The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly shortened to Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and later as a member of the Western Conference's Pacific (1970–2004) and Northwest (2004–2008) divisions. After the 2007–08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, where it now plays as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sam Schulman owned the team from its 1967 inception until 1983. It was then owned by Barry Ackerley until 2001, when it came under ownership of Basketball Club of Seattle, headed by Starbucks chairman emeritus, former president and CEO Howard Schultz. On July 18, 2006, Basketball Club of Seattle sold the SuperSonics and its Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) sister franchise, the Seattle Storm to Professional Basketball Club LLC, headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett.[4] The NBA Board of Governors approved the sale on October 24, 2006, and finalized it seven days later, at which point the new ownership group took control.[5][6] After failing to find public funding to construct a new arena in the Seattle area, the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season, following a $45 million settlement with the city of Seattle to pay off their existing lease at the KeyArena at Seattle Center before it expired in 2010.[7]
The SuperSonics played their home games at KeyArena (originally the Seattle Center Coliseum) for 33 of the franchise's 41 seasons in Seattle.[8] In 1978, the team moved to the Kingdome, which they shared with Major League Baseball (MLB) team Seattle Mariners and National Football League (NFL) team Seattle Seahawks. The team returned to the Coliseum in 1985, and temporarily moved to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season while the Coliseum was renovated and renamed KeyArena.
The SuperSonics won the NBA championship in 1979. The franchise won Western Conference titles in 1978, 1979 and 1996; and six divisional titles—their last being in 2005—five in the Pacific Division and one in the Northwest Division. The franchise attained a 1,745–1,585 (.520) regular season win–loss record,[9] as well as a 107–110 (.490) playoff win–loss record during its time in Seattle. Both marks would rank in the top half of the NBA's all-time standings. Settlement terms of a lawsuit between the city of Seattle and Clay Bennett's ownership group stipulated SuperSonics' banners, trophies and retired jerseys remain in Seattle; the nickname, logo and color scheme are available to any subsequent NBA team that plays in Seattle subject to NBA approval.[10][11]
On March 25, 2026, the NBA Board of Governors authorized the league to explore potential expansion franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, targeted to begin play in the 2028–29 season, though it is currently unclear if the planned Seattle franchise will also use the Supersonics name.[12]
Franchise history
1966–1968: Team creation
In the early 1960s, security analyst Dick Vertlieb and script writer Don Richman talked to each other about their mutual dreams of running a professional franchise. The two set their eye on the National Basketball Association (NBA) with its low entry fee ($1.75 million in 1965), then set out finding a city with a quality arena and willing investors. Seattle was their third city of focus after Cleveland and Pittsburgh fizzled out. Having heard of the recent purchase of the San Diego Chargers by a consortium that had Gene Klein and Sam Schulman, the group called them up. They later met face-to-face. Despite hearing that neither Klein or Schulman had all the money needed for the team, the two guided them to merely serve as the front men by paying the $100,000 performance bond while Vertlieb and Richman would raise money to help cover the $1.75 million. On December 20, 1966, Los Angeles businessmen Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein, both of whom owned the AFL side San Diego Chargers, and a group of minority partners were awarded an NBA franchise for Seattle, the first major-league sports franchise in the city.[13] The name of SuperSonics came on January 11, 1967, as an expansion team for the NBA, with Richman as their general manager and Vertlieb as business manager. It was Richman who hired
Home arenas
The SuperSonics played at the Seattle Center Coliseum, on the grounds of the Seattle Center, from 1967 to 1978. They left for the larger Kingdome and played there for seven years with crowds of over 30,000 at 20 games.[85][86] The team returned to the Coliseum in 1985 and were its main tenant before and after its renovation into KeyArena, which opened in 1995. The SuperSonics played a season at the Tacoma Dome during the renovation and remained at KeyArena until 2008.[85]
- KeyArena (formerly Seattle Center Coliseum, now Climate Pledge Arena): 1967–1978, 1985–1994, 1995–2008
- Kingdome: 1978–1985
- Tacoma Dome: 1994–1995
Uniforms
Seattle SuperSonics' first uniforms had "Sonics" displayed in a font that was also used by Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). The road jerseys were green and had yellow lettering; the home uniforms were white with green lettering. In 1995, SuperSonics changed their uniforms, adding red and orange, and removing yellow, to their new jerseys that would last six seasons. It displayed the team's new logo on the front and their alternative logo on the shorts. The home uniforms had green stripes on the right side of the jersey and shorts, and the green road jersey had red stripes.
The final SuperSonics uniforms were worn from the 2001–02 season through to the 2007–08 season. The team's owner Howard Schultz commissioned the design from Seattle design agency Hornall Anderson. The home jerseys were white with green-and-gold trim, displaying "SONICS" across the chest. Road uniforms were dark green with white-and-gold accents, with "SEATTLE" across the chest. The alternative uniform was gold with green-and-white trim with "SONICS" arched across the chest. These uniforms were an homage to a similar style worn from the 1975–76 season through to the 1994–95 season.[87]
Rivalries
The Seattle SuperSonics were traditional rivals of the Portland Trail Blazers because of the teams' proximity; the rivalry had been dubbed the I-5 Rivalry in reference to Interstate 5 that connects the two cities, which are 174 miles apart. The rivalry was fairly equal in accomplishments; both teams won one championship. The all-time record of this rivalry is 98–94 in favor of the SuperSonics.[88][89][90]
The SuperSonics were rivals of the Los Angeles Lakers due to the teams' longstanding pairing in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Lakers' sustained success meant regular season games often affected NBA Playoffs seedings, with the teams matching head-to-head for numerous playoff battles.[91][92]
Achievements and honors
Retired numbers
Notes:
- 1 Also head coach from 2000 to 2005.
- 2 Head coach during 1969–1972 and 1977–1985.
Basketball Hall of Famers
Notes:
- 1 In total, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame three times – as player, as coach and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.
- 2 In total, Ewing was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.
- 3 Inducted posthumously.
- 4 Also served as assistant coach (2003–2007).
- 5 Also served as head coach (1998–2000).
Staff
Head coaches
- Al Bianchi, 1967–1969
- Lenny Wilkens, 1969–1972
- Tom Nissalke, 1972–1973
- Bucky Buckwalter, 1973
- Bill Russell. 1973–1977
- Bob Hopkins, 1977
- Lenny Wilkens, 1977–1985
- Bernie Bickerstaff, 1985–1990
- K. C. Jones, 1990–1992
- Bob Kloppenburg, 1992
- George Karl, 1992–1998
- Paul Westphal, 1998–2000
Records and leaders
Franchise leaders
Points scored (regular season) (as of the end of the 2007–08 season)[93]
Other Statistics (regular season) (as of the end of the 2007–08 season)[93]
- 1) Gary Payton (18,207)
- 2) Fred Brown (14,018)
- 3) Jack Sikma (12,258)
- 4) Rashard Lewis (12,034)
- 5) Shawn Kemp (10,148)
- 6) Gus Williams (9,676)
See also
- List of Seattle SuperSonics seasons
- Bob Blackburn (announcer)
- Kevin Calabro
- Wheedle
- Squatch
- Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
- Sonicsgate
- Sonics Arena
- List of relocated National Basketball Association teams
External links
- Official site (February 2008) (Archived)
References
- Franchise History–NBA Advanced Stats NBA.com, NBA Media Ventures, LLC, retrieved May 13, 2024^
- NBA.com/Stats–Oklahoma City Thunder seasons Stats.NBA.com, NBA Media Ventures, LLC, retrieved December 2, 2022^
- Sonics Unveil New Logo and Official Colors SuperSonics.com, NBA Media Ventures, LLC, August 25, 2001, retrieved June 18, 2016