The Thunder has kept a tradition that began with the New Orleans Hornets when they were given shelter here for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina. It’s a pregame prayer.
Hornets owner George Shinn said one of the first things he noticed about our city after his team arrived was the religious nature of so many people. Thus a prayer became routine before Hornets games. Since the NBA was new to many Oklahomans, most folks probably figured a prayer was routine everywhere else in the league.
Not so. The brief prayer ritual was mentioned last week by a Minneapolis writer after the Timberwolves played the Thunder, our new and permanent team.
So how does the NBA get away with a prayer and other institutions, particularly schools, either do not or cannot?
You won’t find prayers being said before the high school football playoff games this week. It’s separation of church and state, of course.
The government, through the taxpayers, pays for public school athletic facilities. The NBA, in contrast, is a private organization.
Yet the government, through the taxpayers, paid for every dime that went into the Ford Center. We don’t see a difference.
Now I know I won't ever be going to a game.