Oklahoma City Thunder
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball
franchise based in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
. They play in the Northwest Division
of the Western Conference
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA); their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Thunder's NBA Development League
affiliate is the Tulsa 66ers
, who are owned by the Thunder. The Thunder are the only team in the Big Four North American sports leagues in Oklahoma.
Formerly the Seattle SuperSonics
, the Thunder were relocated in 2008
after a dispute between owner Clay Bennett
and lawmakers in Seattle, Washington. The SuperSonics qualified for the NBA Playoffs
22 times, won their division six times and won the 1979 NBA Championship
. In Oklahoma City, the Thunder qualified for their first playoff berth during the 2009–2010 season. They followed this success by winning their first division title as the Thunder in the 2010-11 season.
), losing in seven games in 1978
and winning in five the next year
. Seattle's victory remains the only modern-era championship in that city's major-sports history. During the course of the next decade, Seattle had moderate success until they drafted the duo of Shawn Kemp
in 1989
and Gary Payton
in 1990
. Alongside Nate McMillan
, coach George Karl
and other notable players, the Sonics rose up among the rank of title contenders in the early 1990s. The team qualified for the playoffs every year between 1991 and 1998.
In the 1995-96 season, the Sonics established the franchise mark for most wins with a 64–18 season (.780 winning percentage) and earned their third NBA Finals berth. Seattle met the record-setting 72–10 Chicago Bulls
in the Finals
and lost in six games. The Sonics' fortunes slowly spiraled after that season, with most of the core players retiring or departing from Seattle. The next decade did not fare better as the franchise, aside from a surprising 2004–05 NBA season in which the Sonics won 52 games, disappointed with playoff futility. The Sonics drafted cornerstones Kevin Durant
and Jeff Green
in the 2007 NBA Draft
. Despite their talent, the club endured the worst season in franchise history in the 2007–08 NBA season, losing a team-record 62 games.
In their 41 years in Seattle, the SuperSonics compiled a 1,745–1,585 (.524) win–loss record in the regular season and 107–110 (.493) in the playoffs. The franchise's titles include three Western Conference
championships and one NBA title
in 1979
.
In the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina
disaster in New Orleans, Louisiana
and the surrounding areas, the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City
, playing the majority of their home games during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons at the Ford Center. Consequently, the city showed it could support an NBA franchise such as the uprooted Hornets. Spurred by a reporter's question, NBA commissioner David Stern
came to comment unequivocally that Oklahoma City could support a franchise of its own.
In 2006 the SuperSonics were sold for $350 million to a group of Oklahoma City investors led by Clay Bennett, a move approved by NBA owners the following October. Terms of the sale required the new ownership group to use a "good faith, best effort" for the term of 12 months in securing a new arena lease or venue in the greater Seattle area. Bennett spent much of 2007 attempting to gain public funding for a new arena or a major renovation of the KeyArena
. After 12 months and numerous disagreements and lies from PBC LLC. to local and state governments, Bennett (who never had the intention of keeping the team in Seattle based on e-mails between his ownership group ) announced that the franchise would move to Oklahoma City as soon as the lease with KeyArena expired.
In June 2008, a lawsuit between the City of Seattle and Bennett regarding Bennett's attempts to break the final two years of the Sonics' lease at KeyArena went to federal court, and nearly a month later the two sides reached an agreement to settle. The terms awarded the city $45 million to get out of the remaining lease at KeyArena, and could provide an additional $30 million payment to Seattle in 2013 if certain conditions are met. The owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future NBA franchise; however, the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other "assets," including championship banners and trophies. On September 3, 2008, the team name, logo and colors for the Oklahoma City franchise were announced.
In 2009, Seattle-area filmmakers the Seattle SuperSonics Historical Preservation Society produced a critically acclaimed documentary film titled Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team
that details the rise and demise of the Seattle SuperSonics. The movie aimed to shed a scandalous light on the team's departure from Seattle, and it won the 2010 Webby Award for Best Sports Film. At the awards ceremony, beloved SuperSonic Gary Payton accepted the award on behalf of the city with a five word acceptance speech "Bring Back OUR Seattle SuperSonics"
The Thunder participated in the Orlando Pro Summer League featuring their second-year players, potential free agents and rookies. The players wore generic black and white jerseys reading "OKC-NBA" against an outline of a basketball. The Thunder's temporary practice facility was the Sawyer Center
at Southern Nazarene University
, which had been used by the New Orleans Hornets when they relocated to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina.
The Thunder played several preseason games before the 2008–2009 regular season, but only one of those games was in Oklahoma City. The Thunder made their first appearance in Billings
, Montana
on October 8, 2008 in an 88–82 preseason loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves
. The Thunder played their first Ford Center game on October 14 against the Los Angeles Clippers
.
In their regular-season home opener, the Thunder faced (and lost to) the Milwaukee Bucks. Earl Watson
scored the first points of the season with a layup. Three nights later on November 2, the Thunder won their first game as a franchise by defeating the Timberwolves, improving their record to 1–3. The team then went on a 10-game losing streak before deciding on November 22 to fire head coach P. J. Carlesimo and assistant Paul Westhead
. Assistant coach Scott Brooks
then took over on an interim basis. Oklahoma City lost its next four games to tie the dubious franchise losing streak of 14 set in Seattle the previous season. But the team managed to prevent history by winning their next game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies
.
As the season continued, the Thunder began to improve. After starting 3–29, the Thunder finished the regular season 20–30 for the remaining fifty games. Not only were they winning more often, they played much more competitively than in the first part of the season. The team ended their first season in Oklahoma City with a win against the Los Angeles Clippers, bringing their record to 23–59 and improving upon their record of 20–62 from the team's final season in Seattle. The late-season successes of the Thunder contributed to the signing of Scott Brooks as the team's official head coach.
As a result of moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle, the team's operating situation improved markedly. In December 2008, Forbes Magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $300 million – a 12% increase from the previous year's $268 million when the club was located in Seattle. Forbes also noted an increase in percentage of available tickets sold, from 78% in the team's last year in Seattle to 100% in 2008–09.
from Arizona State University
with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft
. The Thunder selected Rodrigue Beaubois
with the 25th pick in the 2009 draft before immediately trading him to the Dallas Mavericks
for the 24th pick, C Byron Mullens from Ohio State University
. The team then added veterans C Etan Thomas
and G Kevin Ollie
. The last major change to their roster occurred on December 22, 2009, when the team traded for Eric Maynor
from the Utah Jazz
. Maynor immediately supplanted Ollie as the backup point guard.
From the outset the young team looked determined and cohesive. The increasing leadership of Kevin Durant
, along with the growing experience of the Thunder's younger players, were encouraging signs that the Thunder were improving. The 2009–10 season included several victories over the NBA's elite teams, including a 28-point blowout over the Eastern Conference
champion Orlando Magic
and a 16-point blowout of the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. Road victories over the San Antonio Spurs
, Utah Jazz
, Miami Heat
, Boston Celtics
and Dallas Mavericks
greatly enhanced their reputation. Though they hovered around .500 for the first half of the season, they eventually went on a 9-game winning streak that sent them into serious playoff contention. Kevin Durant became the youngest player in league history to win the scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game while playing in all 82 games.
The Thunder finished 50–32, more than doubling their win total from the previous season. The 50-32 tied with the 2008 Golden State Warriors as the best 8 seeds in the modern Playoffs era, at least in terms of record. The Oklahoma City Thunder also had the same record as the Boston Celtics in this season. They finished fourth in the Northwest Division and eighth in the Western Conference playoff standings, and earned a spot in the 2010 NBA Playoffs
. On April 22, the team secured their first playoff win in Oklahoma City when they defeated the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers 101–96. This was also the Thunder's first playoff win at the Ford Center. However, the Thunder were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, 4 games to 2.
Oklahoma City ranked twelfth in overall attendance in the NBA, and seventh in percentage of available seats occupied (98%, including 28 sellouts in 41 home games). The team's operating situation also continued to improve in 2009–10. Forbes Magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $310 million (an increase of $10 million over the prior year) with an estimated operating profit of $12.7 million (the first operating profit in years for the franchise).
In the wake of a highly anticipated fourth versus fifth seed matchup against the Denver Nuggets
, Kevin Durant scored 41 points in Game 1 to set a new career playoff high. In the final game of the series, he again scored 41 and forward Serge Ibaka
nearly tied the record for most blocks in a playoff game (10, set by Mark Eaton
and Hakeem Olajuwon
) with 9 blocks. With the victory, the Thunder were able to pull through and win the series, 4 games to 1, set to face off against the Memphis Grizzlies
who achieved an eight seed upset over the San Antonio Spurs
just days later. The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals with a hard-fought 7-game series triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies
. Durant was again the star, scoring 39 points in the clinching Game 7, while Russell Westbrook also had a triple-double. However, despite a hard battle with the Dallas Mavericks
, the Thunder fell to the Mavericks 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder had a chance to tie the series in Game 4, but they were unable to hold a 15 point lead with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and ended up losing in overtime by the score of 112-105.
Seattle arenas had hosted two NBA All-Star Games; the 1974
edition in Seattle Center Coliseum and 1987
in the Kingdome
, where Sonic Tom Chambers grabbed MVP honors.
Originally opened in 2002, Chesapeake Energy Arena was built without many of the luxury accommodations ultimately planned for it. The arena had been designed to accommodate such luxury "buildouts" should a professional sports franchise locate to the city.
A plan for such buildout improvements began in 2007 in the wake of the acquisition of the Seattle Supersonics by an Oklahoma City-based ownership group the previous October. A city ballot initiative on March 4, 2008 - approved by a 62% to 38% margin - extended a prior one-cent city sales tax for a period of fifteen months in order to fund $101 million in budgeted improvements to the arena, as well as fund a separate $20 million practice facility for a relocated franchise.
Renovation work on Chesapeake Energy Arena was delayed due to a sales tax-receipts shortfall during the 2008-10 economic crisis; eventual tax receipts totaled $103.5 million rather than the projected $121.6 million. The shortfall was accommodated by revising plans for certain features of the arena expansion project, including limiting the size of a new glass entryway and eliminating a practice court planned for above the delivery entrance of the arena. Major construction work on the arena expansion was also delayed from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011.
Similar revisions were made to the plans for the Thunder's separate practice facility, for a total cost savings of approximately $14 million. The Thunder's practice facility completion date was similarly pushed back to approximately March 2011.
was introduced as the new Oklahoma City Thunder mascot during the halftime of a game against the New Orleans Hornets. Rumble was the winner of the 2008-2009 NBA Mascot of the Year.
NBA Finals MVP
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year
All-NBA First Team
All-NBA Second Team
All-NBA Third Team
NBA All-Defensive First Team
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA Rookie Second Team
This section includes players from the franchise's years in Seattle.
to longtime broadcaster Bob Blackburn, who had called the majority of the team's games from 1967 through 1992.
, the team's logo takes several of its elements from other Oklahoma sports teams such as the collegiate Sooners
and Cowboys
. The uniform design was unveiled on September 29, 2008.
98.1 and WWLS AM 640, "The Sports Animal". Matt Pinto
is the radio voice of the Thunder.
(a regional fork of FS Southwest), which broadcast most of the games, and independent station KSBI
(channel 52), with around 65 Thunder games airing during the season and more than half of the games available in HD on FS Oklahoma, along with other team-related programming such as pregame shows. Around 15 to 20 regular-season games were broadcast over the air on KSBI
, which had a network of rebroadcasters spanning the entire state. All televised games are called by Brian Davis on play-by-play and Grant Long
as color commentator. During the 2009–2010 season, KSBI telecast all Thunder games it aired in high definition (KSBI had previously aired in HD the first regular-season game played at the Ford Center - against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 29, 2008 - while all other games during the 2008–2009 season were telecast on KSBI in standard definition). On August 3, 2010, the Thunder signed a new exclusive multi-year agreement with Fox Sports Oklahoma, beginning with the 2010-11 season
, ending the team's broadcasts on KSBI. Kelly Crull serves as the sideline reporter.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
franchise based in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. They play in the Northwest Division
Northwest Division (NBA)
The Northwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah JazzThe division was...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA); their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Thunder's NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
affiliate is the Tulsa 66ers
Tulsa 66ers
The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
, who are owned by the Thunder. The Thunder are the only team in the Big Four North American sports leagues in Oklahoma.
Formerly the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, the Thunder were relocated in 2008
Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City
The Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City was a successful effort by the ownership group of the Seattle SuperSonics to move the team to Oklahoma City...
after a dispute between owner Clay Bennett
Clayton Bennett
Clayton "Clay" Ike' Bennett is an American businessman and chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the ownership group of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA franchise that was formerly the Seattle SuperSonics...
and lawmakers in Seattle, Washington. The SuperSonics qualified for the NBA Playoffs
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
22 times, won their division six times and won the 1979 NBA Championship
1979 NBA Finals
The 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals which the Washington Bullets had won 4-3...
. In Oklahoma City, the Thunder qualified for their first playoff berth during the 2009–2010 season. They followed this success by winning their first division title as the Thunder in the 2010-11 season.
Franchise history
1967–2008: Seattle SuperSonics
The Thunder's previous incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, were formed in 1967. Early in their history they appeared in two consecutive Finals against the Washington Bullets (now the WizardsWashington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
), losing in seven games in 1978
1978 NBA Finals
-Series summary:Bullets win series 4-3-Game 1:The Bullets, behind Kevin Grevey's 27 and Elvin Hayes's 21 points, held a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter at the Seattle Center Coliseum. But, the Sonics staged a comeback in front of the home crowd, led by "instant offense" guard Fred Brown...
and winning in five the next year
1979 NBA Finals
The 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals which the Washington Bullets had won 4-3...
. Seattle's victory remains the only modern-era championship in that city's major-sports history. During the course of the next decade, Seattle had moderate success until they drafted the duo of Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp
Shawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
in 1989
1989 NBA Draft
The 1989 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1989 in New York City, New York, USA. It has been regarded as one of the worst drafts in NBA history, along with the 1986 NBA Draft and the 2000 NBA Draft. Though the draft produced talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick...
and Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
in 1990
1990 NBA Draft
The 1990 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1990, in New York City, New York. This draft produced only one perennial All-Star,Gary Payton. Among the 54 picks, Payton is considered by far the best pick of the draft. Payton went on to be considered one of the greatest point guards of all time...
. Alongside Nate McMillan
Nate McMillan
Nathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers...
, coach George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
and other notable players, the Sonics rose up among the rank of title contenders in the early 1990s. The team qualified for the playoffs every year between 1991 and 1998.
In the 1995-96 season, the Sonics established the franchise mark for most wins with a 64–18 season (.780 winning percentage) and earned their third NBA Finals berth. Seattle met the record-setting 72–10 Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the Finals
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1995-96 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Seattle SuperSonics of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
and lost in six games. The Sonics' fortunes slowly spiraled after that season, with most of the core players retiring or departing from Seattle. The next decade did not fare better as the franchise, aside from a surprising 2004–05 NBA season in which the Sonics won 52 games, disappointed with playoff futility. The Sonics drafted cornerstones Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
and Jeff Green
Jeff Green (basketball)
Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft...
in the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. Despite their talent, the club endured the worst season in franchise history in the 2007–08 NBA season, losing a team-record 62 games.
In their 41 years in Seattle, the SuperSonics compiled a 1,745–1,585 (.524) win–loss record in the regular season and 107–110 (.493) in the playoffs. The franchise's titles include three Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
championships and one NBA title
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
in 1979
1979 NBA Finals
The 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals which the Washington Bullets had won 4-3...
.
Creation of the Thunder
In the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
disaster in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and the surrounding areas, the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City
Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Hornets
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. city of New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005, and caused extensive damage to the New Orleans Arena, the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association were unable to play any home games there for the entire 2005–06 season. They...
, playing the majority of their home games during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons at the Ford Center. Consequently, the city showed it could support an NBA franchise such as the uprooted Hornets. Spurred by a reporter's question, NBA commissioner David Stern
David Stern
David Joel Stern is the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984 succeeding Larry O'Brien...
came to comment unequivocally that Oklahoma City could support a franchise of its own.
In 2006 the SuperSonics were sold for $350 million to a group of Oklahoma City investors led by Clay Bennett, a move approved by NBA owners the following October. Terms of the sale required the new ownership group to use a "good faith, best effort" for the term of 12 months in securing a new arena lease or venue in the greater Seattle area. Bennett spent much of 2007 attempting to gain public funding for a new arena or a major renovation of the KeyArena
KeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
. After 12 months and numerous disagreements and lies from PBC LLC. to local and state governments, Bennett (who never had the intention of keeping the team in Seattle based on e-mails between his ownership group ) announced that the franchise would move to Oklahoma City as soon as the lease with KeyArena expired.
In June 2008, a lawsuit between the City of Seattle and Bennett regarding Bennett's attempts to break the final two years of the Sonics' lease at KeyArena went to federal court, and nearly a month later the two sides reached an agreement to settle. The terms awarded the city $45 million to get out of the remaining lease at KeyArena, and could provide an additional $30 million payment to Seattle in 2013 if certain conditions are met. The owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo and colors in Seattle for a possible future NBA franchise; however, the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other "assets," including championship banners and trophies. On September 3, 2008, the team name, logo and colors for the Oklahoma City franchise were announced.
In 2009, Seattle-area filmmakers the Seattle SuperSonics Historical Preservation Society produced a critically acclaimed documentary film titled Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team
Sonicsgate
Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team is a 2009 educational feature documentary film chronicling the rise and demise of the Seattle SuperSonics NBA franchise 1967-2008, having left Seattle after 41 years to move to Oklahoma City and become the Thunder. ...
that details the rise and demise of the Seattle SuperSonics. The movie aimed to shed a scandalous light on the team's departure from Seattle, and it won the 2010 Webby Award for Best Sports Film. At the awards ceremony, beloved SuperSonic Gary Payton accepted the award on behalf of the city with a five word acceptance speech "Bring Back OUR Seattle SuperSonics"
2008–09: Inaugural season
The Thunder participated in the Orlando Pro Summer League featuring their second-year players, potential free agents and rookies. The players wore generic black and white jerseys reading "OKC-NBA" against an outline of a basketball. The Thunder's temporary practice facility was the Sawyer Center
Sawyer Center
The Sawyer Center, named for Raymond Sawyer, is the main athletic facility for Southern Nazarene University and seats over 5,000. It is used for basketball and volleyball games played by the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm...
at Southern Nazarene University
Southern Nazarene University
Southern Nazarene University is a Christian liberal arts college located in Bethany, Oklahoma, United States.-History:The history of the institution is one of various mergers and, therefore, one of differing institutions. While SNU claims its founding date as 1899, that founding date refers to an...
, which had been used by the New Orleans Hornets when they relocated to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina.
The Thunder played several preseason games before the 2008–2009 regular season, but only one of those games was in Oklahoma City. The Thunder made their first appearance in Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
on October 8, 2008 in an 88–82 preseason loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
. The Thunder played their first Ford Center game on October 14 against the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
In their regular-season home opener, the Thunder faced (and lost to) the Milwaukee Bucks. Earl Watson
Earl Watson
Earl Joseph Watson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Watson is a graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas...
scored the first points of the season with a layup. Three nights later on November 2, the Thunder won their first game as a franchise by defeating the Timberwolves, improving their record to 1–3. The team then went on a 10-game losing streak before deciding on November 22 to fire head coach P. J. Carlesimo and assistant Paul Westhead
Paul Westhead
Paul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
. Assistant coach Scott Brooks
Scott Brooks
Scott William Brooks is a retired American professional basketball player from Lathrop, California and is the current head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA...
then took over on an interim basis. Oklahoma City lost its next four games to tie the dubious franchise losing streak of 14 set in Seattle the previous season. But the team managed to prevent history by winning their next game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
.
As the season continued, the Thunder began to improve. After starting 3–29, the Thunder finished the regular season 20–30 for the remaining fifty games. Not only were they winning more often, they played much more competitively than in the first part of the season. The team ended their first season in Oklahoma City with a win against the Los Angeles Clippers, bringing their record to 23–59 and improving upon their record of 20–62 from the team's final season in Seattle. The late-season successes of the Thunder contributed to the signing of Scott Brooks as the team's official head coach.
As a result of moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle, the team's operating situation improved markedly. In December 2008, Forbes Magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $300 million – a 12% increase from the previous year's $268 million when the club was located in Seattle. Forbes also noted an increase in percentage of available tickets sold, from 78% in the team's last year in Seattle to 100% in 2008–09.
2009–10: The turnaround season
After an inaugural season filled with many adjustments, the Thunder hoped to improve during their second season in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City did not make any major moves in the offseason, other than drafting James HardenJames Harden (basketball)
James Edward Harden, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A shooting guard, Harden played collegiate basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected 3rd overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft...
from Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. The Thunder selected Rodrigue Beaubois
Rodrigue Beaubois
Rodrigue Beaubois is a French professional basketball player who was drafted 25th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks after being drafted...
with the 25th pick in the 2009 draft before immediately trading him to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
for the 24th pick, C Byron Mullens from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. The team then added veterans C Etan Thomas
Etan Thomas
Dedreck Etan Thomas, commonly referred to as Etan Thomas , is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association.-College:...
and G Kevin Ollie
Kevin Ollie
Kevin Jermaine Ollie is an American former professional basketball player. He played for eleven National Basketball Association franchises in thirteen seasons...
. The last major change to their roster occurred on December 22, 2009, when the team traded for Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
from the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Maynor immediately supplanted Ollie as the backup point guard.
From the outset the young team looked determined and cohesive. The increasing leadership of Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, along with the growing experience of the Thunder's younger players, were encouraging signs that the Thunder were improving. The 2009–10 season included several victories over the NBA's elite teams, including a 28-point blowout over the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
champion Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
and a 16-point blowout of the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. Road victories over the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
greatly enhanced their reputation. Though they hovered around .500 for the first half of the season, they eventually went on a 9-game winning streak that sent them into serious playoff contention. Kevin Durant became the youngest player in league history to win the scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game while playing in all 82 games.
The Thunder finished 50–32, more than doubling their win total from the previous season. The 50-32 tied with the 2008 Golden State Warriors as the best 8 seeds in the modern Playoffs era, at least in terms of record. The Oklahoma City Thunder also had the same record as the Boston Celtics in this season. They finished fourth in the Northwest Division and eighth in the Western Conference playoff standings, and earned a spot in the 2010 NBA Playoffs
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
. On April 22, the team secured their first playoff win in Oklahoma City when they defeated the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers 101–96. This was also the Thunder's first playoff win at the Ford Center. However, the Thunder were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, 4 games to 2.
Oklahoma City ranked twelfth in overall attendance in the NBA, and seventh in percentage of available seats occupied (98%, including 28 sellouts in 41 home games). The team's operating situation also continued to improve in 2009–10. Forbes Magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $310 million (an increase of $10 million over the prior year) with an estimated operating profit of $12.7 million (the first operating profit in years for the franchise).
2010–present: Rise to prominence
Financially, the Thunder organization continued to build on the positive returns experienced from relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City. In January 2011, Forbes Magazine estimated the franchise's worth at $329 million, up 6% from 2009–10 and ranking #18 in the NBA. The magazine also estimated the franchise's revenue at $118 million and operating profit at $22.6 million – up 6.3% and 78%, respectively, from the previous year. The Thunder finished the 2010-2011 season with 55-27 record, a five-win increase from their breakout season the previous year. The team also captured their first division title since moving to Oklahoma City, and seventh in franchise history.In the wake of a highly anticipated fourth versus fifth seed matchup against the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Kevin Durant scored 41 points in Game 1 to set a new career playoff high. In the final game of the series, he again scored 41 and forward Serge Ibaka
Serge Ibaka
Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila , commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a professional Spanish basketball player of Congolese origin, playing the power forward position for Real Madrid of the Liga ACB. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing in Spain because...
nearly tied the record for most blocks in a playoff game (10, set by Mark Eaton
Mark Eaton (basketball)
Mark E. Eaton is a retired American professional basketball player who was a member of the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1982 to 1994. He was famous for his giant frame and his strong defense...
and Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
) with 9 blocks. With the victory, the Thunder were able to pull through and win the series, 4 games to 1, set to face off against the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
who achieved an eight seed upset over the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
just days later. The Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals with a hard-fought 7-game series triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. Durant was again the star, scoring 39 points in the clinching Game 7, while Russell Westbrook also had a triple-double. However, despite a hard battle with the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, the Thunder fell to the Mavericks 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder had a chance to tie the series in Game 4, but they were unable to hold a 15 point lead with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and ended up losing in overtime by the score of 112-105.
Franchise accomplishments and awards
Home arenas
Note: All arenas used before 2008 were part of the defunct Sonics franchise.Seattle arenas had hosted two NBA All-Star Games; the 1974
1974 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 24: at the Seattle Center Coliseum, Jan. 15, 1974.MVP: Bob LanierCoaches: East: Tom Heinsohn, West: Larry Costello.-Eastern Conference: -Western Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-47*Third Quarter— West, 101-85...
edition in Seattle Center Coliseum and 1987
1987 NBA All-Star Game
This was the professional basketball's 37th NBA All-Star game played on February 8, 1987. It was played at Seattle's Kingdome, and the SuperSonics player Tom Chambers was the game's MVP...
in the Kingdome
Kingdome
The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
, where Sonic Tom Chambers grabbed MVP honors.
- Seattle Center Coliseum 1967–1978 (occasionally used during the Kingdome years when the latter was unavailable due to either MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
or SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
games) - The KingdomeKingdomeThe Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
1978–1985 - Seattle Center Coliseum 1985–1994
- Tacoma DomeTacoma DomeThe Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...
1994–1995 (During KeyArena Remodel) - KeyArenaKeyArenaKeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
(the remodeled and renamed Seattle Center Coliseum) 1995–2008 - Chesapeake Energy Arena (formerly Ford Center) (2008–present)
Originally opened in 2002, Chesapeake Energy Arena was built without many of the luxury accommodations ultimately planned for it. The arena had been designed to accommodate such luxury "buildouts" should a professional sports franchise locate to the city.
A plan for such buildout improvements began in 2007 in the wake of the acquisition of the Seattle Supersonics by an Oklahoma City-based ownership group the previous October. A city ballot initiative on March 4, 2008 - approved by a 62% to 38% margin - extended a prior one-cent city sales tax for a period of fifteen months in order to fund $101 million in budgeted improvements to the arena, as well as fund a separate $20 million practice facility for a relocated franchise.
Renovation work on Chesapeake Energy Arena was delayed due to a sales tax-receipts shortfall during the 2008-10 economic crisis; eventual tax receipts totaled $103.5 million rather than the projected $121.6 million. The shortfall was accommodated by revising plans for certain features of the arena expansion project, including limiting the size of a new glass entryway and eliminating a practice court planned for above the delivery entrance of the arena. Major construction work on the arena expansion was also delayed from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011.
Similar revisions were made to the plans for the Thunder's separate practice facility, for a total cost savings of approximately $14 million. The Thunder's practice facility completion date was similarly pushed back to approximately March 2011.
Rumble the Bison
On February 17, 2009, Rumble the BisonRumble the Bison
Rumble the Bison is the official mascot of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is an anthropomorphic bison and his name derives from the sound that thunder makes...
was introduced as the new Oklahoma City Thunder mascot during the halftime of a game against the New Orleans Hornets. Rumble was the winner of the 2008-2009 NBA Mascot of the Year.
Individual awards From Sonics and Thunder
This section includes awards from the franchise's years in Seattle.NBA Finals MVP
- Dennis JohnsonDennis JohnsonDennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
- 1979
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
- Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
– 1996
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
- Kevin DurantKevin DurantKevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
- 2008
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
- Scott BrooksScott BrooksScott William Brooks is a retired American professional basketball player from Lathrop, California and is the current head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA...
- 2010
NBA Executive of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
- Zollie VolchokZollie VolchokZollie Volchok was the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Salem, Oregon. He guided the team to an NBA championship in 1979 and won the 1983 NBA Executive of the Year Award....
- 1983 - Bob WhitsittBob WhitsittBob Whitsitt is a former sports executive in both the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. He has served as the general manager for three teams: the Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA, and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL...
- 1994
All-NBA First Team
- Spencer HaywoodSpencer HaywoodSpencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
- 1972-1973 - Gus Williams - 1982
- Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
- 1998, 2000 - Kevin DurantKevin DurantKevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
- 2010-2011
All-NBA Second Team
- Spencer HaywoodSpencer HaywoodSpencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
- 1974-1975 - Dennis JohnsonDennis JohnsonDennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
1980 - Gus Williams - 1980
- Shawn KempShawn KempShawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
- 1994-1996 - Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
- 1995-1997, 1999, 2002 - Vin BakerVin BakerVincent Lamont Baker is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was halted due to alcoholism....
- 1998 - Russell WestbrookRussell WestbrookRussell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
- 2011
All-NBA Third Team
- Dale EllisDale EllisDale Ellis is a retired American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association....
- 1989 - Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
– 1994, 2001
NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Slick WattsSlick WattsDonald Earl "Slick" Watts is an American former basketball player.Watts was not selected by any team in the 1973 NBA Draft, but his coach at Xavier University of Louisiana was a cousin of Bill Russell, who was the coach and general manager for the Seattle SuperSonics...
– 1976 - Dennis JohnsonDennis JohnsonDennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
- 1979-1980 - Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
- 1994-2002
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Lonnie SheltonLonnie SheltonLonnie Jewel Shelton is a retired American National Basketball Association player who played from 1976-1985. He played college basketball for Oregon State University. Shelton was drafted by the Memphis Sounds of the American Basketball Association in 1975 but elected to stay in college...
- 1982 - Jack SikmaJack SikmaJack Wayne Sikma is a retired American NBA basketball center. He was known for his distinctive curly, blonde hair in his playing days....
- 1982 - Danny VranesDanny VranesDanny Vranes is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round of the 1981 NBA Draft. Vranes led Skyline High School, in Salt Lake City, to the state basketball championship in his senior year...
- 1985 - Nate McMillanNate McMillanNathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers...
– 1994-1995 - Thabo SefoloshaThabo SefoloshaThabo Patrick Sefolosha is a Swiss professional basketball shooting guard who plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker in Turkey. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout....
- 2010
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Bob RuleBob RuleBobby Frank Rule is a retired American basketball player at center for the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and briefly, the Milwaukee Bucks....
- 1968 - Al TuckerAl Tucker-External links:* *...
- 1968 - Art HarrisArt HarrisArthur Carlos Harris, Jr. was an American professional basketball player.After graduating from Jordan High School, in Watts, Los Angeles, Harris went on to become one of Stanford University's best players. The 6'4" guard received All Pac 8 honors as a sophomore and averaged 20.7 ppg as a senior...
– 1969 - Tommy BurlesonTommy BurlesonTommy Loren Burleson is an American and former collegiate and professional basketball player...
– 1975 - Jack SikmaJack SikmaJack Wayne Sikma is a retired American NBA basketball center. He was known for his distinctive curly, blonde hair in his playing days....
– 1978 - Xavier McDanielXavier McDanielXavier Maurice McDaniel , nicknamed the X-Man, is a retired American National Basketball Association player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward and power forward, and former head coach of the Riders Slamball team.-College:While at Wichita State, McDaniel was the first person to...
– 1986 - Derrick McKeyDerrick McKeyDerrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
– 1988 - Kevin DurantKevin DurantKevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
– 2008 - Jeff GreenJeff Green (basketball)Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft...
- 2008 - Russell WestbrookRussell WestbrookRussell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
- 2009
NBA Rookie Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
- 1991 - Desmond MasonDesmond MasonDesmond Tremaine Mason is an American former professional basketball player. He was designated as a shooting guard and small forward.-Career:...
- 2001 - Vladimir RadmanovicVladimir RadmanovicVladimir Radmanović is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association...
– 2002 - James HardenJames Harden (basketball)James Edward Harden, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A shooting guard, Harden played collegiate basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected 3rd overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft...
– 2010
Former players
- For the complete list of Seattle SuperSonics players see: Seattle SuperSonics all-time rosterSeattle SuperSonics all-time rosterThe following is a list of players, both past and current, who appeared at least in one game for the Seattle SuperSonics NBA franchise.-A:-B:-C:-D:-E:-F:-G:-H:-J:-K:-L:-M:-N:-O:-P:-R:-S:-T:-V:-W:...
.
This section includes players from the franchise's years in Seattle.
- Ray AllenRay AllenWalter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
– An All-Star in all six of his years in Seattle. In the 2005–06 season, Allen broke the NBA record for most three-point field goalThree-point field goalA three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
s made in a regular season with 269. After being traded away after the conclusion of the 2006-2007 season, Allen won the 2008 NBA Championship2008 NBA FinalsThe 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
with the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. - Shawn KempShawn KempShawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:...
– The franchise's all-time leader in blocks and a key player in the Sonics' 1996 run to the NBA Finals1996 NBA FinalsThe 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1995-96 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Seattle SuperSonics of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
. Although more known for his dunks, Kemp averaged nearly 16 points and 10 rebounds for eight years in Seattle. - Rashard LewisRashard LewisRashard Quovon Lewis is an American professional basketball player, currently with the NBA's Washington Wizards as a small forward and a power forward.-Seattle SuperSonics:...
– The club's career leader in 3-point field goals with 973. A proficient shooter while with the Sonics, averaging 39% from behind the arc. He gained a reputation as a solid forward and earned All-Star status in 20052005 NBA All-Star GameThe 2005 NBA All-Star Game was a major basketball game played on February 20, 2005 at Pepsi Center home of Denver Nuggets featuring the best players in the National Basketball Association as selected by fans and coaches....
. - Xavier McDanielXavier McDanielXavier Maurice McDaniel , nicknamed the X-Man, is a retired American National Basketball Association player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward and power forward, and former head coach of the Riders Slamball team.-College:While at Wichita State, McDaniel was the first person to...
– A mainstay on the late '80s Sonics. Nicknamed the "X-ManX-manX-Man is a fictional character and superhero in the Marvel Universe.X-Man may also refer to:*X-Man , a South Korean game show*Xavier Carter, nicknamed X-Man, American track and field athlete...
", he was drafted 4th overall in 19851985 NBA DraftThe 1985 NBA Draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. A total of 162 players were selected over 7 rounds by the league's 23 teams. The New York Knicks were awarded the first overall pick, by winning the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery, which was held...
out Wichita State UniversityWichita State UniversityWichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
after an exceptional year in college. McDaniel came into his own as a scorer in Seattle before being traded to the Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in 1991. - Gary PaytonGary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
– The Sonics all-time leader in most major statistics, including pointPoint (basketball)Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
s, assistAssist (basketball)In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
s and stealsSteal (basketball)In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
. Payton played tenacious defense and earned the Defensive Player of the YearNBA Defensive Player of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
honors in 1996. "The Glove" has expressed his desire to have his jersey retired in Seattle, rather than Oklahoma City.
Hall of Famers
This section includes players from the franchise's years in Seattle.- Patrick EwingPatrick EwingPatrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
– Center, best known for playing for the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
; traded from the Knicks to the Sonics in an early season trade during the 2001 season. Inducted in 2008. - Dennis JohnsonDennis JohnsonDennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
– Under coach Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
, he took the Sonics to two NBA FinalsNBA FinalsThe NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
; a seven-game series loss in 19781978 NBA Finals-Series summary:Bullets win series 4-3-Game 1:The Bullets, behind Kevin Grevey's 27 and Elvin Hayes's 21 points, held a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter at the Seattle Center Coliseum. But, the Sonics staged a comeback in front of the home crowd, led by "instant offense" guard Fred Brown...
and a win in 19791979 NBA FinalsThe 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals which the Washington Bullets had won 4-3...
in which Johnson was named Finals MVP. Inducted in 2010. - K. C. JonesK. C. JonesK. C. Jones is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. K. C. Jones is his full name.-Playing career:...
– After being inducted in 1989, Jones coached the Sonics to two deep playoff runs in the 1991 and 1992 seasons. - Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
– Notable for winning 11 championships for the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, Russell coached and led the Sonics to their first playoff appearances during his time in Seattle from 1973 through 1977. Inducted in 1975. - Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
– Played point guard in Seattle for four years, becoming a player-coachPlayer-coachA player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
for his last three. He returned in 1977 for eight straight seasons, coaching the Sonics to their only championship in 1979. Wilkens held two notable NBA records for coaches - most wins (1,332) and most losses (1,155) - but he has since been surpassed in wins by Don NelsonDon NelsonDonald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
with 1,335. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice, in 1989 as a player and in 1998 as a head coach.
Retired jersey numbers
As the Oklahoma City Thunder's original iteration, the Seattle SuperSonics retired six numbers and awarded an honorary microphoneMicrophone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
to longtime broadcaster Bob Blackburn, who had called the majority of the team's games from 1967 through 1992.
| Seattle SuperSonics retired numbers | |||
| Players | |||
| No. | Player | Position | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gus Williams | Guard | 1977–1984 |
| 10 | Nate McMillan Nate McMillan Nathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers... |
Guard | 1987–1998 |
| 19 | Lenny Wilkens Lenny Wilkens Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA... |
Guard | 1969–1972 1971–72 NBA season The 1971–72 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.... |
| 24 | Spencer Haywood Spencer Haywood Spencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School... |
Forward | 1971 1971–72 NBA season The 1971–72 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.... –1975 |
| 32 | Fred Brown | Guard | 1971 1971–72 NBA season The 1971–72 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.... –1984 |
| 43 | Jack Sikma Jack Sikma Jack Wayne Sikma is a retired American NBA basketball center. He was known for his distinctive curly, blonde hair in his playing days.... |
Center | 1978–1986 |
| Coaches | |||
| No. | Coach | Wins/Losses | Years |
| 19 | Lenny Wilkens Lenny Wilkens Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA... |
121–125 357–277 |
1969–1972 1971–72 NBA season The 1971–72 NBA season was the 26th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.... 1978–1985 |
Other
- 1967–1968: Don Richman
- 1968–1969: Dick VertliebDick VertliebRichard "Dick" Harvey Vertlieb was an American sports executive. He was the winner of the 1975 NBA Executive of the Year Award after serving as general manager for the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. He also served as general manager for the Seattle SuperSonics and Indiana Pacers, as well as...
- 1969–1973: Bob HoubregsBob HoubregsRobert J. "Bob" Houbregs is a former professional basketball player.A 6'8", 225 pound forward-center, Houbregs attended the University of Washington from 1949 to 1953. In 1952, Houbregs was a Second Team Consensus All-America selection...
- 1973–1977: Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
- 1977–1983: Zollie VolchokZollie VolchokZollie Volchok was the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Salem, Oregon. He guided the team to an NBA championship in 1979 and won the 1983 NBA Executive of the Year Award....
- 1985–1986: Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
- 1986–1994: Bob WhitsittBob WhitsittBob Whitsitt is a former sports executive in both the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. He has served as the general manager for three teams: the Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA, and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL...
- 1994–2001: Wally WalkerWally WalkerWalter Frederick Walker is an American former professional basketball player. Walker is best known for his National Basketball Association career - both as a player and as a front office executive - for the Seattle SuperSonics....
- 2001–2007: Rick SundRick SundRick Sund is an NBA executive who is the current GM of the Atlanta Hawks, replacing Billy Knight in 2008.-Managerial career:...
- 2007–Present: Sam PrestiSam PrestiSam Prestigiacomo is an American basketball executive. Since June 7, 2007, he has been the General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics...
Logo and uniforms
The Oklahoma City Thunder unveiled their first logo on September 3, 2008, showing a shield with a basketball on it. According to majority owner Clay BennettClay Bennett
Clay Bennett is an American editorial cartoonist. Currently drawing for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Bennett is the winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning....
, the team's logo takes several of its elements from other Oklahoma sports teams such as the collegiate Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
and Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
. The uniform design was unveiled on September 29, 2008.
Radio
All Thunder games are broadcast on the Thunder Radio Network, led by the flagship stations WWLS-FMWWLS-FM
WWLS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to The Village, Oklahoma, USA, the station serves the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, area...
98.1 and WWLS AM 640, "The Sports Animal". Matt Pinto
Matt Pinto
Matt Pinto is the former radio play-by-play voice for the Seattle SuperSonics for KTTH-AM 770, the flagship station for the Sonics Radio Network...
is the radio voice of the Thunder.
TV
For their first two seasons, the Thunder's TV broadcasts were split between Fox Sports OklahomaFox Sports Oklahoma
Fox Sports Oklahoma is a regional sports network that airs coverage of sports teams in Oklahoma. It launched on October 29, 2008 as a spinoff of Fox Sports Southwest, with the first game of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder...
(a regional fork of FS Southwest), which broadcast most of the games, and independent station KSBI
KSBI
KSBI, virtual channel 52, is an independent television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is locally owned and operated by Family Broadcasting Group of Oklahoma, an Oklahoma-based company, in a duopoly with Tuff TV affiliate KXOC-LP...
(channel 52), with around 65 Thunder games airing during the season and more than half of the games available in HD on FS Oklahoma, along with other team-related programming such as pregame shows. Around 15 to 20 regular-season games were broadcast over the air on KSBI
KSBI
KSBI, virtual channel 52, is an independent television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is locally owned and operated by Family Broadcasting Group of Oklahoma, an Oklahoma-based company, in a duopoly with Tuff TV affiliate KXOC-LP...
, which had a network of rebroadcasters spanning the entire state. All televised games are called by Brian Davis on play-by-play and Grant Long
Grant Long
Grant Andrew Long is a retired American professional basketball player. He played over 1,000 NBA games over a 15-year career....
as color commentator. During the 2009–2010 season, KSBI telecast all Thunder games it aired in high definition (KSBI had previously aired in HD the first regular-season game played at the Ford Center - against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 29, 2008 - while all other games during the 2008–2009 season were telecast on KSBI in standard definition). On August 3, 2010, the Thunder signed a new exclusive multi-year agreement with Fox Sports Oklahoma, beginning with the 2010-11 season
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
, ending the team's broadcasts on KSBI. Kelly Crull serves as the sideline reporter.
External links
- Official website of the Thunder
- Oklahoma City Thunder @ Basketball-Reference.com