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) [1] with their home arena at Oklahoma City's Ford Center. [2] The Thunder's NBA Development League affiliate is the Tulsa 66ers, which it also owns. [3] Formerly the Seattle SuperSonics, the Thunder was established in 2008 after a dispute between owner Clay Bennett and lawmakers in Seattle, Washington. As the Seattle SuperSonics, the club qualified for the NBA Playoffs 22 times, won its division six times and won the 1979 NBA Championship against the Washington Bullets. In the franchise's first season in Oklahoma, the Thunder went 23–59 (.280), finishing 13th in the Western Conference and 26th in the league overall. The current coach is Scott Brooks, who took over for the fired P.J. Carlesimo in November 2008.

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Franchise history

1967–2008: Seattle SuperSonics

The Thunder's previous incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, was formed in 1967 and appeared in two consecutive Finals against the Eastern Conference champion Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards), losing in seven games in 1978 and winning in five in 1979. ^{[4] [5]} Seattle's victory remains the only modern era championship in major Seattle sports history. That team included renowned players such as Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown, Jack Sikma and Finals MVP Dennis Johnson and was coached by Lenny Wilkens, who holds several historical NBA coaching records. During the course of the next decade, Seattle had moderate success until it drafted the duo of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton in 1989 and 1990 respectively. 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 NBA season, the Sonics established the franchise mark for most wins, 64–18 (.720) and earned their third NBA Finals berth. Seattle met the record-setting 72–10 Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals and lost in six games. ^[6] The Sonics' fortunes slowly spiraled after that season, with most of the core retiring or departing from Seattle. The next decade would 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. ^[7] Despite their talent, the club endured the worst season in franchise history in the 2007–08 NBA season, losing a team-record 62 games. ^[8]

In 41 years that the SuperSonics spent in Seattle, they compiled a 1,745–1,585 (.524) win–loss record in the regular season and 109–109 (.500) in the playoffs. The franchise's titles include three Western Conference championships and one NBA title.

Creation of the team

In the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding area, the New Orleans Hornets temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City, playing the majority of their home games at the Ford Center during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. In due time, the city showed it could support the uprooted Hornets and NBA commissioner David Stern commented that Oklahoma City could support a franchise of its own. ^[10]

In 2006, the SuperSonics franchise was sold to a group of Oklahoma City investors led by Clay Bennett for $350 million, a move approved by NBA owners the following October. ^[11] 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. ^[12] Bennett then spent much of 2007 attempting to gain public funding for a new arena, or a major renovation of the KeyArena. However, e-mails between Bennett and co-owner Aubrey McClendon revealed that Bennett and partners did not intend to keep the team in Seattle, WA. Quoted in the e-mail McClendon wrote, "We didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle. We hoped to come here." ^[13] After 12 months, he announced that the franchise would move to Oklahoma City as soon as the lease with KeyArena expired. ^[14]

In June 2008, a lawsuit between the City of Seattle and Bennett went to Federal Court and nearly a month later the two sides reached an agreement to settle. The terms would award the city of Seattle $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; ^[15] however the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other "assets," including championship banners and trophies. ^[16] On September 3, 2008, the team name, along with logo and color, was announced.

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 temporary practice facility for the Thunder was at Southern Nazarene University's Sawyer Center. The same facility was used by the New Orleans Hornets. ^[17]

The Thunder played several pre-season games before the 2008–2009 regular season, but only one of these games was in Oklahoma City. The Thunder made its first appearance in Billings, Montana on October 8, 2008 in an 88–82 preseason loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. ^[18]

The Thunder had its first Ford Center game on October 14 against the Los Angeles Clippers. ^[19] In its regular season home opener, Oklahoma City faced the Milwaukee Bucks and lost 87–98. Earl Watson scored the first points of the season with a layup. Three nights later on November 2, the Thunder won its first game by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves, improving its mark 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. ^[20] Oklahoma City would lose its next three games to tie the dubious franchise losing streak mark at 14 set the previous season in Seattle. It managed to prevent history by winning on the road at the FedExForum against the Memphis Grizzlies 111–103 on November 29. ^[21]

The Thunder ended their first season In Oklahoma City with a win against the Los Angeles Clippers bringing their record to 23-59 improving their record of 20-62 from the previous season.

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 edition in Seattle Center Coliseum and 1987 in the Kingdome, where Sonic Tom Chambers grabbed MVP honors.

• Seattle Center Coliseum 1967–1978
• The Kingdome 1978–1985
• Seattle Center Coliseum 1985–1994
• Tacoma Dome 1994–1995 (During KeyArena Remodel)
• KeyArena (the remodeled and renamed Seattle Center Coliseum ) 1995–2008
• Ford Center (2008–present)

Players

Current roster

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Former players

• Ray Allen – 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 goals made in a regular season with 269. ^[22] After being traded away after the conclusion of the 2007 season, Allen won the 2008 NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics.
• Dennis Johnson – Under coach Lenny Wilkens he took the Sonics to two NBA Finals; a seven game series loss in 1978 and a win in 1979 in which Johnson was named Finals MVP. ^[23]
  
• Shawn Kemp – The franchise's all-time leader in blocks and a key player in the Sonics' 1996 run to the NBA Finals. Although more known for his dunks, Kemp averaged nearly 16 points and 10 rebounds for eight years in Seattle. ^[24]
• Rashard Lewis – The club's career leader in 3-point field goals with 973. ^[25] 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 2005.
  
• Xavier McDaniel – A mainstay on the late '80s Sonics. Nicknamed the "X-Man", he was drafted 4th overall in 1985 out Wichita State University after an exceptional year in college. McDaniel came into his own as a scorer in Seattle before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1991.
• Gary Payton – The franchise's all-time leader in most major statistics, including points, assists and steals. Payton played tenacious defense and earned the Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. ^[26] "The Glove" has expressed his desire to have his jersey retired in Seattle, rather than Oklahoma City. ^[27]

Hall of Famers

• Patrick Ewing – Center best known for playing for the New York Knicks; played for the Sonics in the 2000–01 NBA season. Inducted in 2008. ^[28]
• K.C. Jones – After being inducted in 1989, Jones coached the Sonics to two deep playoff runs in the 1991 and 1992 seasons. ^{[29] [30]}
• Bill Russell – Notable for winning 11 championships for the Boston Celtics, Russell coached and led the Sonics to their first playoff appearances his time in Seattle from 1973 through 1977. ^[31] Inducted in 1975.
• Lenny Wilkens – Played point guard for the Sonics and later became a player-coach. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice, in 1989 as a player and in 1998 as a head coach. ^[32] Wilkens coached the franchise to their only championship in 1979 and is the career leader in coaching win–loss totals.

Retired numbers

While the Oklahoma City franchise has yet to retire a jersey, the Seattle SuperSonics retired six numbers and an honorary microphone to longtime-servicing broadcaster Bob Blackburn, who had called the majority of games from 1967 through 1992. ^[33]

Seattle SuperSonics retired numbers
Players
No.	Player	Position	Years
1	Gus Williams	Guard	1977–1984
10	Nate McMillan	Guard	1987–1998
19	Lenny Wilkens	Guard	1969–1972
24	Spencer Haywood	Forward	1971–1975
32	Fred Brown	Guard	1971–1984
43	Jack Sikma	Center	1978–1986
Coaches
No.	Coach	Wins/Losses	Years
19	Lenny Wilkens	121–125 357–277	1969–1972 1978–1985

Staff

Head coaches

Other

General managers 1993–2001: Wally Walker 2001–2007: Rick Sund 2007–present: Sam Presti

Logo and uniforms

The Oklahoma City Thunder unveiled its first logo on September 3, 2008, showing a shield with a basketball on it. According to majority owner Clay Bennett, the team's logo takes several of its elements from local Oklahoma sports teams such as the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys. The uniform design was unveiled on September 29, 2008. ^{[34] [35]}

Television and radio

Every Thunder game will be broadcast on the Thunder Radio Network ^[36], led by the flagship stations WWLS-FM 98.1 and WWLS AM 640, "The Sports Animal". ^[37] Matt Pinto is the voice of the Thunder. ^[38]

The newly-formed Fox Sports Oklahoma (a regional fork of FS Southwest) will broadcast 65 Thunder games during the season, with more than half of the games available in HD, along with other team-related programming such as pre-game shows. A total of 17 regular season games will be broadcast over-the-air on independent station KSBI (channel 52) during the 2008–2009 season, which has a network of rebroadcasters spanning the entire state. In Tulsa, KSBI-aired Thunder games will also be available on Cox cable systems. All televised games will be called by Brian Davis on play-by-play and Grant Long as color commentator. ^{[39] [40]}

References

1. Thunder will stay in division
2. City Preparing Ford Center For NBA Team
3. OKC's NBA franchise buys Tulsa's d-league team
4. 'Fat Lady' Sings Victorious Tune for Bullets
5. DJ Leads the Way for Sonics
6. Bulls' Record-Setting Season Ends in Victory
7. Selections of Durant, Green Herald New Era for Sonics
8. Positive finish for young Sonics
9. Ford Center / Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10. Stern: Oklahoma City top candidate if team moves
11. NBA approves sale of Sonics, Storm
12. Sonics' 'good faith efforts' never materialized
13. Sonics timeline: From sale to settlement
14. Bennett says Sonics going to Oklahoma
15. SuperSonics, Seattle reach last-minute settlement
16. Seattle and Oklahoma City will share the Sonics' franchise history
17. SNU Sawyer Center
18. T'Wolves Play Spoiler
19. Oklahoma City NBA team to face hectic pace in preseason
20. Carlesimo fired; Brooks to take over Thunder in interim
21. Thunder snap 14-game losing streak behind Durant's 30
22. ESPN - Allen breaks NBA season record for 3-pointers - NBA
23. Dennis Johnson, ex-Celtic star, dead at age 52
24. Sonics' 40th Anniversary Team NBA.com, retrieved 07-26-2008
25. Sonics, Magic complete sign-and-trade for Rashard Lewis
26. Gary Payton NBA.Com Bio NBA.com. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
27. Fans show love for The Glove, for perhaps one last night
28. Patrick Ewing elected to Hall of Fame
29. Wilkens and K. C. Jones Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame
30. K.C. Jones Coaching Record
31. Bill Russell Coaching Record
32. Lenny Wilkens Coach Info NBA.com retrieved July 23, 2007
33. Where Are They Now? Blackburn gave Sonics a voice
34. Thunder 'flashes' new uniforms, September 29, 2008
35. Kelly Dwyer, Introducing your Oklahoma City Light Blue Knicks, September 29, 2008
36. Title Unavailable
37. NBA team reaches deal with local radio station
38. 'Thunder' roars into OKC
39. FS Oklahoma to air Thunder games
40. KSBI to air Thunder games