Tornado warning forces Indiana Pacers plane to divert ahead of NBA Finals

The Indiana Pacers plane was forced to divert on Tuesday because of a tornado warning in Oklahoma City.

The plane diverted to Tulsa, which is over 100 miles away, due to the severe storms. A tornado was seen in Norman, Oklahoma, about 20 miles from Oklahoma City.

The plane circled in the Oklahoma City area before touching down in Tulsa to refuel, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix.

The Indiana Pacers team plane has landed in Tulsa, a team official told SI. The Pacers plane circled the OKC area before landing in Tulsa to refuel. A tornado warning is in effect in Oklahoma City.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) June 3, 2025

The team is planning to arrive in Oklahoma City tonight after the storms pass.

The Pacers’ social media posted pictures of players heading to the plane before take-off.

Finals bound ✈️ pic.twitter.com/vsP56Gg4zM

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 3, 2025

Indiana will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

By Matt Higgins

Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins