# 1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season

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 season and was replaced by former Dallas Chaparrals coach Tom Nissalke.

## 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 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. 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.

### Draft picks

Note: only draft picks who participated in at least one game in the NBA are listed.
The Seattle SuperSonics signed their second round pick Jim McDaniels in February 1972. 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, with a judge in the King County Superior Court granting permission to McDaniels to play for the Sonics. The Cougars appealed to the Washington Supreme Court but McDaniels stayed in Seattle.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 6 | Fred Brown | Guard | United States | Iowa |
| 2 | 23 | Jim McDaniels | Forward / center | United States | Western Kentucky |
| 8 | 125 | Charlie Lowery | Guard | United States | Puget Sound |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 69 | 13 | .841 | – | 36–5 | 31–7 | 2–1 | 21–3 |
| x-Golden State Warriors | 51 | 31 | .622 | 18 | 27–8 | 21–20 | 3–3 | 14–10 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 | 22 | 28–12 | 18–22 | 1–1 | 12–12 |
| Houston Rockets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 35 | 15–20 | 14–23 | 5–5 | 9–15 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 18 | 64 | .220 | 51 | 14–26 | 4–35 | 0–3 | 4–20 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 69 | 13 | .841 |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 63 | 19 | .768 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 57 | 25 | .695 |
| 4 | x-Golden State Warriors | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 |
| 6 | Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 7 | Houston Rockets | 34 | 48 | .415 |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | 26 | 56 | .317 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 18 | 64 | .220 |
* z – clinched division title
* y – clinched division title
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1971–72 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 |
| Baltimore | 4–2 | – | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 |
| Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 |
| Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | – | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 |
| Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | – | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 |
| Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | – | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
| Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | – | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
| Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | – | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 |
| Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | – | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 |
| Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | – | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
| New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | – | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 |
| Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | – | 0–6 |
| Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — |

### Game log

1971–72 game log Total: 47–35 (Home: 28–12; Road: 18–22; Neutral:1–1) :
October: 7–2 (home: 4–1; road: 3–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 12
@ Buffalo
W 123–90
Spencer Haywood (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,723
1–0
2
October 15
@ Portland
W 119–88
Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (23)
Memorial Coliseum 6,124
2–0
3
October 16
Milwaukee
L 91–98
Spencer Haywood (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,100
2–1
4
October 19
@ Cincinnati
W 101–100
Dick Snyder (24)
Cincinnati Gardens 2,967
3–1
5
October 20
@ Philadelphia
L 93–100
Don Kojis (18)
The Spectrum 10,365
3–2
6
October 22
Houston
W 110–91
Spencer Haywood (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,182
4–2
7
October 24
Cincinnati
W 119–101
Spencer Haywood (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,318
5–2
8
October 28
Buffalo
W 106–96
Barry Clemens (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,816
6–2
9
October 30
Los Angeles
W 115–106
Don Kojis (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,138
7–2 :
November
: 8–7 (home: 5–3; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10
November 4
@ Golden State
L 96–98
Spencer Haywood (31)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,814
7–3
11
November 5
New York
W 101–97
Lenny Wilkens (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,638
8–3
12
November 7
Golden State
L 102–109
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,197
8–4
13
November 11
Cleveland
W 110–91
Spencer Haywood (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,808
9–4
14
November 12
@ Los Angeles
L 107–115
Spencer Haywood (26)
The Forum 16,550
9–5
15
November 13
Boston
W 116 112
Lenny Wilkens (21)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,738
10–5
16
November 16
@ Chicago
L 87 95
Don Kojis (22)
Chicago Stadium 8,907
10–6
17
November 17
@ Atlanta
W 112–104
Spencer Haywood (23)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,462
11–6
18
November 19
Milwaukee
L 107–108
Spencer Haywood (36)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,914
11–7
19
November 20
@ Portland
W 104–100
Spencer Haywood (25)
Memorial Coliseum 6,634
12–7
20
November 21
Philadelphia
W 127–117
Don Smith (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,151
13–7
21
November 25
Los Angeles
L 115–139
Spencer Haywood (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,170
13–8
22
November 27
Detroit
W 124–102
Spencer Haywood (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,565
14–8
23
November 28
@ Los Angeles
L 121–138
Spencer Haywood (29)
The Forum 15,544
14–9
24
November 30
@ New York
W 110–109
Lenny Wilkens (29)
Madison Square Garden 18,111
15–9 :
December
: 7–9 (home: 3–3; road: 4–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
25
December 1
@ Philadelphia
L 98–102
Spencer Haywood (36)
The Spectrum 4,507
15–10
26
December 3
@ Baltimore
W 117–106
Spencer Haywood (35)
Baltimore Civic Center 3,480
16–10
27
December 4
@ Cincinnati
W 100–98
Spencer Haywood (25)
Cincinnati Gardens 2,643
17–10
28
December 5
@ Cleveland
W 99–91
Lenny Wilkens (27)
Cleveland Arena 5,029
18–10
29
December 7
@ Milwaukee
L 83–116
Don Smith (21)
Milwaukee Arena 9,061
18–11
30
December 10
Golden State
W 105–94
Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (21)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,928
19–11
31
December 12
@ Houston
L 98–100
Dick Snyder (23)
Hofheinz Pavilion 2,751
19–12
32
December 14
@ Detroit
W 103–86
Spencer Haywood (31)
Cobo Arena 3,465
20–12
33
December 15
@ Boston
L 100–112
Spencer Haywood (20)
Boston Garden 9,225
20–13
34
December 17
@ Milwaukee
L 113–120
Spencer Haywood (36)
Milwaukee Arena 9,360
20–14
35
December 18
Portland
W 107–105
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,532
21–14
36
December 19
Phoenix
W 130–127 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,189
22–14
37
December 22
New York
L 104–120
Don Smith (17)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,953
22–15
38
December 25
@ Phoenix
L 86–116
Lenny Wilkens (19)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,565
22–16
39
December 26
Chicago
L 102–103
Spencer Haywood (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,240
22–17
40
December 30
Los Angeles
L 106–122
Spencer Haywood (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,106
22–18 :
January
: 9–5 (home: 7–2; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
41
January 1
Buffalo
W 97–83
Don Smith (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,676
23–18
42
January 4
@ Houston
L 110–119
Spencer Haywood, Lee Winfield (22)
Hofheinz Pavilion 2,786
23–19
43
January 5
Atlanta
W 127–116
Lee Winfield (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,120
24–19
44
January 7
Cleveland
W 125–111
Spencer Haywood (48)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,169
25–19
45
January 9
Boston
W 125–119
Spencer Haywood (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,108
26–19
46
January 11
Houston
W 141–126
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,404
27–19
47
January 13
Baltimore
W 112–107
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,868
28–19
48
January 15
Phoenix
W 118–110
Spencer Haywood (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,693
29–19
49
January 21
Phoenix
L 113–128
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,751
29–20
50
January 23
New York
L 99–101
Dick Snyder (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,261
29–21
51
January 25
@ Milwaukee
L 91–123
Spencer Haywood (15)
Milwaukee Arena 9,046
29–22
52
January 26
@ Atlanta
W 131–119
Spencer Haywood (28)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 6,249
30–22
53
January 28
@ Buffalo
W 104–93
Don Smith (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 4,589
31–22
54
January 29
@ New York
L 106–110
Spencer Haywood (30)
Madison Square Garden 19,588
31–23 :
February
: 12–3 (home: 8–0; road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
55
February 1
@ Chicago
W 121–103
Spencer Haywood (27)
Chicago Stadium 7,886
32–23
56
February 2
Houston
L 88–111
Spencer Haywood (27)
San Antonio, TX 6,074
32–24
57
February 4
@ Cleveland
W 118–112
Lenny Wilkens (25)
Cleveland Arena 3,038
33–24
58
February 6
@ Boston
L 123–128
Spencer Haywood (32)
Boston Garden 7,246
33–25
59
February 8
Houston
W 127–119
Spencer Haywood (28)
Portland, OR 9,000
34–25
60
February 10
Cincinnati
W 118–96
Spencer Haywood (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,523
35–25
61
February 12
Portland
W 125–97
Spencer Haywood (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,348
36–25
62
February 13
@ Portland
W 127–117 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (44)
Memorial Coliseum 6,034
37–25
63
February 16
Boston
W 113–112
Spencer Haywood (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,120
38–25
64
February 18
Golden State
W 110–108
Lenny Wilkens (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,097
39–25
65
February 20
Portland
W 109–105
Dick Snyder (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,115
40–25
66
February 22
@ Golden State
L 104–120
Lenny Wilkens (26)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 7,063
40–26
67
February 23
Detroit
W 97–96
Spencer Haywood (38)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,359
41–26
68
February 26
Cincinnati
W 122–106
Spencer Haywood (38)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,089
42–26
69
February 29
@ Baltimore
W 118–117 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (38)
Baltimore Civic Center 6,187
43–26 :
March
: 4–9 (home: 2–3; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
70
March 1
@ Detroit
W 116–102
Lenny Wilkens (28)
Cobo Arena 2,954
44–26
71
March 3
Chicago
W 112–103
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,005
45–26
72
March 4
@ Golden State
L 96–114
Spencer Haywood (20)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 13,502
45–27
73
March 5
Atlanta
W 112–110
Lee Winfield (18)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,021
46–27
74
March 7
Baltimore
L 98–105
Lenny Wilkens (19)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,507
46–28
75
March 9
Philadelphia
L 123–128
Lenny Wilkens (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,971
46–29
76
March 12
Milwaukee
L 99–109
Gar Heard (17)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,129
46–30
77
March 14
@ Chicago
W 115–111
Lee Winfield (38)
Chicago Stadium 11,910
47–30
78
March 15
@ Atlanta
L 96–134
Lenny Wilkens (17)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,091
47–31
79
March 17
@ Baltimore
L 107–112
Lee Winfield (29)
Baltimore Civic Center 4,346
47–32
80
March 19
@ Philadelphia
L 100–115
Lee Winfield (26)
The Spectrum 9,828
47–33
81
March 25
@ Phoenix
L 99–118
Lee Winfield (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,189
47–34
82
March 26
@ Los Angeles
L 98–124
Gar Heard (21)
The Forum 17,505
47–35 :
1971–72 season schedule :

## Player statistics

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Fred Brown | 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 | 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.

## Transactions
### Overview

| Players Added | Players Lost |
| Via draft Fred Brown Jim McDaniels | Via trade Don Kojis Bob Rule Retired Tom Meschery Rod Thorn |

### Trades

| November 25, 1971 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Philadelphia 76ers |
| November 25, 1971 | 1972 second round pick (became Joby Wright) Future second round pick | Bob Rule |