Detlef Schrempf is a German-American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies from 1981 to 1985, and was drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft, with the eighth overall pick. He was an All-NBA Third Team member in 1995, a three-time NBA All-Star, the first European player ever to achieve this award, and the NBA Sixth Man of the Year twice.
Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who was a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, where he holds franchise records in assists and steals and led them to an NBA Finals appearance. He also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. Payton won an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006. Nicknamed "the Glove" for his defensive abilities, Payton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. In October 2021, Payton was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Shawn Travis Kemp Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Reign Man", he was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.
Nathaniel McMillan is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He coached the Seattle SuperSonics from 2000 to 2005, the Portland Trail Blazers from 2005 to 2012, and the Indiana Pacers from 2016 to 2020. Nate served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks in 2021, before becoming the head coach from 2021-2023. He spent his entire 12-year NBA playing career with the SuperSonics, then served as an assistant coach for one-and-a-half years and as head coach for almost five years. His long tenure as a player and coach in Seattle earned him the nickname "Mr. Sonic".
Paul Theron Silas was an American professional basketball player and head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a player, he was a two-time NBA All-Star and earned five selections to the NBA All-Defensive Team, including twice on the first team. He won three NBA championships: two with the Boston Celtics and one with the Seattle SuperSonics. Silas is the leader in most rebounds per game with 12.1 in Suns franchise history.
Dale Ellis is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). At various points in his career, Ellis held the record for the most career 3-point field goals made, until Reggie Miller surpassed him. His 1,719 career made three-pointers ranked 2nd in NBA history at the time of his retirement.
Chuck Connors Person is an American former basketball player and coach. Person played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was the 1987 NBA Rookie of the Year. Person played college basketball at Auburn University and was selected fourth overall in the 1986 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers, for whom he played six seasons. He also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets and Seattle SuperSonics.
Jack Wayne Sikma is an American former professional basketball center. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics, who drafted him in the first round with the eighth overall pick of the 1977 NBA draft. In 1979, he won an NBA championship with Seattle. Sikma finished his playing career with the Milwaukee Bucks. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
David Grover Stacey Wingate Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. The shooting guard-small forward spent 15 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with six teams.
Reggie Williams is a retired professional basketball player who played ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was an All-American college player at Georgetown University and was a member of their 1983–84 National Championship team.
Ricky Brad Sobers is a former professional basketball player who spent eleven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
James Michael McIlvaine is an American former professional basketball player who spent seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Washington Bullets, Seattle SuperSonics, and New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-1 shot-blocking specialist is perhaps best remembered for the fall-out that occurred after he signed with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996.
Vincent Jerome Askew is an American former professional basketball player who played for nine seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for eight different teams. A 6'6" guard-forward, Askew played college basketball for Memphis State University. He was raised by his grandmother who had 13 kids and custody of Askew and three cousins.
Ansu Martin Sesay Jr. is an American former professional basketball player.
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and later as a member of the Western Conference's Pacific (1970–2004) and Northwest (2004–2008) divisions. After the 2007–08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, where they now play as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 1993–94 NBA season was the Pacers' 18th season in the National Basketball Association, and 27th season as a franchise. The Pacers would undergo several changes as the club hired Larry Brown as head coach, acquired Derrick McKey from the Seattle SuperSonics, and signed free agent Haywoode Workman in the off-season. In December, the team signed free agent Byron Scott, who won championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. The Pacers got off to a rough start losing six of their first seven games, then later lost five straight in December leading to a 10–16 start. However, the team posted a 7-game winning streak between January and February, holding a 23–23 record at the All-Star break, and would play .500 ball until April. By winning their final eight games of the season, the Pacers were able to grab the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference and close out the season with a 47–35 record, fourth in the Central Division.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the 23rd season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff was replaced by his former assistant K. C. Jones, and went on to occupy the desk of vice-president of Basketball Operations for Seattle, resigning months later to accept a job as General Manager of the Denver Nuggets. The Draft Lottery gave the SuperSonics the No. 2 pick, which was used to select future All-Star point guard Gary Payton out of Oregon State in the 1990 NBA draft.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the 28th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Sonics acquired shooting guards Hersey Hawkins and David Wingate from the Charlotte Hornets, and re-acquired Frank Brickowski from the Sacramento Kings. The team returned to what had now become the KeyArena at Seattle Center after spending the previous season in the Tacoma Dome, while the KeyArena was being renovated.
Russ Schoene is a retired American professional basketball player and former assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Washington.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. The SuperSonics entered the season as runners-up in the 1996 NBA Finals, having lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Jim McIlvaine, Craig Ehlo, and Larry Stewart, and then later on signed former All-Star forward Terry Cummings in January. Coming off their trip to the NBA Finals, the Sonics remained as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference posting an 11-game winning streak after losing two of their first three games. They later on posted a nine-game winning streak in January, then won seven straight games in February, and held a 32–15 record at the All-Star break. The Sonics won their third Division title in four years with a 57–25 record, and entered the playoffs as the #2 seed in the Western Conference. The SuperSonics had the sixth best team defensive rating in the NBA.
