The 1968–69 Seattle SuperSonics season was the second season of the Seattle franchise in the NBA. The Sonics finished the regular season with a 30–52 record in 6th place on the Western Division. During the offseason, Seattle traded their top scorer Walt Hazzard to the Atlanta Hawks to bring three-time All-Star Lenny Wilkens, who would serve as head coach of the team the following year.
Offseason Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 3 Bob Kauffman F/C Guilford 2 16 Art Harris G Stanford 3 24 Jeff Ockel C Utah 3 34 Ed Johnson C Tennessee State 4 38 Henry Logan G Western Carolina 5 52 Al Hairston G Bowling Green 6 66 Ron Guziak F Duquesne 7 80 Jim McKean C Washington State 8 94 Willie Rogers G Oklahoma 9 108 Jimmy Smith G Utah State 10 122 Joe Kennedy F Duke 11 136 Jim Marsh F USC 12 149 Walt Simon G Utah 13 162 Bud Ogden F Santa Clara 14 173 Mike Warren G UCLA
Roster
Standings
x – clinched playoff spot
Game log
| 1 | October 17 | @ San Diego | L 110–128 | Bob Rule (31) | Bob Rule (11) | Lenny Wilkens (10) | San Diego Sports Arena5,332 | 0–1 |- | 2 | October 18 | @ Phoenix | L 107–116 | Bob Rule (34) | Tom Meschery (19) | Rod Thorn (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum7,112 | 0–2 |- | 3 | October 19 | San Francisco | L 95–107 | Bob Rule (25) | Tom Meschery (18) | Lenny Wilkens (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum4,311 | 0–3 |- | 4 | October 21 | Baltimore | L 104–111 | Tom Meschery (30) | Meshery, Wilkens (14) | Rod Thorn (9) | Vancouver, BC2,387 | 0–4 |- | 5 | October 23 | San Diego | W 118–117 | Bob Rule, Lenny Wilkens (20) | Tom Meschery (17) | Lenny Wilkens (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum3,064 | 1–4 |- | 6 | October 25 | Atlanta | W 123–112 | Tom Meschery (24) | Tom Meschery (16) | Lenny Wilkens (11) | Seattle Center Coliseum4,689 | 2–4 |- | 7 | October 27 | Baltimore | L 114–126 | Tom Meschery (22) | Bob Rule (13) | Lenny Wilkens (13) | Seattle Center Coliseum4,882 | 2–5 |- | 8 | October 30 | Phoenix | L 108–115 | Bob Rule (22) | Bob Rule (19) | Lenny Wilkens (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum2,657 | 2–6
| 9 | November 2 | Chicago | W 101–95 | Bob Rule (24) | Bob Rule (16) | Lennie Wilkins (15) | Seattle Center Coliseum4,330 | 3–6 |- | 10 | November 3 | New York | L 108–122 | Lenny Wilkens (24) | Tom Meschery, Al Tucker (9) | | Seattle Center Coliseum4,807 | 3–7 |- | 11 | November 6 | @ Detroit | L 118–127 | Rod Thorn (21)
| Cobo Arena3,462 | 3–8 |- | 12 | November 7 | @ Chicago | L 105–120 | Bob Rule (23)
| Chicago Stadium891 | 3–9 |- | 13 | November 8 | @ Boston | W 114–112 | Bob Rule (37)
| Boston Garden7,606 | 4–9 |- | 14 | November 9 | @ Philadelphia | L 94–114 | Lenny Wilkens (26)
| The Spectrum6,756 | 4–10 |- | 15 | November 11 | Philadelphia | L 117–127 | Bob Rule (29)
| Boston, MA | 4–11 |- | 16 | November 12 | @ Milwaukee | L 114–127 | Bob Rule (28)
| Milwaukee Arena4,455 | 4–12 |- | 17 | November 13 | Atlanta | L 113–142 | Lenny Wilkens (27)
| Seattle Center Coliseum3,102 | 4–13 |- | 18 | November 15 | Phoenix | W 128–124 (2OT) | Lenny Wilkens (30)
| Seattle Center Coliseum4,368 | 5–13 |- | 19 | November 16 | Detroit | W 123–119 | Bob Rule (42)
| Seattle Center Coliseum5,446 | 6–13 |- | 20 | November 17 | @ Los Angeles | L 94–105 | Lenny Wilkens (16)
| The Forum8,399 | 6–14 |- | 21 | November 20 | Boston | L 92–139 | Art Harris (16)
| Seattle Center Coliseum7,021 | 6–15 |- | 22 | November 22 | @ San Diego | L 111–126 | Bob Rule (24)
| San Diego Sports Arena5,247 | 6–16 |- | 23 | November 23 | @ San Francisco | L 119–132 | Lenny Wilkens (25)
| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena5,922 | 6–17 |- | 24 | November 24 | Milwaukee | W 141–120 | Tom Meschery, Lenny Wilkens (21)
| Seattle Center Coliseum3,485 | 7–17 |- | 25 | November 25 | Milwaukee | W 123–113 | Lenny Wilkens (29)
| Vancouver, BC2,879 | 8–17 |- | 26 | November 26 | Chicago | W 99–98 | Bob Rule (28)
| Seattle Center Coliseum2,895 | 9–17 |- | 27 | November 28 | Milwaukee | W 115–103 | Bob Rule (27)
| Seattle Center Coliseum5,210 | 10–17
| 28 | December 2 | @ Phoenix | W 118–108 | Lenny Wilkens (33)
| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum2,171 | 11–17 |- | 29 | December 3 | @ San Francisco | L 122 127 | Lenny Wilkens (31)
| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena2,116 | 11–18 |- | 30 | December 6 | San Francisco | W 109–100 (OT) | Tom Meschery (29)
| Seattle Center Coliseum5,941 | 12–18 |- | 31 | December 7 | @ San Francisco | W 115–107 | Bob Rule (31)
| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena3,754 | 13–18 |- | 32 | December 12 | Atlanta | L 91–93 | Lenny Wilkens (25)
| Seattle Center Coliseum4,361 | 13–19 |- | 33 | December 14 | Los Angeles | L 120–136 | Tom Meschery, Bob Rule (27)
| Seattle Center Coliseum12,186 | 13–20 |- | 34 | December 15 | @ Los Angeles | L 114–115 | Bob Rule (37)
| The Forum6,878 | 13–21 |- | 35 | December 18 | Philadelphia | L 111–115 | Bob Rule (36)
| Seattle Center Coliseum3,389 | 13–22 |- | 36 | December 20 | @ Milwaukee | L 92–100 | Lenny Wilkens (21)
| Milwaukee Arena5,303 | 13–23 |- | 37 | December 21 | @ New York | L 105–131 | Bob Rule (19)
| Madison Square Garden13,998 | 13–24 |- | 38 | December 25 | @ Baltimore | L 112–118 | Bob Rule, Lenny Wilkens (27)
| Baltimore Civic Center5,261 | 13–25 |- | 39 | December 26 | @ Atlanta | L 96–126 | Al Tucker (18)
| Alexander Memorial Coliseum3,697 | 13–26 |- | 40 | December 28 | New York | L 108–111 | Lenny Wilkens (19)
| Seattle Center Coliseum7,602 | 13–27 |- | 41 | December 29 | New York | L 112–120 | Art Harris (21)
| Vancouver, BC2,894 | 13–28 |- | 42 | December 30 | Phoenix | W 120–118 | Art Harris, Rule (24)
| Seattle Center Coliseum3,920 | 14–28
| 43 | January 4 | @ San Diego | L 105–122 | Lenny Wilkens (28)
| San Diego Sports Arena4,878 | 14–29 |- | 44 | January 6 | Boston | L 97–121 | Bob Rule (36)
| Seattle Center Coliseum6,636 | 14–30 |- | 45 | January 7 | @ Phoenix | L 112–116 | Three players (23)
| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum2,875 | 14–31 |- | 46 | January 9 | Cincinnati | W 119–110 | Bob Rule (32)
| Cleveland, OH2,017 | 15–31 |- | 47 | January 10 | @ Milwaukee | L 104–115 | Bob Rule, Al Tucker (17)
| Milwaukee Arena4,150 | 15–32 |- | 48 | January 11 | @ Chicago | L 86–119 | Lenny Wilkens (21)
| Chicago Stadium3,870 | 15–33 |- | 49 | January 17 | New York | L 94–114 | Bob Rule (16)
| Philadelphia, PA | 15–34 |- | 50 | January 18 | @ Boston | L 97–111 | Bob Rule (29)
| Boston Garden9,320 | 15–35 |- | 51 | January 21 | @ New York | L 106–113 | Lenny Wilkens (31)
| Madison Square Garden11,227 | 15–36 |- | 52 | January 22 | @ Baltimore | W 98–94 | Lenny Wilkens (22)
| Baltimore Civic Center3,619 | 16–36 |- | 53 | January 27 | Milwaukee | W 128–107 | Bob Rule (31)
| Tacoma, WA4,150 | 17–36 |- | 54 | January 29 | Boston | W 124–122 (OT) | Bob Rule (26)
| Philadelphia, PA | 18–36 |- | 55 | January 30 | Detroit | L 118–144 | Bob Rule (26)
| Baltimore, MD | 18–37 |- | 56 | January 31 | @ Atlanta | W 119–112 | Bob Rule (32)
| Alexander Memorial Coliseum3,550 | 19–37
| 57 | February 1 | @ Cincinnati | L 96–111 | Bob Rule (20)
| Cincinnati Gardens6,114 | 19–38 |- | 58 | February 3 | Los Angeles | W 114–107 | Bob Rule (38)
| Seattle Center Coliseum7,721 | 20–38 |- | 59 | February 4 | @ San Francisco | W 116–111 | Lenny Wilkens (28)
| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena2,145 | 21–38 |- | 60 | February 5 | Philadelphia | L 115–119 | Art Harris, Rule (27)
| Seattle Center Coliseum4,956 | 21–39 |- | 61 | February 7 | Cincinnati | W 102–97 | Lenny Wilkens (32)
| Seattle Center Coliseum7,350 | 22–39 |- | 62 | February 9 | San Francisco | L 120–121 | Bob Rule (31)
| Seattle Center Coliseum7,545 | 22–40 |- | 63 | February 12 | Los Angeles | L 92–109 | Bob Rule (24)
| Seattle Center Coliseum11,218 | 22–41 |- | 64 | February 16 | Detroit | W 127–119 | Bob Rule (36)
| Seattle Center Coliseum6,367 | 23–41 |- | 65 | February 18 | Chicago | W 114–113 | Bob Rule (27)
| Seattle Center Coliseum5,002 | 24–41 |- | 66 | February 19 | Detroit | L 124–131 | Bob Rule (32)
| Seattle Center Coliseum3,356 | 24–42 |- | 67 | February 21 | Philadelphia | L 109–115 | Bob Rule (31)
| Seattle Center Coliseum8,638 | 24–43 |- | 68 | February 23 | Boston | W 118–116 | Lenny Wilkens (35)
| Seattle Center Coliseum8,742 | 25–43 |- | 69 | February 25 | @ Los Angeles | L 111–114 (OT) | Lenny Wilkens (26)
| The Forum10,311 | 25–44 |- | 70 | February 26 | Chicago | L 122–124 | Bob Rule (30)
| Seattle Center Coliseum4,138 | 25–45
| 71 | March 1 | Cincinnati | W 134–122 | Bob Rule (47)
| Seattle Center Coliseum9,477 | 26–45 |- | 72 | March 3 | Cincinnati | L 107–113 | Bob Rule (32)
| Seattle Center Coliseum4,028 | 26–46 |- | 73 | March 4 | San Diego | W 130–116 | Lenny Wilkens (33)
| Seattle Center Coliseum5,010 | 27–46 |- | 74 | March 8 | Baltimore | W 138–117 | Lenny Wilkens (32)
| Seattle Center Coliseum12,382 | 28–46 |- | 75 | March 12 | San Diego | W 125–112 | Lenny Wilkens (36)
| Vancouver, BC5,998 | 29–46 |- | 76 | March 13 | Milwaukee | W 141–118 | Tom Meschery (21)
| Green Bay, WI3,461 | 30–46 |- | 77 | March 15 | @ Chicago | L 83–101 | Lenny Wilkens (26)
| Chicago Stadium5,254 | 30–47 |- | 78 | March 16 | @ Atlanta | L 127–131 (OT) | Art Harris (31)
| Alexander Memorial Coliseum7,190 | 30–48 |- | 79 | March 18 | @ Baltimore | L 120–130 | Lenny Wilkens (26)
| Baltimore Civic Center8,020 | 30–49 |- | 80 | March 19 | @ Philadelphia | L 115–136 | Bob Rule, Rod Thorn (16)
| The Spectrum11,474 | 30–50 |- | 81 | March 21 | @ Detroit | L 104–110 | Erwin Mueller (15)
| Cobo Arena4,669 | 30–51 |- | 82 | March 22 | @ Cincinnati | L 127–134 | Lenny Wilkens (25)
| Cincinnati Gardens2,534 | 30–52
Player statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 80 – 32.0 .395 – .641 3.8 3.2 – – 12.4 39 – 7.0 .333 – .571 .9 1.0 – – 2.2 82 – 20.2 .442 – .702 5.9 1.0 – – 7.8 72 – 17.2 .395 – .790 3.3 .8 – – 6.2 76 – 14.8 .392 – .701 2.8 2.5 – – 5.1 23 – 7.0 .258 – .400 1.3 0.3 – – 1.6 82 – 32.6 .453 – .736 10.0 2.4 – – 14.0 26 – 18.6 .431 – .597 4.0 2.4 – – 7.0 38 – 12.2 .387 – .639 3.9 .6 – – 5.6 82 – 37.9 .469 – .682 11.5 1.7 – – 24.0 29 – 19.6 .463 – .732 2.9 2.8 – – 11.5 26 – 30.8 .488 – .673 10.3 2.4 – – 13.6 56 – 22.5 .432 – .637 5.7 1.0 – – 10.3 82 – 42.2 .440 .770 6.2 8.2 – – 22.4 Statistics with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Awards and records Art Harris was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Lenny Wilkens made his sixth All-Star appearance for the West in the 1969 NBA All-Star Game held in Baltimore, Maryland.
Transactions
Overview Players Added
Via draft Al Hairston Art Harris Bob Kauffman Joe Kennedy Via trade Erwin Mueller Dick Smith John Tresvant Lenny WilkensPlayers Lost
Via draft Bud Olsen Bob Weiss George Wilson Via trade Walt Hazzard
Trades October 12, 1968 To Seattle SuperSonics
Lenny Wilkens To Atlanta Hawks
Walt Hazzard November 15, 1968 To Seattle SuperSonics
Dick Smith To Atlanta Hawks
Rights to Richie Guerin January 31, 1969 To Seattle SuperSonics
Erwin Mueller To Chicago Bulls
1970 fourth round pickCash considerations January 31, 1969 To Seattle SuperSonics
John Tresvant To Cincinnati Royals
Al Tucker
References