder blue something to sit against, otherwise the whole thing would float.
Quick pairing note
- Thunder blue + navy = safe, and used constantly by the team
- Sunset + navy = the Statement look
- Yellow + Thunder blue = high contrast, use sparingly
- All four at once = messy, and the team knows it, which is why they rarely do it
Thunder jersey colors: home, away, alternate
Association (home): white base with the city name across the chest and blue, sunset and navy trim.
Icon (road): Thunder blue base, navy side panels, white numerals, “OKC” on the beltline.
Statement: sunset orange base with lighter blue lettering, evolved from the 2018-19 “Earned” uniform.
City editions change most years, so the codes above won’t always match what you see on court in a given season.
How the palette got here
The franchise started as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1967. After the move to Oklahoma City in July 2008, the team unveiled its first logo on September 3, 2008, with the blue, sunset, yellow and navy set that’s still in use.
Some markers along the way:
- 2012: a navy and white alternate arrives, with the wordmark running vertically down the side.
- 2015: a sunset-colored alternate debuts in September, worn 18 times that season.
- 2017: Nike takes over the uniform program. The white and blue sets survive nearly untouched. A navy Statement kit with blue gradients joins them.
- 2019-20: the City uniform breaks the palette entirely, going black and gold to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.
That’s a remarkably stable identity for the NBA. Most teams have torn theirs down twice in the same span.
Using the colors in your own work
For screens, use the HEX or RGB values. For print, use CMYK or the PMS codes. Do not convert the HEX to CMYK yourself and hope for the best. The sunset shade in particular shifts badly on uncoated stock.
“ :root { --thunder-blue: #007AC1; --thunder-sunset: #EF3B24; --thunder-yellow: #FDBB30; --thunder-navy: #002D62; --thunder-white: #FFFFFF; } `
One warning about accessibility: Thunder blue on white passes for large text but fails WCAG AA for body copy at normal sizes. Navy on white is fine. Yellow on white is a disaster, so don’t.
Related color resources
- Every team’s values in one place: NBA team color codes
- If you like the warm end of this palette: sunset color palettes
- Building around the primary: blue color palettes
FAQ on The Oklahoma City Thunder Colors
What are the Oklahoma City Thunder colors?
The Thunder use Thunder blue, sunset orange, yellow and navy blue, with white as the base on home uniforms. Thunder blue (#007AC1) leads the palette and fills the shield in the primary logo. All four have been official since 2008.
What are the Thunder color codes in HEX and RGB?
Thunder blue is #007AC1, RGB (0, 125, 195). Sunset is #EF3B24, RGB (239, 59, 36). Yellow is #FDBB30, RGB (253, 187, 48). Navy is #002D62, RGB (0, 45, 98). White is #FFFFFF.
What are the Oklahoma City Thunder Pantone colors?
Four PMS values cover the palette: PMS 285 C for Thunder blue, PMS Warm Red C for sunset, PMS 1235 C for yellow, and PMS 282 C for navy. White has no Pantone equivalent. Use these for print, not the HEX codes.
When did the Thunder adopt their current colors?
September 3, 2008, when the franchise unveiled its first logo after relocating from Seattle. The Seattle SuperSonics green and gold was dropped entirely. The blue, sunset, yellow and navy scheme has stayed intact ever since, with only uniform tweaks.
What is the primary color of the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Thunder blue. It dominates the road Icon uniform, sits behind the basketball in the logo shield, and appears on nearly all merchandise. It’s a bright, cyan-leaning blue, noticeably lighter than the navy used for outlines and lettering.
Is Thunder blue the same as royal blue?
No. Thunder blue (#007AC1) leans toward cyan, while royal blue sits deeper and more violet. Designers mix them up constantly. If you substitute one for the other, the OKC logo immediately reads wrong.
Are the Thunder colors the same as the Denver Nuggets?
Both use blue and yellow, but the shades differ. Denver pairs midnight blue with a gold-yellow and adds maroon. OKC runs a brighter blue plus sunset orange, which Denver doesn’t carry at all.
Is the Thunder’s sunset color orange or red?
Officially it’s called sunset. RGB (239, 59, 36) places it between the two, which is why some databases file it under orange and others under red. Treat it as a warm orange-red when building a warm palette.
What colors are on the Thunder City Edition jerseys?
They change most seasons. The 2019-20 City uniform used black and gold to mark the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, breaking from the standard palette. Recent editions have returned to blue-heavy schemes with local design references.
Can I use the Thunder colors in my own design work?
For personal projects, fan art and mockups, yes. Commercial use of the logo, wordmark or team marks needs licensing from the NBA. The color values themselves aren’t protected, but the marks built from them are.
Conclusion
The Oklahoma City Thunder colors have barely moved since 2008, which is rare in the NBA. Grab the hex codes, RGB values and PMS numbers above and you’re set for jersey mockups, fan sites or print work.
One last tip: check the Paycom Center court and the current City Edition before you commit, since those shift more often than the core brand identity does.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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