Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | October 1, 2006
Despite being greeted by gray skies for the first time during the Sonics & Storm Legends Tour, families turned out in full force Saturday at Daniel Bagley Elementary to honor former Sonics forward Tom Chambers and celebrate the court at Bagley Elementary. Originally refurbished by the Sonics & Storm Foundation in 2004, the Bagley NeighborHoops court got a facelift for its rededication, including repainted lines on the court and new glass backboards.
Bagley Elementary Principal Birgit McShane thanked the Sonics for their support before emcee David Locke turned the program over to Chambers, whose speech did not disappoint.
After beginning by noting the 18 years since he last played in Seattle, Chambers made a joke at his own expense.
"These kids getting my autograph have no idea who I am, unless their parents told them," Chambers said. "But what we're doing is so important for these kids."
The event was crowded with children, many of whom attend Bagley Elementary.
Chambers called his time in Seattle "Some of the best years of my career." He then went on to describe in detail to the crowd two of the best memories - the 1987 All-Star Game, which saw him named MVP after scoring 34 points, and the 1987 Playoffs, when the Sonics advanced to the Western Conference Finals as the seventh seed.
Chambers was not originally selected for the 1987 All-Star Game, but joined the West team as a replacement for the injured Ralph Sampson.
"Coach Pat Riley, who is a smart coach - he just won the championship in Miami - asked me to start," Chambers recalled. "He wanted 50,000 fans on his side."
The West was down about 10 with about three minutes to go, as Chambers tells it, when Magic Johnson "decided we were going to win." Two Rolando Blackman free throws sent the game to overtime, where Chambers continued to star. 18 of his 34 points came in fourth quarter and overtime as the West won 154-149.
That spring, Chambers recalled, the Sonics took on the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the playoffs. After taking Game 2 in Dallas, the Sonics came home - but not to the Seattle Center Coliseum or even the Kingdome, which were both booked. (Possibly because no on expected the Sonics, widely picked to finish last, to make the playoffs, Chambers suggested.) The team was forced to play Games 3 and 4 at Hec Edmundson Pavilion on the UW campus.
"We had the college band, the college cheerleaders," said Chambers. With that atmosphere, the Sonics swept the two games to defeat the Mavericks en route to the Western Conference Finals.
"1987 was a great year for the Sonics and for Tom Chambers," he said. Saturday was a great day for both as well.
Get Sonics News Delivered to You!