|
Greatest players in Oklahoma City Thunder history
The Oklahoma City Thunder and their former incarnation, the Seattle Supersonics, have had one of the best legacies in NBA history. They have won in almost every era they have played in, and while they have only won one NBA title, they have gotten close several times.
Yet, despite their winning, they, until very recently, have not had many all-time great players. They have had some very good players, but many are quickly forgotton by fans. in 1996 when the NBA announced its top 50 players of all-time, only one Sonics player was listed - Lenny Wilkens who played there at the end of his career and is not usually considered a Sonics great.
When the NBA announced its top 75 players of all-time in 2021, there were 8 Thunder/Sonics players on that list. But many of those players where either there earlier in their careers like James Harden, or late in their careers like Patirck Ewing and Chris Paul. None would be considered top Thunder or Sonics players. However, a couple of the players did have their best years with the Thunder and started to change their narrative.
10. Tom Chambers: Chambers played five seasons with the Sonics and from 1983 until 1988, and was the first Sonics player to win All-star game MVP.
The Sonics acquired Chambers from the San Diego Clippers in a lopsided deal for draft capitol essentially in 1983. He made an immediate impact on the Sonics and had his first 20 points per game average in his first year with the team.
The Sonics were in a rebuild state and Chambers helped them become competitive again, making the playoffs his first year there, and in 1987 he helped the 7th seeded Sonics advance all the way to the Western Finals.
Chambers would sign with the Phoenix Suns in 1988 in a contraversial move which left many Sonics fans upset and somewhat tarnished his reputation.
9. Dale Ellis: The Sonics acquired Dale Ellis in 1986 in one of the best trades in franchise history. The Sonics sent Al Wood to the Dallas Mavericks for the former #5 overall pick in Ellis.
Ellis, who had averaged just 7 points with the Mavs the prior season, made a hugh slash with the Sonics averaging 25 points per game his first year there and winning league Most Improved Player honors as well.
Ellis would be a consistent 20 point per game scorer for the Sonics for most of the late 1980s. In 1989 he made his only NBA all-star game and his only All-NBA team honors as well, when he averaged 28 points per game.
Injuries impacted Ellis the next few seasons, and he struggled on and off the court in 1990-91, and the Sonics traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Rickey Pierce. Ellis would return to the Sonics for two seasons in 1998 and 1999.
8. Shawn Kemp: The Reign Man was a late first round pick by the Sonics in 1989 and was seen as somewhat of a reach. Kemp had not played major college ball and his skill set did not seem to align with the NBA. But Kemp would prove all doubters wrong and help the Sonics to an NBA finals in 1996.
It took a while for the young Kemp to find his NBA footing. His first year was solid but fairly unremarkible, and he improved upon it in his 2nd season. By his fourth year in the NBA he was an all-star and MVP candidate. Kemp averaged a double-double from 1992 until 1997 and he and Gary Payton lead the Sonics to their third NBA finals in 1996 where they lost to the 72-10 Chicago Bulls lead by Michael Jordan.
Kemp and Payton started to have issues following their finals appearance and Kemp had some off the court issues as well, which lead the Sonics to trading him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Vin Baker.
7. Fred Brown: One of the most underrated and forgotten stars of the 1970s, Fred Brown was a key leader to the most dominant era of Sonics basketball ever.
Drafted by the Sonics with the 6th pick in 1972, Brown initially struggled in the NBA, but by his third season was a key member of the Sonics franchise.
Brown made his first an only NBA all-star team in 1976 when he averaged a career high 23 points per game.
Brown and Jack Sikma helped the Sonics reach their first NBA finals in 1978 where they lost to the Washington Bullets. They helped the Sonics return to the NBA finals the next year, and this time they defeated the Bullets giving the Sonics their only NBA title.
Brown stayed with the Sonics until he retired in 1984. When he retired he was the franchises 2nd leading scorer.
6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A player that certainly will move up the list of Thunder greats here very shortly, SGA was acquired in one of the biggest robberies in NBA history. The Thunder traded Paul George for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multiple first round picks. The Thunder used the picks from the Paul George for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade to rebuild their roster.
It was evident from the get go that SGA was going to be something special in Oklahoma City. It did, however, take SGA and the Thunder a few years to put it all together but when they did they became one of the best teams in the NBA.
In 2024-25, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the third player in franchise history to win the MVP award, joining Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. That year he lead them to the West Finals for the first time in a decade.
5. Ray Allen: The Sonics acquired Ray Allen in a mid-season trade with the Milwaukee Bucks for franchise legend Gary Payton in 2003. The trade shook the NBA world, and the Sonics surprised everyone by re-signing Allen in 2003. The move worked out well for both Allen and The Sonics, as Allen was able to revitalize his career in Seattle and the Sonics quickly rebuilt after losing Payton.
The next four years in Seattle where some of Allen's best of his career. He averaged a career high 26 points a game in 2007, and even scored a career high 54 points in a game.
Allen lead the Sonics to the third best record in the NBA one season and the franchises only Northwest division title until moving to Oklahoma City.
Unfortunately, for Allen and the Sonics things were clearly not going to work out. The Sonics could not find anyone to put around him and the team just kept getting worse. In 2007 the Sonics traded Allen to the Boston Celtics to help build their superteam that won the 2008 NBA title.
4. Russell Westbrook: Russ' legacy with the Thunder is complicated to say the least. Westbrook was one of the last players ever drafted by the Seattle Supersonics before they moved to Oklahoma City. He helped the team recover after Kevin Durant's departure, but his "me first" attitude has rubbed some fans the wrong way.
Westbrook came to a Sonics team in turmoil, and before he could even play a game in the Emerald City, the team relocated to Oklahoma City. His rookie year was solid but not spectacular. The following year the Thunder made a trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Westbrook in hopes to find NBA glory - which they almost did.
In 2012 the trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook lead the Thunder to the NBA finals, where they fell to the Lebron James lead Miami Heat Superteam. The trio never got back to the NBA finals and eventually Harden was traded to Houston.
The trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant and Westbrook never lived up to their potential and its seem as one of the biggest "what ifs" in NBA history. Still, the Thunder had KD and Russ and had several good seasons, but never reached the NBA finals again.
After Durant departed in 2018 to form a superteam in Golden State, Westbrook was the long star from the Thunder's super trio left, and he had his best seasons during this time. In 2017 Russell Westbrook became just the second player ever to average a triple-double for a season, and for his efforts he was awarded with league Most Valuable Player honors.
Russ kept putitng up spectacular numbers for the Thunder, but the team was not going anywhere. In 2018 the Thunder tried to build a superteam with Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony - but that team got bounced unserendipitously in the first round by the Jazz.
In 2019 the Thunder blew up their team, trading all three stars and starting over. Westbrook got sent to Houston the pair with James Harden once again.
Russell Westbrook left the Sonics as the franchise leader in points, and top 5 in every other category.
3. Jack Sikma: Another forgotten star of the 70s and 80s, Sikma was a dominate big man who lead the Sonics to their only NBA title in 1979.
The Sonics drafted Sikma with the 8th pick in the 1977 draft and he immediately changed their team. Before Sikma the Sonics were medicore to bad, after him they become great. In his rookie year of 1977-78, he helped lead them to the NBA finals where they lost the Bullets. The next season, he lead them back to the NBA finals where they captured the Sonics only NBA title.
Sika along with Tom Chambers helped keep the Sonics competitive when older players like Fred Brown started to fade off. But the west got better and the Sonics just never could find that magic again.
In 1986 the Sonics traded Sikma to the Milwaukee Bucks for a package of draft picks. When he left Seattle he left as the franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals.
2. Gary Payton: The Glove was seen as a new hope for a Seattle franchise that had been stuck in medicority for a long time. Since winning their title lone NBA title in 1979, the Sonics had won only four playoff series. 1980 they won two to advance to the West Finals, and did the same in 1987. The Sonics had also gotten lucky in the NBA draft lottery and gotten the 2nd overall pick to select Payton.
Payton did not overwhelm during his rookie season averaging just 9 points and 9 assists a game, but still it was impressive for a point guard in the west which was stacked with legends like Magic Joshnon and John Stockton.
Payton really hit his stride in 1994, his fourth NBA season, where he made his first all-star game, made the all-NBA team, and the NBA's all-defensive team. In 1996 he won defensive player of the year honors and lead the Sonics to their first NBA finals since 1996 - having had to go through both Johnson and Stockton in the playoffs to get there.
Payton had a reputation as one of the best defensive guards in NBA history. he made all defensive teams every year from 1994 until 2003.
The Sonics were afraid of losing Payton to free agency in 2003 due to him wanting to win a ring, so they traded him to Milwaukee for Ray Allen. Payton left the Sonics as their all-time leader in points, steals and assists.
1. Kevin Durant: KD is sometimes called the last Seattle Supersonics player. Durant has the unique honor of being one of the few players to have played for both the Sonics and Thunder.
Drafted 2nd overall in 2007 by the Seattle Supersonics, it looked like a longshot if Durant would make an impact during his rookie year. Durant was seen as scrawny and not big enough to survive in the NBA. But KD proved his doubters wrong, averaging 20 points a game his rookie season and winning rookie of the year honors.
After his rookie season the team relocated to Oklahoma City and Durant was seen as their main building block. Eventually the Thunder made a super trio out of Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, which lead the Thunder to the NBA finals in 2012.
Starting in 2010, Durant was universally seen as one of the top 3 players in the NBA, and this culminated in him winning the MVP award in 2014.
The Thunder never lived up to their promise from 2012, and never made the NBA finals again - which lead to Durant leaving in 2016 to join the Warriors.
Kevin Durant left the Thunder as the most dominate player in their history. When he left he was 2nd in points scored, and top 5 rebounds, steals and assists. He was also the first MVP in franchise history and the only Thunder of Sonics player to finish top 5 in MVP voting 10 years in a row.
| 