Seattle SuperSonics
NBA team that won the 1979 championship before relocating to Oklahoma City.
The Seattle SuperSonics, often called the Sonics, were a professional basketball team from Seattle that played in the NBA. They joined the league in 1967 and stayed until 2008, when the franchise moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Their home court was KeyArena (originally the Seattle Center Coliseum) for 33 of their 41 seasons in the city. They also played at the Kingdome from 1978 to 1985, sharing it with baseball's Mariners and football's Seahawks, and spent the 1994–95 season at the Tacoma Dome while the Coliseum was renovated.
The team won the NBA championship in 1979. They claimed Western Conference titles in 1978, 1979, and 1996, and six division titles—five in the Pacific Division and one in the Northwest, with their last coming in 2005. Over their time in Seattle, the SuperSonics posted a regular-season record of 1,745–1,585 (.524) and a playoff record of 107–110 (.493), both ranking in the top half of the NBA's all-time standings.
Sam Schulman owned the team from its start in 1967 until 1983. Barry Ackerley then owned it until 2001, when Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO and chairman emeritus, took over through the Basketball Club of Seattle. In July 2006, that group sold the SuperSonics and their WNBA sister team, the Seattle Storm, to Professional Basketball Club LLC, led by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. The NBA approved the sale in October 2006, and the new owners took control a week later. After failing to secure public funding for a new arena in the Seattle area, the team moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season, following a $45 million settlement with the city to break their lease at KeyArena early.
The franchise began when security analyst Dick Vertlieb and script writer Don Richman, who dreamed of running a pro team, focused on Seattle after Cleveland and Pittsburgh didn't work out. They contacted Sam Schulman and Eugene Klein, who had recently bought the San Diego Chargers. Schulman and Klein paid the $100,000 performance bond, while Vertlieb and Richman raised money for the $1.75 million entry fee. On December 20, 1966, Schulman, Klein, and minority partners were awarded an NBA franchise for Seattle—the city's first major-league sports team. The name SuperSonics was chosen on January 11, 1967, as a nod to Boeing's SST project.
- Founded
- 1967
- Relocated
- 2008
- Nba championships
- 1 (1979)
- Western conference titles
- 3 (1978, 1979, 1996)
- Division titles
- 6 (last in 2005)
- All-time regular season record
- 1,745–1,585 (.524)
- All-time playoff record
- 107–110 (.493)
Lore & Background
The SuperSonics were awarded as an NBA expansion franchise on December 20, 1966, with the name chosen on January 11, 1967, as a nod to Seattle's aviation industry. The team began play on October 13, 1967, coached by Al Bianchi, and finished their first season with a 23–59 record. Key early players included Walt Hazzard, Bob Rule, and Al Tucker. In 1968, Hazzard was traded for Lenny Wilkens, who later became player-coach and led the team to its first winning season in 1971–72 at 47–35.
The franchise reached its peak in the late 1970s. After Bill Russell coached the team to its first playoff appearance in 1974–75, Lenny Wilkens returned mid-season in 1977–78 to lead the SuperSonics to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Washington Bullets in seven games. The following season, the SuperSonics won their first division title and defeated the Bullets in five games to capture the 1979 NBA championship, with Dennis Johnson named Finals MVP. The team later won Western Conference titles in 1996 and division titles through 2005.
Ownership changed hands multiple times: Sam Schulman owned the team from 1967 to 1983, followed by Barry Ackerley until 2001, then Howard Schultz's Basketball Club of Seattle until 2006, when the team was sold to Clay Bennett's Professional Basketball Club LLC. After failing to secure public funding for a new arena, the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season, settling a lease dispute with Seattle for $45 million.
Reader's Guide
The Seattle SuperSonics hold a significant place in NBA history as the first major-league sports franchise in Seattle and as the 1979 NBA champions. Their legacy is marked by consistent competitiveness, with an all-time regular season winning percentage of .524 and playoff record of .493, both ranking in the top half of NBA standings. The team's relocation to Oklahoma City in 2008 ended a 41-year tenure in Seattle, but the franchise's banners, trophies, and retired jerseys remain in Seattle under the terms of a lawsuit settlement. The SuperSonics' nickname, logo, and color scheme are available for any future NBA team in Seattle, subject to league approval, keeping the possibility of the team's revival alive. The franchise's history includes notable figures such as Lenny Wilkens, Spencer Haywood, and Jack Sikma, and its 1979 championship remains a defining moment for the city.
Did You Know?
- The SuperSonics' name was chosen on January 11, 1967, as a nod to Seattle's ties to the aviation industry, with Boeing having recently been awarded a contract for an SST project.
- The team played home games at KeyArena (originally Seattle Center Coliseum) for 33 of its 41 seasons, with a temporary move to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season during renovations.
- Sam Schulman, who owned the team from 1967 to 1983, also co-owned the AFL's San Diego Chargers and threatened to move the SuperSonics to the ABA in 1970 if the NBA did not merge.
- Under the settlement of a lawsuit between Seattle and Clay Bennett's ownership group, the SuperSonics' banners, trophies, and retired jerseys remain in Seattle.
More in Club History & Eras
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