# 1967–68 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1967–68 Seattle SuperSonics season was the inaugural season for the expansion Seattle SuperSonics franchise in the National Basketball Association. The team's official arena was the Seattle Center Coliseum.
With a team built in its majority from the 1967 expansion draft featuring Walt Hazzard and six-year veteran Tom Meschery, and with Al Bianchi at the head coach position, the Sonics finished the season with a 23–59 record and fifth place in the Western Division, six games behind the Chicago Bulls, and did not qualify to enter the playoffs.

## Draft picks

The twelve-man roster for the 1967–68 season consisted of three rookies from the 1967 NBA Draft and nine players from the expansion draft. Al Bianchi's choice of player-coach Richie Guerin from the St. Louis Hawks came as a surprise to most, since Guerin had already announced his retirement, and thus did not play for the Sonics. He would return for the 1968–69 season to play for the relocated Atlanta Hawks after Seattle traded him in the offseason. Selecting Tom Meschery from the San Francisco Warriors was made possible after the Warriors unprotected him for the draft, after Meschery informed the San Francisco front office that he desired to join the Peace Corps. Seattle's offer, however, was accepted by Meschery. The SuperSonics planned to sign former Seattle University player Charlie Williams before the start of the regular season, but league rules prohibited the Seattle franchise to offer him a contract, since Williams was expelled from college after a point shaving scandal.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 6 | Al Tucker | SF | United States | Oklahoma Baptist |
| 2 | 19 | Bob Rule | C / PF | United States | Colorado State |
| 5 | 54 | Plummer Lott | SF / SG | United States | Seattle |

## Regular season

Seattle kicked off the regular season with a game against the San Francisco Warriors on October 13 at the Cow Palace, where they fell 114–116. Walt Hazzard had a high scoring debut, leading the Sonics' offense with 30 points, followed by Tom Meschery with 26. After a week off, the Sonics played in consecutive days against the other expansion franchise, the San Diego Rockets, splitting the series and thus winning their first regular season game in franchise history. After two streaks of four and eight straight losses, the Sonics found themselves quickly near the bottom of the Western Division by the end of the first four weeks of competition. A few surprising results stood out, including their only victory against Bill Russell's Boston Celtics in a double-header in Philadelphia, with the Celtics trailing by as much as 44 points after the first half, and an outstanding performance by rookie Bob Rule, with 47 points in a victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. On the other hand, the SuperSonics were on the losing end of two NBA scoring records. First, in December with a 122–160 loss against defending champions Philadelphia 76ers, that set a new NBA record for most points by a team in a quarter and a 123–154 loss against the Lakers on January that tied a franchise record for Los Angeles for most points in a game. With six games left in the regular season the Sonics were behind two games from the Chicago Bulls in a last effort to obtain a berth in the playoffs, But in spite of defeating the Bulls in two of those six games, Chicago managed to pull away with the fourth place in the Western Division and the last spot in the playoff race, six games above the Sonics.
The SuperSonics registered an attendance of 202,263 during the regular season, the sixth best in the league in that regard. Walt Hazzard was selected to represent the West in the 1968 NBA All-Star Game and Bob Rule and Al Tucker were selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

### Season standings

| Western Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| x-St. Louis Hawks | 56 | 26 | .683 | – | 25–7 | 22–13 | 9–6 | 31–9 |
| x-Los Angeles Lakers | 52 | 30 | .634 | 4 | 30–11 | 18–19 | 4–0 | 28–12 |
| x-San Francisco Warriors | 43 | 39 | .524 | 13 | 27–14 | 16–23 | 0–2 | 24–16 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 29 | 53 | .354 | 27 | 11–22 | 12–24 | 6–7 | 11–29 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 23 | 59 | .280 | 33 | 10–21 | 7–24 | 6–14 | 15–25 |
| San Diego Rockets | 15 | 67 | .183 | 41 | 8–33 | 4–26 | 3–8 | 11–29 |

### Record vs. opponents

1967–68 NBA records :
| Team | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | SDR | SFW | SEA | STL |
| Baltimore | – | 3–5 | 2–5 | 5–3 | 4–4 | 3–4 | 3–5 | 0–8 | 7–0 | 2–5 | 5–2 | 2–5 |
| Boston | 5–3 | – | 5–2 | 3–5 | 6–2 | 4–3 | 6–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 4–3 |
| Chicago | 5–2 | 2–5 | – | 5–2 | 3–4 | 1–7 | 2–5 | 1–6 | 4–4 | 2–6 | 3–5 | 1–7 |
| Cincinnati | 3–5 | 5–3 | 2–5 | – | 4–4 | 1–6 | 3–5 | 3–5 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 1–6 |
| Detroit | 4–4 | 2–6 | 4–3 | 4–4 | – | 2–5 | 4–4 | 1–7 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 4–3 |
| Los Angeles | 4–3 | 3–4 | 7–1 | 6–1 | 5–2 | – | 4–3 | 2–5 | 7–1 | 4–4 | 4–4 | 6–2 |
| New York | 5–3 | 2–6 | 5–2 | 5–3 | 4–4 | 3–4 | – | 3–5 | 6–1 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 1–6 |
| Philadelphia | 8–0 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 5–3 | 7–1 | 5–2 | 5–3 | – | 6–1 | 4–3 | 7–0 | 5–2 |
| San Diego | 0–7 | 0–7 | 4–4 | 0–7 | 2–5 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 1–6 | – | 2–6 | 3–5 | 1–7 |
| San Francisco | 5–2 | 3–4 | 6–2 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 6–2 | – | 7–1 | 1–7 |
| Seattle | 2–5 | 1–6 | 5–3 | 1–6 | 1–6 | 4–4 | 3–4 | 0–7 | 5–3 | 1–7 | – | 0–8 |
| St. Louis | 5–2 | 3–4 | 7–1 | 6–1 | 3–4 | 2–6 | 6–1 | 2–5 | 7–1 | 7–1 | 8–0 | — |

### Game log

2012–13 game log Total: 23–59 (Home: 10–21; Road: 7–23; Neutral: 6–15) :
October: 2–6 (home: 1–2; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 13
@ San Francisco
L 116–144
Walt Hazzard (30)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,619
0–1
2
October 20
San Diego
L 114–121
Walt Hazzard (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,473
0–2
3
October 21
@ San Diego
W 117–110 (OT)
Walt Hazzard (22)
San Diego Sports Arena 5,413
1–2
4
October 22
Cincinnati
L 94–106
Walt Hazzard (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,116
1–3
5
October 24
Baltimore
L 125–136
Bob Rule (25)
Portland, Oregon 1,533
1–4
6
October 27
@ Philadelphia
L 115–132
Bob Rule (18)
The Spectrum 4,352
1–5
7
October 28
@ St. Louis
L 109–116
Tommy Kron (21)
Kiel Auditorium 5,218
1–6
8
October 31
Chicago
W 114–104
Walt Hazzard (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 3,109
2–6 :
November
: 5–11 (home: 3–1; road: 2–10)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
9
November 1
San Diego
L 125–139
Al Tucker (23)
Portland, Oregon 2,593
2–7
10
November 2
Chicago
L 105–109
Bob Rule (27)
Spokane, Washington 1,051
2–8
11
November 3
New York
L 100–134
Walt Hazzard (19)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,654
2–9
12
November 7
@ San Francisco
L 112–126
Bob Weiss (20)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 3,168
2–10
13
November 8
@ St. Louis
L 96–111
Walt Hazzard (20)
Kiel Auditorium 3,022
2–11
14
November 9
Detroit
L 118–119
Walt Hazzard (33)
Madison Square Garden
2–12
15
November 11
@ Baltimore
L 129–134
Walt Hazzard (26)
Baltimore Civic Center 4,685
2–13
16
November 14
Boston
L 111–114
Bob Weiss (29)
Madison Square Garden
2–14
17
November 17
San Diego
W 130–124
Walt Hazzard (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,162
3–14
18
November 19
Detroit
W 132–130 (OT)
Bob Rule (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,468
4–14
19
November 20
Detroit
L 118–120
Bob Weiss (27)
Tacoma, Washington 2,311
4–15
20
November 21
L. A. Lakers
W 137–132
Bob Rule (47)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,122
5–15
21
November 23
Boston
W 133–106
Bob Rule (26)
Philadelphia
6–15
22
November 25
Cincinnati
L 133–153
Walt Hazzard (19)
Cleveland, Ohio 3,455
6–16
23
November 25
@ New York
L 110–111
Walt Hazzard (21)
Madison Square Garden 9,011
6–17
24
November 28
@ Chicago
W 111–108
Three players (20)
Chicago Stadium 1,659
7–17 :
December
: 4–14 (home: 2–8; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
25
December 1
Philadelphia
L 109–133
Bob Rule (29)
Boston
7–18
26
December 3
St. Louis
L 109–123
Tom Meschery (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,938
7–19
27
December 5
@ San Francisco
L 121–133
Walt Hazzard (29)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,306
7–20
28
December 8
Chicago
L 114–115
Walt Hazzard, Bob Rule (21)
Seattle Center Coliseum 3,835
7–21
29
December 10
L. A. Lakers
W 133–123
Al Tucker (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,006
8–21
30
December 12
Philadelphia
L 107–118
Al Tucker (27)
New York City
8–22
31
December 15
@ Chicago
W 122–115
Walt Hazzard (36)
Chicago Stadium 1,686
9–22
32
December 17
Philadelphia
L 124–139
Rod Thorn (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,294
9–23
33
December 18
Detroit
L 122–140
Rod Thorn (29)
Tacoma, Washington 1,658
9–24
34
December 19
Boston
L 114–118
Walt Hazzard (37)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,889
9–25
35
December 20
Philadelphia
L 122–160
Walt Hazzard (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,714
9–26
36
December 22
New York
W 120–108
Al Tucker (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,515
10–26
37
December 23
@ San Francisco
L 124–131
Walt Hazzard (19)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 3,862
10–27
38
December 24
San Francisco
L 113–127
Walt Hazzard (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,226
10–28
39
December 25
@ Cincinnati
L 112–118
Rod Thorn (26)
Cincinnati Gardens 3,323
10–29
40
December 26
New York
W 137–135
Walt Hazzard (37)
Philadelphia
11–29
41
December 28
San Diego
L 125–143
Walt Hazzard (45)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,889
11–30
42
December 31
San Francisco
L 124–126
Walt Hazzard (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,591
11–31 :
January
: 5–7 (home: 1–3; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
43
January 1
St. Louis
L 94–115
Walt Hazzard (17)
Seattle Center Coliseum 3,604
11–32
44
January 5
Boston
L 121–128
Bob Rule (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,188
11–33
45
January 6
@ San Diego
W 122–104
Walt Hazzard (28)
San Diego Sports Arena 6,738
12–33
46
January 8
New York
L 113–119
Tom Meschery (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,548
12–34
47
January 10
@ Boston
L 110–123
Walt Hazzard
Boston Garden 3,701
12–35
48
January 15
New York
W 129–113
Walt Hazzard (24)
Boston
13–35
49
January 16
Baltimore
W 142–116
Tom Meschery (33)
Chicago, Illinois 3,500
14–35
50
January 19
@ Detroit
L 119–133
Walt Hazzard (41)
Cobo Arena 5,887
14–36
51
January 20
@ St. Louis
L 115–120
Walt Hazzard (25)
Kiel Auditorium 5,118
14–37
52
January 21
@ L. A. Lakers
L 123–154
Walt Hazzard (24)
The Forum 9,262
14–38
53
January 28
Baltimore
W 135–126
Walt Hazzard (23)
Tacoma, Washington 3,181
15–38
54
January 30
L. A. Lakers
W 128–116
Walt Hazzard (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,262
16–38 :
February
: 4–10 (home: 2–2; road: 2–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
55
February 1
St. Louis
L 110–113
Rod Thorn (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,564
16–39
56
February 2
@ L. A. Lakers
L 113–151
Walt Hazzard, Bob Rule (17)
The Forum 12,021
16–40
57
February 4
@ L. A. Lakers
L 131–137
Tom Meschery (28)
The Forum 7,796
16–41
58
February 5
Cincinnati
W 132–129 (OT)
Walt Hazzard (45)
Phoenix, Arizona 4,680
17–41
59
February 8
L. A. Lakers
W 115–110
Walt Hazzard (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,526
18–41
60
February 11
San Francisco
W 146–118
Walt Hazzard (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,505
19–41
61
February 14
Philadelphia
L 125–149
Walt Hazzard (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,449
19–42
62
February 15
@ Cincinnati
L 119–132
Walt Hazzard (31)
Cincinnati Gardens 2,306
19–43
63
February 16
@ Baltimore
L 118–147
Walt Hazzard (30)
Baltimore Civic Center 3,748
19–44
64
February 17
@ New York
L 111–134
Bob Weiss (22)
Madison Square Garden 13,256
19–45
65
February 20
@ Philadelphia
L 108–140
Walt Hazzard (25)
The Spectrum 6,417
19–46
66
February 21
Chicago
L 106–108
Walt Hazzard, Rod Thorn (25)
Baltimore, Maryland
19–47
67
February 23
@ San Diego
W 127–122
Walt Hazzard (31)
San Diego Sports Arena 4,834
20–47
68
February 24
Boston
L 137–141
Walt Hazzard (38)
Vancouver, Canada 8,129
20–48 :
March
: 3–11 (home: 1–5; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
69
March 2
@ L. A. Lakers
L 121–127
Walt Hazzard (31)
The Forum 11,335
20–49
70
March 3
Cincinnati
L 128–138
Rod Thorn (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,894
20–50
71
March 5
Baltimore
L 121–126
Tommy Kron (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,939
20–51
72
March 7
St. Louis
L 133–150
Walt Hazzard, Rod Thorn (29)
Portland, Oregon 2,428
20–52
73
March 8
Baltimore
L 116–122
Tom Meschery (30)
Olympia, Washington 4,012
20–53
74
March 9
@ San Diego
W 115–111
Tom Meschery (23)
San Diego Sports Arena 6,331
21–53
75
March 10
San Francisco
L 112–118
Al Tucker (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,536
21–54
76
March 11
Boston
L 112–119
Tom Meschery (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,136
21–55
77
March 12
@ Detroit
L 123–139
Tommy Kron (24)
Cobo Arena 5,304
21–56
78
March 13
@ Cincinnati
L 123–142
Bob Rule (46)
Cincinnati Gardens 4,958
21–57
79
March 15
@ Chicago
W 113–101
Walt Hazzard (21)
Chicago Stadium 3,426
22–57
80
March 16
@ St. Louis
L 106–124
Walt Hazzard (24)
Kiel Auditorium 7,665
22–58
81
March 18
Detroit
L 82–88
Walt Hazzard (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,244
22–59
82
March 19
Chicago
W 122–104
Walt Hazzard (36)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,429
23–59 :
1967–68 season schedule :

## Player statistics

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Henry Akin | 36 | – | 7.2 | .336 | – | .645 | 1.6 | .4 | – | – | 3.1 |
| Walt Hazzard | 79 | – | 33.7 | .441 | – | .774 | 4.2 | 6.2 | – | – | 24.0 |
| Tommy Kron | 76 | – | 23.6 | .396 | – | .790 | 4.7 | 3.7 | – | – | 9.7 |
| Plummer Lott | 44 | – | 10.9 | .311 | – | .613 | 2.1 | .8 | – | – | 2.5 |
| Tom Meschery | 82 | – | 34.8 | .469 | – | .707 | 10.2 | 2.4 | – | – | 14.5 |
| Dorie Murrey | 81 | – | 18.4 | .436 | – | .689 | 7.4 | .8 | – | – | 7.3 |
| Bud Olsen | 73 | – | 12.3 | .456 | – | .274 | 2.8 | 1.0 | – | – | 3.8 |
| Bob Rule | 82 | – | 29.6 | .489 | – | .658 | 9.5 | 1.2 | – | – | 18.1 |
| Rod Thorn | 66 | – | 25.3 | .451 | – | .737 | 4.0 | 3.5 | – | – | 15.2 |
| Al Tucker | 81 | – | 29.2 | .442 | – | .707 | 7.5 | 1.4 | – | – | 13.1 |
| Bob Weiss | 82 | – | 19.7 | .430 | – | .839 | 1.8 | 4.2 | – | – | 9.8 |
| George Wilson | 77 | – | 16.1 | .359 | – | .703 | 6.1 | .7 | – | – | 6.1 |

## Awards and records

* Al Tucker and Bob Rule earned NBA All-Rookie First Team selections
* Walt Hazzard played for the West in the 1968 NBA All-Star Game held at Madison Square Garden in New York City