5 Greatest Players in Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics Franchise History
For the first 41 years of its existence, the franchise was based in Seattle, during which, as the Seattle SuperSonics, it won three conference titles (1978, 1979, 1996) and the 1979 NBA championship. In comparison, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the Western Conference title in 2012.
The relocation of Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City was a successful effort by the ownership group of the Seattle SuperSonics to relocate the team from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 2008, Chesapeake Energy Arena began hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder. The rapid ascent of the organization resulted in OKC advancing to the Western Conference finals in both 2010–11 and 2013–14 and eventually, to the NBA finals in 2011–12.
The franchise has gone through a lot, at one point in time, sporting James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, all of whom have won the coveted NBA's regular season MVP award as of this moment. It amazes to think what could have happened if Harden had not been traded back in 2012 and KD wouldn't have jumped ship to the Warriors in 2016.
But what's done is done!
The venerable legacy of this illustrious organization is one worth revisiting. I'll guide you through the Top 5 All-time greatest players ever to don a Supersonics or a Thunder jersey.
#5 Jack Sikma
He was drafted eighth overall in 1977 by the Seattle SuperSonics and his on-court hustle got him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1978.
From that point on, there was no stopping the blonde, curly-haired center, as he got seven consecutive All-Star Game selections (from 1979 to 1985). 1979 was the year when Sikma won an NBA Championship teamed up with talented players such as Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams and Paul Silas.
He was one of the most accurate shooting centers in NBA history and is among the franchise's top 5 in terms of field goals made (4,493) and points scored (12,034). Apart from being an adept shooter, Sikma was a monster on the defensive boards and led the league in defensive rebounds in both 1981–82 and 1983–84 while playing for Seattle, averaging an inhuman 10.8 total rebounds per game during his stay at the Sonics.
Sikma's stint with the Sonics ended in 1986 when he joined the Milwaukee Bucks.