2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 35th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association.^[1] During the off-season, the SuperSonics signed free agents Calvin Booth,^[2][3] and Jerome James.^[4][5]

Under Nate McMillan's first full season as head coach, the SuperSonics struggled losing five of their first seven games, and held a 9–14 start to the regular season. However, the team won 14 of their next 20 games, and played above .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, holding a 25–23 record at the All-Star break.^[6] Despite losing six of their final eight games of the season, the SuperSonics finished in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a 45–37 record, which was only a one-game improvement over the previous season, earning the seventh seed in the Western Conference, and returning to the NBA playoffs after a one-year absence.^[7]

Gary Payton averaged 22.1 points, 9.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Rashard Lewis averaged 16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, along with 123 three-point field goals, while Brent Barry provided the team with 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and also led them with 164 three-point field goals, Vin Baker contributed 14.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, but only played 55 games due to a shoulder injury,^[8][9][10] and second-year forward Desmond Mason provided with 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, top draft pick Vladimir Radmanovic averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, rookie center Predrag Drobnjak provided with 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, and James contributed 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.^[11]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Payton was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team.^[12][13][14] Meanwhile, Mason participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second consecutive year,^[15][16] and was also selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as a member of the Sophomores team.^[17][18] Payton also finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting.^[19]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 2002 NBA playoffs, the SuperSonics faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Midwest Division champion San Antonio Spurs, who were led by All-Star forward, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Tim Duncan, All-Star center David Robinson, and rookie point guard Tony Parker. The SuperSonics lost Game 1 to the Spurs on the road, 110–89 at the Alamodome, but managed to win Game 2 on the road, 98–90. The SuperSonics lost Game 3 at home, 102–75 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center, but managed to win Game 4 over the Spurs at home, 91–79 to even the series at 2–2.^[20][21][22] However, the SuperSonics lost Game 5 to the Spurs at the Alamodome, 101–78, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.^[23][24][25]

The SuperSonics finished 21st in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 633,516 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center during the regular season.^[11][26] This was also Payton's final full season with the SuperSonics, as he would be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks midway through the next season.^[27][28][29] Also following the season, Baker and Shammond Williams were both traded to the Boston Celtics, after Baker spent five seasons with the SuperSonics,^[30][31][32] and rookie point guard, and second-round draft pick Earl Watson signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies.^[33][34]

For the season, the SuperSonics changed their primary logo,^[35] and added new uniforms,^[36][37] going back to their traditional color scheme of emerald green and yellow; the team's new primary logo, and new uniforms would both remain in use until 2008.