# 2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 2001–02 NBA season was the 35th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Sonics signed free agents Calvin Booth, and Jerome James. Heading into Nate McMillan's first full season as head coach, the Sonics struggled losing five of their first seven games, and held a 9–14 start to the season. However, they won 14 of their next 20 games and played above .500 for the remainder of the season, holding a 25–23 record at the All-Star break, but lost six of their final eight games, finishing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 45–37 record, which was only a one-game improvement over the previous season where they missed the playoffs.
Gary Payton averaged 22.1 points, 9.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team, and was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition, Rashard Lewis averaged 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while Brent Barry provided the team with 14.4 points per game, Vin Baker contributed 14.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, but only played 55 games due to a shoulder injury, second-year forward Desmond Mason provided with 12.4 points per game off the bench, and top draft pick Vladimir Radmanovic was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Payton also finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting.
However, their season would end quickly as the Sonics lost in five games in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs to the San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan, who was named MVP following the season. This season was also Payton's final full season in Seattle, as he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks midway through next season. Also following the season, Baker and Shammond Williams were both traded to the Boston Celtics, and second round draft pick Earl Watson signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies.
For the season, the Sonics changed their primary logo, and added new uniforms, going back to their traditional color scheme of emerald green and yellow. The logo and uniforms both remained in use until 2008.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 12 | Vladimir Radmanovic | SF/PF | Yugoslavia | |
| 2 | 39 | Earl Watson | PG | United States | UCLA |
| 2 | 41 | Bobby Simmons | SF/PF | United States | DePaul |

## Roster
### Roster Notes

* Point Guard Shammond Williams holds American and Georgian dual citizenship. He was born in the United States but he later played on the Georgian national team.

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 36–5 | 25–16 | 15–9 |
| x-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3 | 34–7 | 24–17 | 16–8 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 12 | 30–11 | 19–22 | 14–10 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 16 | 26–15 | 19–22 | 13–11 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 9–15 |
| Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 25 | 23–18 | 13–28 | 12–12 |
| Golden State Warriors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 40 | 14–27 | 7–34 | 5–19 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3 |
| 3 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3 |
| 4 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 4 |
| 5 | x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
| 6 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 12 |
| 7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 16 |
| 8 | x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 17 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Clippers | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 10 | Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 25 |
| 11 | Houston Rockets | 28 | 54 | .341 | 33 |
| 12 | Denver Nuggets | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 |
| 13 | Memphis Grizzlies | 23 | 59 | .280 | 38 |
| 14 | Golden State Warriors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 40 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

2001-02 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| Boston | 2–2 | – | 2–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–2 | 1–2 | – | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | – | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Cleveland | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | – | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Memphis | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 |
| Miami | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | – | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| New Jersey | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | – | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| New York | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | – | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| Orlando | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | – | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Toronto | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 |
| Washington | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log
## Playoffs

2002 playoff game log :
First round: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 20
@ San Antonio
L 89–110
Vin Baker (22)
Vin Baker (7)
four players tied (2)
Alamodome 23,634
0–1
2
April 22
@ San Antonio
W 98–90
Gary Payton (21)
Gary Payton (11)
Gary Payton (5)
Alamodome 23,059
1–1
3
April 27
San Antonio
L 75–102
Gary Payton (20)
Brent Barry (8)
Gary Payton (6)
KeyArena 17,072
1–2
4
May 1
San Antonio
W 91–79
Gary Payton (28)
Gary Payton (12)
Gary Payton (11)
KeyArena 17,072
2–2
5
May 3
@ San Antonio
L 78–101
Gary Payton (23)
Gary Payton (9)
Gary Payton (5)
Alamodome 23,369
2–3 :
2002 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Gary Payton | 82 | 82 | 40.3 | .467 | .314 | .797 | 4.8 | 9.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
| Brent Barry | 81 | 81 | 37.5 | .508 | .424 | .846 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 14.4 |
| Rashard Lewis | 71 | 70 | 36.4 | .468 | .389 | .810 | 7.0 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 16.8 |
| Desmond Mason | 75 | 20 | 32.3 | .464 | .271 | .848 | 4.7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 12.4 |
| Vin Baker | 55 | 41 | 31.1 | .485 | .125 | .633 | 6.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 14.1 |
| Vladimir Radmanovic | 61 | 16 | 20.2 | .412 | .420 | .681 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 6.7 |
| Calvin Booth | 15 | 15 | 18.6 | .427 | | .958 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 6.2 |
| Predrag Drobnjak | 64 | 12 | 18.3 | .461 | .000 | .753 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 6.8 |
| Jerome James | 56 | 40 | 16.9 | .491 | | .500 | 4.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 5.3 |
| Ansu Sesay | 9 | 0 | 15.8 | .500 | | .700 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 6.4 |
| Art Long | 63 | 27 | 15.7 | .492 | | .529 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 4.5 |
| Earl Watson | 64 | 0 | 15.1 | .453 | .364 | .639 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 3.6 |
| Randy Livingston | 13 | 0 | 13.5 | .278 | .125 | .909 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| Shammond Williams | 50 | 2 | 12.1 | .420 | .373 | .795 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| Antonio Harvey | 5 | 3 | 9.4 | .333 | | .500 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 |
| Olumide Oyedeji | 36 | 1 | 6.1 | .537 | | .611 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 2/17/2017.

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Gary Payton | 5 | 5 | 41.4 | .425 | .267 | .586 | 8.6 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 22.2 |
| Desmond Mason | 5 | 5 | 41.0 | .421 | .333 | .588 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 11.8 |
| Brent Barry | 5 | 5 | 29.8 | .412 | .438 | 1.000 | 4.6 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 7.8 |
| Vin Baker | 5 | 4 | 28.8 | .500 | 1.000 | .778 | 5.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 13.2 |
| Rashard Lewis | 3 | 2 | 26.3 | .375 | .167 | 1.000 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 12.7 |
| Vladimir Radmanovic | 5 | 2 | 22.6 | .438 | .538 | 1.000 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 7.6 |
| Randy Livingston | 5 | 0 | 16.0 | .412 | .333 | 1.000 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Ansu Sesay | 4 | 0 | 15.0 | .375 | | 1.000 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| Jerome James | 5 | 1 | 14.0 | .391 | | .000 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| Predrag Drobnjak | 3 | 1 | 12.7 | .333 | | .500 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| Shammond Williams | 3 | 0 | 12.7 | .429 | .500 | .667 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 5.3 |
| Olumide Oyedeji | 3 | 0 | 5.7 | .800 | | .200 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 2/17/2017.

## Awards and records

* Gary Payton, All-NBA Second Team
* Gary Payton, NBA All-Defensive First Team
* Vladimir Radmanovic, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team