Seattle SuperSonics ("Seattle Supersonics"): history, description, interesting facts

A group of businessmen from Los Angeles and San Diego on December 20, 1966 received the right to create a team that will participate in the expansion of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The first general manager of the club, Sam Shulman, inspired by the development of the first American supersonic transport aircraft at Boeing, gave her the sole name. This Boeing 2707, in general, did not go beyond the scope of the project, becoming a stage in creating more advanced models, and, of course, gave an indirect name to the basketball team. By the way, Supersonics became Seattle’s first professional city team in the history of the city, playing in one of the leading North American sports and gaming leagues.

Rebels

In 1970, negotiations began on the merger of two US basketball leagues - the NBA and the ABA. The NBA Seattle Supersonics club has been an ardent supporter of the union. So hot and rebellious that he threatened to leave the American Association if the merger does not happen. Fortunately, it happened.

First stars

Almost immediately, the cult figure of the “Supersonic” was Lenny Wilkens, bought from the Atlanta Hawks. Many games, many points, not only as a player, but also later as a coach. Then the “Sonic” appeared another figure - giant Spencer Hayward. Unfortunately, the gradually developing team was monstrously destroyed. Wilkens' departure for the Cleveland Cavaliers seriously weakened the team.

First championship

The next round of development is associated with the arrival of coach Bill Russell, excellent defending players Fred Brown and Jack Sikma. To them was added the center Tommy Barleson. In general, the outstanding game from the defense became the “stove” from which the “Supersonic” danced to the championship. In 1977, Russell left the club, but the Sonic could not be stopped. The newer head coach was Leni Wilkens, who returned to Seattle as such. And “Seattle” first got to the finals, where he was “shot” by “Bullets” from Washington (now this club is called not “Washington Bullets”, but “Washington Wizards”). These same teams met in the finals of next season. At that time, it all ended deplorably for Washington.

Not at supersonic speed

Unfortunately, the Seattle Supersonics in the championship at the top could not resist. The team changed its owner (the fanatical founder, already elderly Sam Shulman, decided to sell the club), some stars grew old, others left Seattle. As well as coach Wilkens. Seattle Supersonics turned into such a mediocrity that its local success was perceived as a sensation.

New era

“Flying” at low altitude ended with the arrival of coach George Karl. The management of the club began to painstakingly collect elements of probably the most powerful team in the history of the club. Sean Kemp, Gary Payton, Dale Ellis, Nate MacMillan, Sam Perkins ... They all appeared at the club not overnight. As a result, in the 1995-1996 season, Supersonics reached its ceiling height, reaching the finals. The phenomenal game allowed to establish a club record - 64 wins in 82 matches. Unfortunately, their rivals from the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan at the head gained 72 (!) Victories that season. The magnificent “Supersonic” lost to the even more magnificent “Bulls”.

Again the pique

And again the fall began. Gradually, the team lost strong players, less and less went into the playoffs. Even the young talents obtained in the draft, where outsiders of the league have the right of first choice, did not help.

The lowest point of the “Supersonic” flight was the 2007–08 season, when they won only 20 matches out of 82. It turned out to be the last for the Seattle Supersonics franchise.

We are watching a music video dedicated to the memory of the team.

Seattle Supersonics Drive to Oklahoma

In the early 2000s, the Supersonic had serious financial problems. The club's management tried to fight, the Washington state government called for help, but in the end, in 2006 it sold the club to an investment group of businessmen from Oklahoma led by Clay Bennett.

It took the Oklahoma people two years to shake up all the intrigues, gossip, litigation, formalities, negotiations and rules in order to transfer the team to their native Oklahoma City, which they seem to have sought initially and renamed it the “Oklahoma City Thunder” ( "Thunder"). At this "Supersonic" interrupted their flight. Although ... There are persistent rumors that there are people who want to revive the team with the name Supersonics, they are talking about moving some NBA clubs to Seattle, which is very sports and has excellent basketball infrastructure. Yes, and basketball fans demand ... Well, wait and see.

Star Seattle Supersonics. Composition 1996

The head coach is George Carl.

Three "hangars" for "Sonic"

Throughout their history, they played their home games in three arenas at once:

• Key Arena - 17702 places.
• Kingdom - 40,000 seats.
• "Tacoma Dome" - 17100 places.

"Supersonic" in the Halls of Fame

“Seattle” is not a star team. In the history of all, only five basketball players and team coaches became members of the NBA Hall of Fame:

• Patrick Ewing.
• Dennis Johnson
• Kay C. Jones.
• Bill Russell
• Lenny Wilkens
• David Thompson
• Gary Payton
• Sarunas Marchülenis.
• Spencer Haywood.
• Ray Allen.
• Rod Thorne.

In the Hall of Fame of the International Federation of Basketball Associations (FIBA), only one representative of the club is Lithuanian Sarunas Marchiulenis.

Two Olympics

NBA - League Closed. NBA teams rarely meet non-US teams. As, however, and professional basketball players. The real exception is the Olympics. In 1988, professionals were allowed to play in a basketball tournament, and the United States put together the strongest team.

In 1992, the Americans again became Olympic champions, among them were two players, the former and future “Sonic” - Lenny Wilkens (as a coach) and Patrick Ewing.

Not for foreigners

By the way, it is Marciulionis who is the most famous non-American basketball player who played for Supersonic. The Russians did not play for them at all. And of the representatives of the states of the former republics of the USSR, Ukrainian Vitaly Potapenko and Georgians Vladimir Stepaniya were noted. Let’s name all the foreigners “Sonic”. After all, there were not so many of them: Lazaro Borrel (Cuba), Marty Conlon (Ireland), Predrag Drobnyak (Montenegro), Francisco Elson (Holland), Mikael Gelabal, Johan Petro (both - France), Lars Hansen (Denmark), Ibrahim Kutluai (Turkey), Olumide Oyedezhi (Nigeria), Auden Polinis (Haiti), Vladimir Radmanovic (Serbia), Detlef Schrempf (Germany), Mohamed Sene (Senegal), Ruben Wolowski (Argentina), Georg Zidek (Czech Republic).

Six personal numbers

Of the above basketball stars, only Wilkens made a significant contribution to the development of the club. Note that in the North American leagues such a contribution is marked by the withdrawal of a game number under which an outstanding athlete from circulation in the club performed: no one else has the right to play under this number. There are six such numbers and basketball players:

• 1 - Gus Williams.
• 10 - Nate Macmillan.
• 19 - Lenny Wilkens.
• 24 - Spencer Haywood.
• 32 - Fred Brown.
• 43 - Jack Sikma.

Records of "Supersonic"

We list all the basketball players who forever left their names in history, having achieved record-breaking indicators for the club:

• Points for the match: 58 - Fred Brown.
• Interceptions per match: 30 - Jim Fox.
• Assists for the match: 25 - Nate Macmillan.
• Tips for the match: 10 - Gus Williams, Fred Brown.
• Points for the season: 2253 - Dale Ellis.
• Interceptions for the season: 1038 - Jack Sikma.
• Assists for the season: 766 - Lenny Wilkens.
• Selections for the season: 261 - Slake Watts.
• Matches played: 999 - Gary Payton.
• Minutes Played: 36858 - Gary Payton.
• Interceptions: 7729 - Jack Sikma.
• Assists: 7384 - Gary Payton.
• Block Shots: 759 - Sean Kemp.
• Fouls: 2577 - Gary Payton.