1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season

NBA professional basketball team season March 2026 August 2023 Seattle SuperSonics 1972 47 35 Pacific 3 6 Lenny Wilkens Bob Houbregs Sam Schulman Seattle Center Coliseum KTNT-TV KOMO Did not qualify SEA The 1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 5th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their third season with Lenny Wilkens as head coach, the Sonics finished the regular season in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 47–35 record, their first winning record in franchise history. Wilkens quit as head coach at the end of the seasonWilkens Quits as Seattle Coach, The Rock Hill Herald. March 27, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. and was replaced by former Dallas Chaparrals coach Tom Nissalke.Nissalke Selected Supersonics' Coach, Nashua Telegraph. April 21, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Offseason With the sixth overall pick in the 1971 NBA draft, Seattle selected Fred Brown from the University of Iowa. After months of negotiation (the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association also selected him in the 1971 ABA draft), the Sonics signed him to a multi-year contract.Iowa Hoop Star Fred Brown Signs SuperSonics Contract, The Press-Courier. July 7, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012. Brown would go on to have a career spanning 13 seasons with the SuperSonics. The Buffalo Braves selected Spencer Haywood with the 30th overall pick and intended to claim rights to the player from the SuperSonics. Matters were taken to court, with the judge ruling in favor of the Seattle franchise.Haywood Stays With Seattle, The Modesto Bee. July 7, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012. Tensions prior to the trial rose to the point that Buffalo decided to pay expansion fees to every team in the league with the exception of the Sonics.Braves Not Paying Fee to Seattle, Spartanburg Herald-Journal. May 12, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012. Draft 1971 NBA draft The Seattle SuperSonics signed their second round pick Jim McDaniels in February 1972.Jim McDaniels: No Longer No. 1 Theft! Sonics Sign McDaniels, The Palm Beach Post. February 18, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Since McDaniels was under contract with the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association, both teams began a legal battle over the player's contract,Sonics Swap Court Writs With Cougs, The Spokesman-Review. February 19, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. with a judge in the King County Superior Court granting permission to McDaniels to play for the Sonics.McDaniels Gets OK, The Milwaukee Sentinel. February 29, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. The Cougars appealed to the Washington Supreme CourtCarolina Gets Full Hearing, The Spokesman-Review. March 10, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. but McDaniels stayed in Seattle.Cougars Give Up McDaniels, The Milwaukee Sentinel. September 6, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 6 Fred Brown G United States Iowa 2 23 Jim McDaniels F/C United States Western Kentucky 4 57 Pembrook Burrows C United States Jacksonville 5 74 Jeff Smith F United States New Mexico State 6 91 Mike Necaise F United States William Carey 7 108 John Duncan F United States Kentucky Wesleyan 8 125 Charlie Lowery G United States Puget Sound 9 141 Larry Holliday G United States Oregon 10 157 Ed Huston G United States Puget Sound 11 173 Jerome Perry G United States Western Kentucky Roster Seattle SuperSonics 1971–72 32 Fred Brown basketball G 6 3 182 Iowa 1948–08–07 43 Barry Clemens F 6 6 210 Ohio Wesleyan 1943–05–01 41 Pete Cross F/C 6 9 230 San Francisco 1948–03–28 33 Jake Ford G 6 3 180 Maryland Eastern Shore 1946–04–29 24 Spencer Haywood F/C 6 8 225 Detroit 1949–04–22 40 Gar Heard F 6 6 219 Oklahoma 1948–05–03 22 Don Kojis F 6 5 215 Marquette 1939–01–15 44 Jim McDaniels F/C 6 11 228 Western Kentucky 1948–04–02 35 Don Smith Zaid Abdul-Aziz F/C 6 9 235 Iowa State 1946–04–07 10 Dick Snyder F/G 6 5 207 West Virginia 1944–02–01 19 Lenny Wilkens G 6 1 180 Providence 1937–10–28 11 Lee Winfield G 6 2 174 North Texas 1947–02–04 Lenny Wilkens Rod Thorn https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SEA/1972.html#all_roster Standings SEA SEA z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot Game log Seattle SuperSonics 1972 Total: 47–35 (Home: 28–12; Road: 18–22; Neutral:1–1) Seattle SuperSonics October yes 4 1 3 1 |- | 1 | October 12 | @ Buffalo | W 123–90 | Spencer Haywood (29) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum10,723 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 15 | @ Portland | W 119–88 | Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (23) | | | Memorial Coliseum6,124 | 2–0 |- | 3 | October 16 | Milwaukee | L 91–98 | Spencer Haywood (23) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,100 | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 19 | @ Cincinnati | W 101–100 | Dick Snyder (24) | | | Cincinnati Gardens2,967 | 3–1 |- | 5 | October 20 | @ Philadelphia | L 93–100 | Don Kojis (18) | | | The Spectrum10,365 | 3–2 |- | 6 | October 22 | Houston | W 110–91 | Spencer Haywood (23) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum10,182 | 4–2 |- | 7 | October 24 | Cincinnati | W 119–101 | Spencer Haywood (23) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum10,318 | 5–2 |- | 8 | October 28 | Buffalo | W 106–96 | Barry Clemens (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum5,816 | 6–2 |- | 9 | October 30 | Los Angeles | W 115–106 | Don Kojis (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,138 | 7–2 Seattle SuperSonics November 5 3 3 4 |- | 10 | November 4 | @ Golden State | L 96–98 | Spencer Haywood (31) | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena5,814 | 7–3 |- | 11 | November 5 | New York | W 101–97 | Lenny Wilkens (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,638 | 8–3 |- | 12 | November 7 | Golden State | L 102–109 | Spencer Haywood (32) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,197 | 8–4 |- | 13 | November 11 | Cleveland | W 110–91 | Spencer Haywood (20) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum5,808 | 9–4 |- | 14 | November 12 | @ Los Angeles | L 107–115 | Spencer Haywood (26) | | | The Forum16,550 | 9–5 |- | 15 | November 13 | Boston | W 116–112 | Lenny Wilkens (21) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,738 | 10–5 |- | 16 | November 16 | @ Chicago | L 87–95 | Don Kojis (22) | | | Chicago Stadium8,907 | 10–6 |- | 17 | November 17 | @ Atlanta | W 112–104 | Spencer Haywood (23) | | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum5,462 | 11–6 |- | 18 | November 19 | Milwaukee | L 107–108 | Spencer Haywood (36) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,914 | 11–7 |- | 19 | November 20 | @ Portland | W 104–100 | Spencer Haywood (25) | | | Memorial Coliseum6,634 | 12–7 |- | 20 | November 21 | Philadelphia | W 127–117 | Don Smith (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum10,151 | 13–7 |- | 21 | November 25 | Los Angeles | L 115–139 | Spencer Haywood (24) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,170 | 13–8 |- | 22 | November 27 | Detroit | W 124–102 | Spencer Haywood (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,565 | 14–8 |- | 23 | November 28 | @ Los Angeles | L 121–138 | Spencer Haywood (29) | | | The Forum15,544 | 14–9 |- | 24 | November 30 | @ New York | W 110–109 | Lenny Wilkens (29) | | | Madison Square Garden18,111 | 15–9 Seattle SuperSonics December 3 3 4 6 |- | 25 | December 1 | @ Philadelphia | L 98–102 | Spencer Haywood (36) | | | The Spectrum4,507 | 15–10 |- | 26 | December 3 | @ Baltimore | W 117–106 | Spencer Haywood (35) | | | Baltimore Civic Center3,480 | 16–10 |- | 27 | December 4 | @ Cincinnati | W 100–98 | Spencer Haywood (25) | | | Cincinnati Gardens2,643 | 17–10 |- | 28 | December 5 | @ Cleveland | W 99–91 | Lenny Wilkens (27) | | | Cleveland Arena5,029 | 18–10 |- | 29 | December 7 | @ Milwaukee | L 83–116 | Don Smith (21) | | | Milwaukee Arena9,061 | 18–11 |- | 30 | December 10 | Golden State | W 105–94 | Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (21) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,928 | 19–11 |- | 31 | December 12 | @ Houston | L 98–100 | Dick Snyder (23) | | | Hofheinz Pavilion2,751 | 19–12 |- | 32 | December 14 | @ Detroit | W 103–86 | Spencer Haywood (31) | | | Cobo Arena3,465 | 20–12 |- | 33 | December 15 | @ Boston | L 100–112 | Spencer Haywood (20) | | | Boston Garden9,225 | 20–13 |- | 34 | December 17 | @ Milwaukee | L 113–120 | Spencer Haywood (36) | | | Milwaukee Arena9,360 | 20–14 |- | 35 | December 18 | Portland | W 107–105 | Spencer Haywood (32) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum7,532 | 21–14 |- | 36 | December 19 | Phoenix | W 130–127 (OT) | Spencer Haywood (35) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum9,189 | 22–14 |- | 37 | December 22 | New York | L 104–120 | Don Smith (17) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum11,953 | 22–15 |- | 38 | December 25 | @ Phoenix | L 86–116 | Lenny Wilkens (19) | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum6,565 | 22–16 |- | 39 | December 26 | Chicago | L 102–103 | Spencer Haywood (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum10,240 | 22–17 |- | 40 | December 30 | Los Angeles | L 106–122 | Spencer Haywood (34) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,106 | 22–18 Seattle SuperSonics January 7 2 2 3 |- | 41 | January 1 | Buffalo | W 97–83 | Don Smith (23) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum8,676 | 23–18 |- | 42 | January 4 | @ Houston | L 110–119 | Spencer Haywood, Lee Winfield (22) | | | Hofheinz Pavilion2,786 | 23–19 |- | 43 | January 5 | Atlanta | W 127–116 | Lee Winfield (24) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum8,120 | 24–19 |- | 44 | January 7 | Cleveland | W 125–111 | Spencer Haywood (48) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum8,169 | 25–19 |- | 45 | January 9 | Boston | W 125–119 | Spencer Haywood (33) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum11,108 | 26–19 |- | 46 | January 11 | Houston | W 141–126 | Spencer Haywood (35) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum6,404 | 27–19 |- | 47 | January 13 | Baltimore | W 112–107 | Spencer Haywood (35) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum9,868 | 28–19 |- | 48 | January 15 | Phoenix | W 118–110 | Spencer Haywood (34) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,693 | 29–19 |- | 49 | January 21 | Phoenix | L 113–128 | Spencer Haywood (32) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,751 | 29–20 |- | 50 | January 23 | New York | L 99–101 | Dick Snyder (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,261 | 29–21 |- | 51 | January 25 | @ Milwaukee | L 91–123 | Spencer Haywood (15) | | | Milwaukee Arena9,046 | 29–22 |- | 52 | January 26 | @ Atlanta | W 131–119 | Spencer Haywood (28) | | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum6,249 | 30–22 |- | 53 | January 28 | @ Buffalo | W 104–93 | Don Smith (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum4,589 | 31–22 |- | 54 | January 29 | @ New York | L 106–110 | Spencer Haywood (30) | | | Madison Square Garden19,588 | 31–23 Seattle SuperSonics February 8 0 4 3 |- | 55 | February 1 | @ Chicago | W 121–103 | Spencer Haywood (27) | | | Chicago Stadium7,886 | 32–23 |- | 56 | February 2 | Houston | L 88–111 | Spencer Haywood (27) | | | San Antonio, TX6,074 | 32–24 |- | 57 | February 4 | @ Cleveland | W 118–112 | Lenny Wilkens (25) | | | Cleveland Arena3,038 | 33–24 |- | 58 | February 6 | @ Boston | L 123–128 | Spencer Haywood (32) | | | Boston Garden7,246 | 33–25 |- | 59 | February 8 | Houston | W 127–119 | Spencer Haywood (28) | | | Portland, OR9,000 | 34–25 |- | 60 | February 10 | Cincinnati | W 118–96 | Spencer Haywood (28) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum7,523 | 35–25 |- | 61 | February 12 | Portland | W 125–97 | Spencer Haywood (28) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum11,348 | 36–25 |- | 62 | February 13 | @ Portland | W 127–117 (OT) | Spencer Haywood (44) | | | Memorial Coliseum6,034 | 37–25 |- | 63 | February 16 | Boston | W 113–112 | Spencer Haywood (26) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,120 | 38–25 |- | 64 | February 18 | Golden State | W 110–108 | Lenny Wilkens (30) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,097 | 39–25 |- | 65 | February 20 | Portland | W 109–105 | Dick Snyder (28) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,115 | 40–25 |- | 66 | February 22 | @ Golden State | L 104–120 | Lenny Wilkens (26) | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena7,063 | 40–26 |- | 67 | February 23 | Detroit | W 97–96 | Spencer Haywood (38) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum8,359 | 41–26 |- | 68 | February 26 | Cincinnati | W 122–106 | Spencer Haywood (38) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,089 | 42–26 |- | 69 | February 29 | @ Baltimore | W 118–117 (OT) | Spencer Haywood (38) | | | Baltimore Civic Center6,187 | 43–26 Seattle SuperSonics March 2 3 2 6 |- | 70 | March 1 | @ Detroit | W 116–102 | Lenny Wilkens (28) | | | Cobo Arena2,954 | 44–26 |- | 71 | March 3 | Chicago | W 112–103 | Spencer Haywood (35) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,005 | 45–26 |- | 72 | March 4 | @ Golden State | L 96–114 | Spencer Haywood (20) | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena13,502 | 45–27 |- | 73 | March 5 | Atlanta | W 112–110 | Lee Winfield (18) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,021 | 46–27 |- | 74 | March 7 | Baltimore | L 98–105 | Lenny Wilkens (19) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,507 | 46–28 |- | 75 | March 9 | Philadelphia | L 123–128 | Lenny Wilkens (24) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum12,971 | 46–29 |- | 76 | March 12 | Milwaukee | L 99–109 | Gar Heard (17) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum13,129 | 46–30 |- | 77 | March 14 | @ Chicago | W 115–111 | Lee Winfield (38) | | | Chicago Stadium11,910 | 47–30 |- | 78 | March 15 | @ Atlanta | L 96–134 | Lenny Wilkens (17) | | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum5,091 | 47–31 |- | 79 | March 17 | @ Baltimore | L 107–112 | Lee Winfield (29) | | | Baltimore Civic Center4,346 | 47–32 |- | 80 | March 19 | @ Philadelphia | L 100–115 | Lee Winfield (26) | | | The Spectrum9,828 | 47–33 |- | 81 | March 25 | @ Phoenix | L 99–118 | Lee Winfield (28) | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,189 | 47–34 |- | 82 | March 26 | @ Los Angeles | L 98–124 | Gar Heard (21) | | | The Forum17,505 | 47–35 OKC 1972 Player statistics Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Fred Brown Fred Brown (basketball) 33 – 10.9 .328 – .759 1.1 1.8 – – 4.2 Barry Clemens 82 – 17.6 .521 – .844 3.5 .8 – – 7.1 Pete Cross 74 – 19.2 .428 – .736 6.9 .9 – – 5.5 Jake Ford 26 – 7.0 .500 – .788 .4 1.0 – – 3.5 Spencer Haywood 73 – 43.4 .461 – .819 12.7 2.0 – – 26.2 Gar Heard 58 – 25.8 .401 – .617 7.6 .9 – – 7.9 Don Kojis 73 – 25.4 .469 – .793 4.6 1.1 – – 11.4 Jim McDaniels 12 – 19.6 .415 – .611 6.8 .8 – – 9.4 Bob Rule 16 – 15.2 .363 – .535 3.4 .4 – – 7.1 Don Smith Zaid Abdul-Aziz 58 – 30.7 .429 – .720 11.3 2.1 – – 13.8 Dick Snyder 73 – 34.7 .529 – .842 3.1 3.9 – – 16.6 Lenny Wilkens 80 – 37.4 .466 – .774 4.2 9.6 – – 18.0 Lee Winfield 81 – 25.2 .496 – .668 2.7 3.6 – – 10.6 Awards and records Spencer Haywood was selected to the All-NBA First Team and made his first All-Star appearance at the 1972 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Injuries Spencer Haywood suffered a leg injury at the beginning of March and was out for the season.Haywood Out for Season, Star-News. March 10, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Transactions Overview Players Added Players Lost Via draft Fred Brown Jim McDaniels Via trade Don Kojis Bob Rule Retired Tom MescheryMeschery to Teach, Tri-City Herald. April 1, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012. Rod Thorn Trades November 25, 1971 To Seattle SuperSonics To Philadelphia 76ers 1972 second round pick (became Joby Wright) Future second round pick Bob Rule References Seattle Category:Seattle SuperSonics seasons