Let’s remember when the Sonics drafted Shawn Kemp, on this day in 1989 (June 27)
I don’t know if anyone is more synonymous with post-Sonics (men’s) basketball in Seattle than the Reign Man, and it began thirty years ago today.
The Seattle SuperSonics drafted Kemp in the first round of the 1989 NBA draft. Although extremely athletic, Kemp was the youngest player in the NBA at that time and struggled to find his place. In his first season in Seattle, Kemp was mentored heavily by teammate Xavier McDaniel. As the season progressed, so did Kemp’s skills, which propelled him into stardom. Kemp began to find his place in the NBA as a star during his second season with the Sonics. Together with Gary Payton, Eddie Johnson, Ricky Pierce and Nate McMillan, they became a highly successful squad.
After Kemp’s second NBA season, he picked up the nickname “Reign Man” after Sonics announcer Kevin Calabro saw a poster with the name and thought it fitting to add to his radio broadcasts.[11]
Kemp’s career peaked in 1995–96, when he and Payton led the Sonics to a franchise-record 64 wins and their first NBA Finals appearance since 1979. They faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who were coming off an NBA record 72 wins. The Sonics pushed the heavily favored Bulls to six games before losing. In the Finals, Kemp posted per game averages of 23.3 points on 55% shooting from the field, 10.0 rebounds and two blocks.
Kemp’s last few years with the Sonics were a bit chaotic, with Kemp unhappy with his contract. It lead to him being traded for Vin Baker in a three-way trade with Cleveland and Milwaukee. Still, here’s what he wrote about Seattle in the Player’s Tribune last year:
I’m still out here in Seattle, man. I’ve been married 23 years now. Gone from spending all of my time on the road to being a husband and father. I’ve watched the city change so much, but it’s still got the same passionate fans, and it’s still a city that loves basketball, even without a real team to root for. Since the day I arrived, I have been treated so well by the people here. And the love lasted much longer than my career. I was welcomed back with open arms as soon as my playing days were over.
Basketball has taken me all over the world, and after seeing so much over so many years, I can say with absolute certainty that there’s nowhere else in this world I’d rather be.
But something is not right. Something’s missing. We need the Sonics back.
So many great sports moments have happened here. So many legends of the game have had their moments in Seattle. I know that the NBA bringing in a new team now might be a mess, but it just feels off here without the Sonics.
I believe it’ll happen — we will have a team again someday. I don’t know when, or how, but I feel it. Basketball will come back to Seattle.
Let’s remember what Shawn Kemp did better than anyone, dunking on poor saps like Alton Lister and Chris Gatling:
