Seattle SuperSonics
On the 20th of December 1966, Los Angeles businessmen Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein received an NBA franchise for Seattle. This marked the first major-league sports team in the city. Security analyst Dick Vertlieb and script writer Don Richman had spent years dreaming of running a professional basketball franchise. They targeted the National Basketball Association because its entry fee was only $1.75 million in 1965. The pair chose Seattle as their third city after Cleveland and Pittsburgh failed to materialize. Schulman and Klein served as front men while Vertlieb and Richman raised money to cover the remaining costs. On the 11th of January 1967, the name SuperSonics was officially adopted as an expansion team. Richman became general manager while Vertlieb handled business operations. Al Bianchi was hired as the first head coach. The team debuted on the 13th of October 1967 with a 144, 116 loss against the San Francisco Warriors. Their first win came on October 21 when they defeated the San Diego Rockets 117, 110 in overtime. The franchise finished that inaugural season with a 23, 59 record.
The SuperSonics won their first division title in 1979 under player-coach Lenny Wilkens. Wilkens averaged 22.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game during the 1968, 69 season. He led the NBA in assists during the 1969, 70 season before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bill Russell coached the team to its first playoff appearance in 1974. Spencer Haywood joined the roster and averaged 29.2 points per game during the 1972, 73 season. The championship team included Gus Williams and Finals MVP Dennis Johnson alongside second-year All-Star center Jack Sikma. John Johnson and Lonnie Shelton played forward positions while Fred Brown and Paul Silas provided key reserves. In the 1979 playoffs, the Sonics defeated the Phoenix Suns in seven games to set up a rematch against the Washington Bullets. The Bullets lost to the SuperSonics in five games to secure their only NBA title. That same year, the team set an NBA record for average attendance with 21,725 fans per game.
George Karl arrived as head coach in 1992 and marked a return to regular season competitiveness. The franchise drafted forward Shawn Kemp in 1989 and guard Gary Payton in 1990. Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel were traded away during the 1990, 91 season. With Payton and Kemp improving, the SuperSonics posted a 55, 27 record in the 1992, 93 season. They took the Phoenix Suns to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. During the 1993, 94 season, Seattle held the best record in the NBA at 63, 19. This became the first number one seed to lose a playoff series to an eighth seed when they fell to the Denver Nuggets. The team moved to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994, 95 season while renovations occurred at KeyArena. They earned a second place 57, 25 record before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. Perhaps the strongest roster ever assembled was the 1995, 96 team with a franchise-best 64, 18 record. All-NBA Second Team selections included Kemp and Payton alongside forward Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins. Hersey Hawkins and Nate McMillan rounded out the deep roster. The team reached the 1996 NBA Finals but lost to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in six games.
On the 18th of July 2006, Basketball Club of Seattle sold the SuperSonics and Seattle Storm to Professional Basketball Club LLC for $350 million. Howard Schultz stepped down as majority owner after unsuccessful efforts to secure public funding for arena updates. Clay Bennett led the new ownership group from Oklahoma City. NBA owners approved the potential relocation on the 18th of April 2008 by a vote of 28, 2. Only Mark Cuban and Paul Allen voted against moving the team. A settlement allowing the move required payment of $45 million to Seattle plus an additional $30 million if no new team arrived by 2013. The relocated team began play as Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2008, 09 season. The Sonics played their last home game on the 13th of April 2008 with a 99, 95 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Throughout that final game, fans chanted Save our Sonics while Kevin Durant waved his hands at the crowd. The franchise settled all legal issues before Bennett could exercise his right to relocate. Email conversations released by Seattle suggested some members wanted to move the team prior to purchase in 2006.
Settlement terms stipulated that banners, trophies, and retired jerseys remain in Seattle. The nickname, logo, and color scheme are available to any future NBA team playing in Seattle subject to league approval. On the 17th of September 2024, ESPN reported that if a team returns to Seattle, the Thunder would cede history back to the SuperSonics. Adam Silver announced on the 18th of December 2025 that a decision would be made in 2026 regarding expansion with Seattle as one of the markets considered. Chris Hansen led a group of investors including Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Nordstrom brothers Erik and Peter Nordstrom. They presented a Memorandum of Understanding to King County Council which approved it on the 30th of July 2012. The council voted 7, 2 to approve amendments requiring economic analysis and support for the Seattle Storm WNBA franchise. Hansen's investment partners included Wally Walker, a former Sonics executive. The Maloof family agreed to sell their majority stake in the Sacramento Kings to Ranadivé's ownership group on the 17th of May 2013 after the NBA rejected relocation requests. KeyArena renovations began in 2018 and were completed by the start of the 2021, 22 season.
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Common questions
When did the Seattle SuperSonics receive their NBA franchise?
Los Angeles businessmen Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein received an NBA franchise for Seattle on the 20th of December 1966.
Who coached the Seattle SuperSonics to their first division title in 1979?
Lenny Wilkens served as player-coach when the team won its first division title in 1979.
What was the final record of the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1995, 96 season?
The 1995, 96 roster achieved a franchise-best 64, 18 record before losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in six games.
On what date did the Seattle SuperSonics play their last home game?
The Sonics played their last home game on the 13th of April 2008 with a 99, 95 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Which ownership group led the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City?
Clay Bennett led the new ownership group from Oklahoma City that secured approval to move the team on the 18th of April 2008.