Off the Record - Sep. 2005
When reporters want a little more information from a source, they go off the record. When you want a little more information about the Sonics from SUPERSONICS.COM, check out the "Off the Record" blog, which features interesting tidbits and odds and ends that don't lend themselves to a full article. We'll also answer some fan questions from time to time, so send yours to sonicsconnection@sonics-storm.com.
You Can Feel it in the Air
Posted on September 23
A bit of a chill in the air this morning in Seattle, and while nobody's particularly excited about that, it does mean there's a feeling that the NBA season is almost here. That's definitely the case at The Furtado Center, where I was yesterday (and will be today) to help out with the Sonics and Storm's
Hurricane Relief Efforts and where things are beginning to heat up with media day just 10 days away. Eight Sonics players are in town working out right now, while
Vladimir Radmanovic just finished playing Euroleague (Serbia & Montenegro was eliminated by France Tuesday) and
Damien Wilkins, who has been in town, had to leave to take part in the NBA's Rookie Transition program (he didn't participate last year because he was still unsigned).
Adding to the excitement was the Sonics re-signing Radmanovic on Wednesday.
"It's good to get as many of those guys back that were part of the core as possible," said Bob Weiss.
"It's good to have him back, because he really opens it up for us and spreads the floor for us," added 
Rashard Lewis. "I'm glad. "We're trying to get as many guys back as possible."
NBA Announces D-League Affiliations
Posted on September 19
For the first time, the NBA will have a true minor-league system starting in the 2005-06 season after the system was negotiated into the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NBA
announced today the affiliations between NBA teams and NBA Development League franchises. Your Seattle SuperSonics will, along with the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz, share the new
Albuquerque Thunderbirds franchise, which moved to New Mexico from Huntsville, Ala. this summer. The Thunderbirds will be coached by former Denver Nuggets Interim Head Coach
Michael Cooper, who won two WNBA Championships as the coach of the Los Angeles Sparks and played his college ball at New Mexico.
Radmanovic in Eurobasket
Posted on September 19
Radmanovic
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Eurobasket 2005 is currently taking place in Serbia & Montenegro, and Sonics forward
Vladimir Radmanovic is one of five current NBA players on the home team (he's joined by Marko Jaric of the Timberwolves, New Jersey's Nenad Krstic, Detroit's Darko Milicic and Zeljko Rebraca of the L.A. Clippers, as well as former NBA player Igor Rakocevic and European legend Dejan Bodiroga). In pool play, Radmanovic averaged 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in three games, shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Serbia & Montenegro went 2-1 to finish second in Pool D. On Tuesday, they'll take on France in an elimination game.
In that game, Radmanovic will take on a potential future teammate. Sonics second-round pick Mickael Gelabale is on the French squad, along with NBA players Boris Diaw (Phoenix), Mickael Pietrus (Golden State) and Tony Parker (San Antonio). France went 1-2 to finish third in Group C. Gelabale averaged 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in pool play.
Lewis
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Lewis Participates in Hurricane Relief Game
Posted on
September 12
The NBA and its players have been very active in responding to Hurricane Katrina and the devestation it caused in the Gulf Coast. Last night, Sonics forward
Rashard Lewis joined several other NBA stars in his hometown of Houston to play in a charity benefit for hurricane victims at the Toytota Center organized by TNT ananlyst and former NBA player Kenny Smith. The West won the game 114-95, but the action on the court was of secondary importance to heling out the victims. Each of the players participating donated at least $10,000 in money or supplies to the relief effort, and players also visited local shelters in the Houston area.
For more on the Hurricane Relief Game, check out NBA.com and Rockets.com.
Spotlight on Brunson
Posted on September 7
Brunson
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If you happened to check out ESPN.com's NBA page over Labor Day Weekend, you couldn't have missed
a feature on one of the newest Sonics, guard
Rick Brunson. Ric Bucher has a wonderful piece that highlights Brunson nearing the achievement of his goal of playing 10 years in the NBA without the luxury of long-term contracts or a high draft choice, as well as Brunson celebrating completing his degree from Temple University.
Don't look for Brunson's work ethic to change after the Sonics put on a full-court press to bring him to Seattle as a free agent.
"My first thought was I have to work even harder to prove I haven't relaxed," he's quoted as saying.
With training camp now less than four weeks away, players have begun trickling into Seattle to work out informally at The Furtado Center. Spotted yesterday were 
Ray Allen, 
Luke Ridnour and 
Robert Swift, while 
Nick Collison and Rashard Lewis have both been around as well.
Still More Moore
Posted on September 1
Headline writers everywhere rejoice when a guy with a name like Mikki Moore joins the team. Expect us to run that pun well into the ground by the end of the season. The local dailies checked in with their take on the signing this morning. John Boyle of the
Seattle Times shares the story of
how Moore got his nickname, Mikki, while the
Seattle P-I's Mark Bergin notes Moore hinted his deal is for
one year with a player option. Of course, SUPERSONICS.COM offered
its own take.
As you might guess from the nickname anecdote, Moore's introduction to the Seattle media was pretty light-hearted. He also explained to us how he ended up at Nebraska (his mom would have been at his dorm room every weekend, so he had to get beyond driving distance of South Carolina, plus they showed him Omaha and he figured it was closer to Lincoln than it was) as well as that he grew eigth inches during the summer between ninth grade and 10th grade, going through three shoe sizes. His mom was upset then, but it ended up paying off pretty handsomely.
