What’s Worse Than Thinking About The OKC Thunder? Sonics Fans Might Soon Find Out

Up until recently, the most triggering phrase the past 17 years for Seattle Sonics fans was “Oklahoma City Thunder.” You know, the team that for 41 years was the Seattle Sonics.

Only now, a potential variation of that phrase has given Seattle NBA fans new reason to seek out stress relief. That phrase is, “Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA champions.” True, Puget Sound hoops fans faced this possibility once before, when the Thunder reached the Finals in 2012. Fortunately, LeBron James’ Miami Heat performed the public service of wiping away OKC in five satisfying games.

Unfortunately, it proved only a temporary reprieve. The Ringer just published a column headlined, “The Thrill of Watching the Thunder Grow Up.” Uh, thrill? For people in these parts, that’s not remotely close to being accurate. Watching the Thunder grow up is more likely to make Sonics fans throw up.

‘There Is No Seattle-Oklahoma City Franchise’

Retired Seattle sports radio host Mike Gastineau put it this way to the Washington Post. “It’s like you went through a bitter divorce, and now they’re making you watch your ex get married.” Longtime Sonics broadcaster Kevin Calabro, now the voice of the Portland Trailblazers, recalls, “I was so in disbelief. I just thought something would happen to stop it.” Donald Watts Jr., son of Sonics favorite Slick Watts, says, “I get a pit in my stomach every time I hear about a historical tie” between the Sonics and Thunder.

“SportsCenter” deepened that pit, according to a Toronto Star story. “ESPN said that this will be the fifth Finals appearance in the Thunder’s franchise history, dating to their time as the SuperSonics, much to the annoyance of some Seattle fans who prefer to think of the Sonics and Thunder as distinct entities. If you ask people from the Pacific Northwest, the prevailing opinion seems to be that Oklahoma City should stop taking credit for Seattle’s accomplishments.”

Former Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer, who wrote the Post story, agreed. “There is no Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise. Time has dulled some of the strongest emotions, but the pain is chronic. The flare-ups are frequent. People (in Seattle) can go from angry to sad to petty to depressed to optimistic about the possibility of a team returning through NBA expansion. But there is one unifying desire: to fully separate the Sonics’ history from the Thunder’s present.”

Add former Sonics coach George Karl to that chorus. Karl recently posted on X about the teams meeting in this year’s Finals. “Media keeps saying the Pacers won 3 championships in the 70s and the Thunder last won 1 in ‘79. But both of those things are BS! The Thunder aren’t the Sonics and the Pacers incredible ABA titles are ignored in NBA records. These two wrongs should be righted!!”

You don’t have to be connected to the Sonics or even be from Seattle to feel protective of the 1979 championship. On his podcast, Bill Simmons gave a highly nuanced take, but maybe you can figure out what he was hinting at. “If you give OKC the (1979 Sonics) title and say that was their last title, I have two middle fingers for you, because that wasn’t their title.”

Sound Of Thunder May Linger For A While

Tyler Parker’s Ringer column about this year’s Thunder is death by a thousand cuts. “There’s so much to love about this team.” Perhaps Tyler finds a lot to love in toxic waste, too. But the worst for Sonics fans may be yet to come. “They are NBA Finals favorites, but they’re also ridiculously young. Average age: 24.8. Their second- and third-best players have not even reached their prime yet.”

Parker is warning Seattle fans that in a dystopian NBA future too horrible to contemplate, the operative phrase could be – send children out of the room for their own safety, please – “Oklahoma City Thunder dynasty.”

Oh, and that guy you may have seen with the gasoline can and a box of matches? That was Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.

In a postgame press conference, Daigneault lauded his team owner. “Shoutout to Mr. (Clay) Bennett, who had a vision 17 years ago. He has tied this team to the community.” Because of Bennett’s “vision,” Seattle fans have suffered nightmares ever since.

For those who love Lenny and Nate, Gary and Shawn, Gus and Dennis, Wheedle and Squatch and the rest, the only sure cure is a new Sonics franchise to root for. Until that time, preventing a permanent curl up in the fetal position will require comforting thoughts.