What’s In A Sonics Name? (Or Number?)

Even diehard Seattle Sonics fans would be hard-pressed to name more than a few dozen of the 257 men who suited up for at least one Sonics game during their initial 41-year run.

What follows is a light-hearted (we hope) name game, some Hall of Famers, some one-game wonders.

Most Colorful:

Rudy White (1981)
Leonard Gray (1975-1977)
Tom Black (1971)
Tony Brown (1992)
Fred Brown (1972-1984)
Andre Brown (2007)
Jeff Green (2008)
Mike Green (1977-1978)

Guess Who Will Be Designated Driver:

Ricky Sobers (1985-1986)
Bob Boozer (1970)

Guess Who Sits In The Back Seat:

Art Long (2002)
Gene Short (1976)

They Knead Each Other:

Curtis Kitchen (1987)
Vin Baker (1998-2002)

Should Start On Sundays:

Pete Cross (1971-1973)
David Pope (1986)

All Green Acres Team:

Norton Barnhill (1977)
Jim Farmer (1990)
Desmon Farmer (2007)

Coming Of Age:

Danny Young (1985-1988)
Olden Polynice (1991, 1999)

Retired Numbers

Six players and broadcaster Bob Blackburn served exclusively when the franchise was located in Seattle. Those names are below. A 7th player, Nick Collison, played his first four seasons as a Sonic, and 10 more in Oklahoma City before his #4 was retired. Interestingly, the Thunder have not issued any of the six numbers retired by the Sonics.

1 Gus Williams (1978-1984)
10 Nate McMillan (1987-1998)
19 Lenny Wilkens (1969-1972)
24 Spencer Haywood (1971-1975)
32 Fred Brown (1972-1984)
43 Jack Sikma (1978-1986)

We have a sneaking suspicion that Gary Payton’s #20 and Shawn Kemp’s #40 will join the list of retired Sonics numbers at future on-court ceremonies.

Not Who You Think They Are

Jackie Robinson (1979) – This Jackie Robinson didn’t break baseball’s color barrier. The first dozen of his 22-game NBA career were spent in Seattle during the 1978-79 season. He scored 18 points in an October Sonics home victory over San Antonio.

Michael Phelps (1986-1987) – This Michael Phelps didn’t win 28 Olympic swimming medals. Drafted in the 7th round in 1985, he’d play two seasons with the Sonics. Like Robinson, Phelps’ career high was 18 points, and came in a Seattle victory over the Spurs. Phelps later starred in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Ervin Johnson (1994-1996) – This Ervin Johnson spells his given name differently than Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the five-time NBA champion and three-time league MVP. This Ervin, a 6-11 center, was Seattle’s 1st round pick in 1993. Released after three seasons with the Sonics, he’d play another decade in Denver, Milwaukee, and Minnesota.

Patrick Ewing (2000-01) – This Patrick Ewing… hold on. This IS the Patrick Ewing who played 15 seasons with the Knicks, one of the great centers in NBA history. As part of an insanely complex four-team transaction in Sept., 2000, Seattle sent four players to the Lakers and three players + three draft picks to the Knicks. In return, they received one season of Ewing, averaging 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds over 79 games.

One And Done

The shortest tenure of any player in Sonics history belongs to 6-foot-10 center Leon Smith. In an April 7, 2004 road loss to – who else – San Antonio, Smith’s Seattle career began. It ended after three minutes and 33 seconds of playing time. Give Leon this: he packed a lot into 3:33; one made shot, one missed shot, one offensive rebound, one defensive rebound, and one personal foul.

Two others had one-game Sonics careers. Playing 5:29 in a Dec., 1996 home win over Portland, 7-foot center Elmore Spencer recorded a steal, a turnover, and missed his only shot. Eddie Gill’s last NBA game action, 4:30 worth, came in March, 2008. As with Spencer 12 years earlier, the Sonics would go on to beat the Trail Blazers. Gill went 0-2 on field goals, plus one assist and one turnover.

Share & Share Alike

Three jersey numbers – 21, 22, and 24 – were worn by the most different Sonics, 14 each.

Ricky Pierce, traded in Feb., 1991 from Milwaukee, wore #25 for his first game as a Sonic. He switched to #21 for the rest of the season, then to #22 for the next three years in Seattle.

At least the Sonics let another #22, Lars Hansen, actually get into 15 games in 1978-79. Hansen, a four year Washington Husky, was drafted in 1976 by the Bulls, but never played for them. He was drafted again in 1977 by the Lakers, but never played for them. Hansen was signed as a free agent by the Kansas City Kings in 1979 but – yup – never played for them.

Players issued #24 seemed able to hang onto it a little longer. Dennis Johnson’s four seasons included the championship campaign of 1978-79. Tom Chambers wore #24 for five seasons between 1983-88. He averaged 23.3 PPG in his All Star season of ’86-’87.

As indicated above, #24 was actually retired by the club in honor of Spencer Haywood, a Sonic from 1970-75. Haywood averaged 24.9 points during his Seattle tenure, including a franchise record 29.2 in 1972-73. But 11 other Sonics who came after Haywood were able to wear the number because the retirement ceremony didn’t happen for three decades, until 2007.

From ESPN.com: “Haywood brought down the NBA’s rule banning the drafting or signing of a player before his college class graduated. Honoring him was considered long overdue by many not only for his play in Seattle, but his landmark court victory that opened the door for swarms of teenagers to enter the NBA.”