Pacers win, Seattle celebrates

July 2, 2008 is a date that will be forever etched on the memory of all basketball fans in the Emerald City.

This was the day that a settlement was reached between the City of Seattle and an Oklahoma City-based ownership group led by businessman Clay Bennett that would ultimately lead to the NBA franchise moving from Washington State and begin life in Oklahoma City.

April 2008 saw the Seattle Supersonics play their last games with the new franchise, Oklahoma City Thunder commencing life in the NBA as part of the 2008/09 season having acquired the entire Sonics franchise history, including the 1979 NBA Championship, with the NBA officially recognizing the Thunder as having the SuperSonics’ history.

Despite more than 15 years having passed since the move, the sporting scars still remain within sports fans in Seattle with the levels of emotional anguish and frustration growing this season as the Thunder dominated the Western Conference on their way to the 2025 NBA Finals where they face the Pacers in the best of seven series.

Little OKC love in Seattle

‘We do not like OKC’, ‘Traitors’ and ‘They stole our team’ are just some of the brief reflections offered from employees at Seattle based marketing agency Media+ when asked what the Oklahoma City Thunder mean to them.

But to delve deeper into the chagrin felt among b-ball fans in the Emerald City, we spoke to Max from Simply Seattle, the city’s ‘one-stop shop’ for everything related to sport in the metropolis.

‘We’ve always cheered for a demise of the Thunder’

What was the backstory to the Supersonics moving to Oklahoma in 2008 and how much frustration and anger was felt by hoops fans in the city?

“The reaction of Seattle sports fans was loud at the time and echoes of the protest that started in 2006 are still heard today. From an attempt to boycott Starbucks (Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO was the original owner of the team) to street protests, the fans of the Sonics did everything in their power to stop the relocation. But, everything was set up ahead of time to get the team moved in an expedited manner. In a flash, Seattle was left without an NBA team and it remains so to this day”.

Is rooting for the Pacers in the Finals a common trend among most Seattle sports fans or is it just a trait specifically with Sonics fans?

“I would probably group Seattle sports fans and Sonics fans together. At least, those who still care about the NBA. There are plenty that have completely ignored the league since the franchise’s departure. But yes, just about anyone who considers themselves a fan of the Sonics, have always cheered for the demise of the Thunder”.

How have basketball fans dealt with this void left behind by the Sonics leaving the city almost 16 years ago? Did the allegiance switch to the Trailblazers, or did the support get directed to the Storm/college basketball?

“Many of the diehard fans stopped watching the NBA once the team left the city. Some people, including myself, tried to root for the ‘Blazers, but for me it felt wrong rooting for our “little brother of a city”. The Seattle Storm definitely filled the void left behind for a lot of people, especially with Sue Bird and the success the team had winning multiple championships. There have also been a few NCAA tournament games here that have had strong support from local basketball fans".

There have been growing rumours that Las Vegas and Seattle are next in line to be handed the next NBA franchises when the league expands to 32 teams.

How much truth is in this and would this new version of the Sonics be embraced with the same affection and warmth as was held for the original incarnation of the team?

“We have been hearing about rumored expansion for some time now but it does appear that the light at the end of the tunnel is nearer than ever. The idea is that with the Celtics being sold, the league now knows what it will cost to purchase an expansion side and an official announcement is expected by the end of the 2026 season, but which two cities are granted teams could definitely change.

Should Seattle be on the expansion choices and I expect more affection and warmth than the initial iteration of the team. This is due to all the fans that have waited in the wings patiently all these years, and all the news fans a resurrected franchise would bring a city that has grown exponentially in the past two decades. There is no question that Seattle bolsters one of the best fan bases in all of American sports, as every Seattle team is applauded for the undying support shown from Seattleites. I fully expect the Sonics to be one of the most popular teams in the city once they return".

Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals takes place in Indianapolis on Friday, June 13, 8:30 ET, (ABC).

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