Last Updated on September 13, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Seattle SuperSonics > Roster & Statistics
The Seattle SuperSonics 1996–97 combined one of the league’s most efficient offenses with strong defensive play, led by Gary Payton’s all-around impact as the primary scorer, playmaker, and perimeter defender. Shawn Kemp anchored the frontcourt with interior scoring and rebounding, while Detlef Schrempf and Hersey Hawkins added versatile scoring, shooting, and secondary playmaking, giving Seattle a balanced attack supported by efficient ball movement and reliable defense.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Craig Ehlo | SG | 6-6 | 180 | August 11, 1961 | Odessa College, Washington State |
| 10 | Nate McMillan | PG | 6-5 | 195 | August 3, 1964 | NC State |
| 11 | Detlef Schrempf | SF | 6-10 | 235 | January 21, 1963 | Washington |
| 13 | Eric Snow | PG | 6-3 | 190 | April 24, 1973 | Michigan State |
| 14 | Sam Perkins | C | 6-9 | 235 | June 14, 1961 | UNC |
| 20 | Gary Payton | PG | 6-4 | 180 | July 23, 1968 | Oregon State |
| 21 | Greg Graham | SG | 6-4 | 174 | November 26, 1970 | Indiana |
| 22 | Jim McIlvaine | C | 7-1 | 240 | July 30, 1972 | Marquette |
| 23 | Larry Stewart | SF | 6-8 | 220 | September 21, 1968 | Coppin State University |
| 24 | Antonio Harvey | PF | 6-11 | 225 | July 6, 1970 | Southern Illinois, Georgia, Pfeiffer University |
| 25 | David Wingate | SG | 6-5 | 185 | December 15, 1963 | Georgetown |
| 27 | Elmore Spencer | C | 7-0 | 270 | December 6, 1969 | Georgia, UNLV |
| 33 | Hersey Hawkins | SG | 6-3 | 190 | September 29, 1966 | Bradley |
| 34 | Terry Cummings | PF | 6-9 | 220 | March 15, 1961 | DePaul |
| 40 | Shawn Kemp | PF | 6-10 | 230 | November 26, 1969 | Trinity Valley CC, Kentucky |
| 55 | Steve Scheffler | C | 6-9 | 250 | September 3, 1967 | Purdue |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 82 | 82 | 39.2 | 21.8 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 18.1 | 8.6 | .476 | 4.6 | 1.5 | .313 | 4.3 | 3.1 | .715 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 81 | 75 | 34.0 | 18.7 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 12.7 | 6.5 | .510 | 0.4 | 0.1 | .364 | 7.5 | 5.6 | .742 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 82 | 82 | 33.6 | 13.9 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 9.7 | 4.5 | .464 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .403 | 3.6 | 3.1 | .875 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 61 | 60 | 35.9 | 16.8 | 6.5 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 11.9 | 5.8 | .492 | 2.6 | 0.9 | .354 | 5.2 | 4.1 | .801 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 81 | 4 | 24.4 | 11.0 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 8.2 | 3.6 | .439 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .395 | 2.8 | 2.3 | .817 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 45 | 3 | 18.4 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 7.1 | 3.4 | .486 | 0.1 | 0.1 | .600 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .695 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 82 | 79 | 18.0 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 1.6 | .471 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .143 | 1.3 | 0.6 | .495 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 70 | 21 | 14.0 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 1.6 | .444 | 0.5 | 0.1 | .243 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .720 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 65 | 2 | 14.3 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 1.4 | .416 | 1.1 | 0.4 | .352 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .825 |
| Craig Ehlo | SG | 35 | 62 | 0 | 13.7 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 1.4 | .351 | 1.5 | 0.4 | .284 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .500 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 67 | 0 | 11.6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .451 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .267 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .712 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 37 | 2 | 21.6 | 4.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 1.6 | .409 | 2.3 | 0.8 | .333 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .655 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 28 | 0 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 1.0 | .363 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .290 | 1.4 | 0.9 | .650 |
| Antonio Harvey | PF | 26 | 6 | 0 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | .833 | |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 29 | 7 | 0 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | .857 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .500 | |
| Elmore Spencer | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.2 | 100.9 | 40.0 | 23.5 | 11.0 | 4.7 | 15.0 | 78.2 | 36.5 | .467 | 19.3 | 6.8 | .353 | 28.0 | 21.0 | .752 |
Playoff Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 12 | 12 | 45.5 | 23.8 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 21.3 | 8.8 | .412 | 6.3 | 2.1 | .333 | 5.1 | 4.2 | .820 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 12 | 12 | 36.8 | 21.6 | 12.3 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3.9 | 14.6 | 7.1 | .486 | 0.8 | 0.2 | .200 | 8.8 | 7.3 | .829 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 12 | 12 | 38.3 | 16.9 | 5.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 11.8 | 5.6 | .472 | 2.4 | 1.3 | .552 | 5.4 | 4.4 | .815 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 12 | 12 | 40.3 | 15.3 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 11.0 | 5.2 | .470 | 4.9 | 2.3 | .458 | 2.9 | 2.7 | .914 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 12 | 6 | 24.3 | 8.8 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 7.7 | 3.8 | .489 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .667 | |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 12 | 6 | 28.3 | 8.4 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 7.7 | 2.6 | .337 | 3.8 | 1.2 | .311 | 2.4 | 2.1 | .862 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 12 | 0 | 16.0 | 6.4 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 5.5 | 2.3 | .424 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .387 | 1.1 | 0.8 | .692 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 4 | 0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 | .833 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .500 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 8 | 0 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | .455 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .500 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .500 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 6 | 0 | 7.2 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 0.7 | .286 | 0.7 | 0.2 | .250 | 0.7 | 0.5 | .750 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 5 | 0 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 | .571 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .500 | |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 3 | 0 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Team Totals | 12 | 12 | 244.2 | 105.1 | 42.8 | 23.4 | 10.1 | 4.1 | 13.6 | 82.8 | 36.8 | .444 | 21.8 | 8.3 | .383 | 28.5 | 23.3 | .816 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 82 | 82 | 3213 | 20.0 | 4.2 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 16.6 | 7.9 | .476 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .313 | 4.0 | 2.8 | .715 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 81 | 75 | 2750 | 19.8 | 10.6 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 13.5 | 6.9 | .510 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .364 | 8.0 | 5.9 | .742 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 82 | 82 | 2755 | 14.9 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 10.4 | 4.8 | .464 | 4.6 | 1.9 | .403 | 3.9 | 3.4 | .875 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 61 | 60 | 2192 | 16.8 | 6.5 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 11.9 | 5.8 | .492 | 2.6 | 0.9 | .354 | 5.2 | 4.2 | .801 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 81 | 4 | 1976 | 16.2 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 12.0 | 5.3 | .439 | 5.6 | 2.2 | .395 | 4.2 | 3.4 | .817 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 45 | 3 | 828 | 16.1 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 13.9 | 6.7 | .486 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .600 | 3.6 | 2.5 | .695 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 82 | 79 | 1477 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 6.7 | 3.2 | .471 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .143 | 2.6 | 1.3 | .495 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 70 | 21 | 982 | 11.0 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 9.2 | 4.1 | .444 | 1.4 | 0.3 | .243 | 3.4 | 2.5 | .720 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 65 | 2 | 929 | 9.1 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 8.3 | 3.4 | .416 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .352 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .825 |
| Craig Ehlo | SG | 35 | 62 | 0 | 848 | 9.1 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 10.5 | 3.7 | .351 | 4.0 | 1.1 | .284 | 1.1 | 0.6 | .500 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 67 | 0 | 775 | 9.2 | 3.3 | 7.4 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 7.6 | 3.4 | .451 | 0.7 | 0.2 | .267 | 3.1 | 2.2 | .712 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 37 | 2 | 798 | 7.6 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 6.7 | 2.8 | .409 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .333 | 1.3 | 0.9 | .655 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 28 | 0 | 197 | 17.0 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 14.6 | 5.3 | .363 | 5.7 | 1.6 | .290 | 7.3 | 4.8 | .650 |
| Antonio Harvey | PF | 26 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 20.8 | 13.8 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 15.2 | 6.9 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 6.9 | .833 | |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 29 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 16.1 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.2 | 8.7 | 7.4 | .857 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .500 | |
| Elmore Spencer | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 12 | 12 | 442 | 21.1 | 12.1 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 14.3 | 6.9 | .486 | 0.8 | 0.2 | .200 | 8.6 | 7.1 | .829 |
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 12 | 12 | 546 | 18.8 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 16.8 | 6.9 | .412 | 4.9 | 1.6 | .333 | 4.0 | 3.3 | .820 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 12 | 12 | 459 | 15.9 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 11.1 | 5.3 | .472 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .552 | 5.1 | 4.2 | .815 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 12 | 0 | 192 | 14.4 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 5.8 | 2.3 | .424 | 5.8 | 2.3 | .387 | 2.4 | 1.7 | .692 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 12 | 12 | 483 | 13.6 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 9.8 | 4.6 | .470 | 4.4 | 2.0 | .458 | 2.6 | 2.4 | .914 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 12 | 6 | 292 | 13.1 | 8.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 11.3 | 5.5 | .489 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | .667 | |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 12 | 6 | 340 | 10.7 | 5.6 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 9.7 | 3.3 | .337 | 4.8 | 1.5 | .311 | 3.1 | 2.6 | .862 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 29.3 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 13.5 | 11.3 | .833 | 4.5 | 2.3 | .500 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1.000 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 8 | 0 | 48 | 9.7 | 1.5 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.2 | 3.7 | .455 | 3.0 | 1.5 | .500 | 1.5 | 0.7 | .500 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 10.0 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 11.7 | 3.3 | .286 | 3.3 | 0.8 | .250 | 3.3 | 2.5 | .750 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 11.6 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 9.0 | 5.1 | .571 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 1.3 | .500 | |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 82 | 82 | 3213 | 1785 | 378 | 583 | 197 | 13 | 215 | 1482 | 706 | .476 | 380 | 119 | .313 | 355 | 254 | .715 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 81 | 75 | 2750 | 1516 | 807 | 156 | 125 | 81 | 280 | 1032 | 526 | .510 | 33 | 12 | .364 | 609 | 452 | .742 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 82 | 82 | 2755 | 1139 | 320 | 250 | 159 | 12 | 130 | 795 | 369 | .464 | 355 | 143 | .403 | 295 | 258 | .875 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 61 | 60 | 2192 | 1022 | 394 | 266 | 63 | 16 | 150 | 724 | 356 | .492 | 161 | 57 | .354 | 316 | 253 | .801 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 81 | 4 | 1976 | 889 | 300 | 103 | 69 | 49 | 77 | 661 | 290 | .439 | 309 | 122 | .395 | 229 | 187 | .817 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 45 | 3 | 828 | 370 | 183 | 39 | 33 | 7 | 45 | 319 | 155 | .486 | 5 | 3 | .600 | 82 | 57 | .695 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 82 | 79 | 1477 | 314 | 330 | 23 | 39 | 164 | 62 | 276 | 130 | .471 | 7 | 1 | .143 | 107 | 53 | .495 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 70 | 21 | 982 | 300 | 171 | 52 | 31 | 23 | 63 | 252 | 112 | .444 | 37 | 9 | .243 | 93 | 67 | .720 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 65 | 2 | 929 | 236 | 74 | 80 | 44 | 5 | 37 | 214 | 89 | .416 | 71 | 25 | .352 | 40 | 33 | .825 |
| Craig Ehlo | SG | 35 | 62 | 0 | 848 | 214 | 110 | 68 | 36 | 4 | 45 | 248 | 87 | .351 | 95 | 27 | .284 | 26 | 13 | .500 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 67 | 0 | 775 | 199 | 70 | 159 | 37 | 3 | 48 | 164 | 74 | .451 | 15 | 4 | .267 | 66 | 47 | .712 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 37 | 2 | 798 | 169 | 118 | 140 | 58 | 6 | 32 | 149 | 61 | .409 | 84 | 28 | .333 | 29 | 19 | .655 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 28 | 0 | 197 | 93 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 80 | 29 | .363 | 31 | 9 | .290 | 40 | 26 | .650 |
| Antonio Harvey | PF | 26 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 5 | .455 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | .833 | |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 29 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 6 | .857 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Elmore Spencer | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19780 | 8274 | 3281 | 1931 | 904 | 388 | 1201 | 6415 | 2995 | .467 | 1583 | 559 | .353 | 2295 | 1725 | .752 |
Playoff Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | PG | 28 | 12 | 12 | 546 | 285 | 65 | 104 | 26 | 4 | 35 | 255 | 105 | .412 | 75 | 25 | .333 | 61 | 50 | .820 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 27 | 12 | 12 | 442 | 259 | 148 | 36 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 175 | 85 | .486 | 10 | 2 | .200 | 105 | 87 | .829 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 34 | 12 | 12 | 459 | 203 | 69 | 41 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 142 | 67 | .472 | 29 | 16 | .552 | 65 | 53 | .815 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 30 | 12 | 12 | 483 | 183 | 54 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 21 | 132 | 62 | .470 | 59 | 27 | .458 | 35 | 32 | .914 |
| Terry Cummings | PF | 35 | 12 | 6 | 292 | 106 | 72 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 92 | 45 | .489 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 16 | .667 | |
| Sam Perkins | C | 35 | 12 | 6 | 340 | 101 | 53 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 92 | 31 | .337 | 45 | 14 | .311 | 29 | 25 | .862 |
| David Wingate | SG | 33 | 12 | 0 | 192 | 77 | 37 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 66 | 28 | .424 | 31 | 12 | .387 | 13 | 9 | .692 |
| Larry Stewart | SF | 28 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | .833 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Eric Snow | PG | 23 | 8 | 0 | 48 | 13 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | .455 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 2 | 1 | .500 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 26 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | .286 | 4 | 1 | .250 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| Jim McIlvaine | C | 24 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | .571 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 32 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Team Totals | 12 | 12 | 2930 | 1261 | 513 | 281 | 121 | 49 | 163 | 994 | 441 | .444 | 261 | 100 | .383 | 342 | 279 | .816 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | Primary Offensive Engine (1.1) | 39.2 | High | 21.8 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 2.6 | 95.30 | Seattle increasingly ran through Payton as its late-clock creator, but his value went well beyond scoring. In March, he scored 20 of his 32 points after halftime against Orlando and explained that he picked his spots when the team needed a lift, a good snapshot of his control over the offense. (Los Angeles Times) | MVP voting: 6th; DPOY voting: 2nd; All-Star (1997); All-NBA Second Team; All-Defensive First Team |
| Shawn Kemp | Two-Way Interior Superstar (1.1) | 34.0 | High | 18.7 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 87.38 | Kemp remained Seattle’s explosive interior finisher and primary rebounder, with his athleticism driving much of the team’s half-court and transition pressure. Contemporary coverage also shows his defensive versatility, including a flagrant foul on Elden Campbell while defending a pick-and-roll, and his ability to carry heavy offensive stretches against Houston. (Los Angeles Times) | DPOY voting: T-6th; All-Star (1997) |
| Detlef Schrempf | Versatile Secondary Creator (1.05) | 35.9 | Medium | 16.8 | 6.5 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 66.99 | Schrempf functioned as Seattle’s connective forward, able to score from the perimeter, facilitate from the frontcourt and punish smaller lineups. His importance was obvious when he returned from a foot injury after 17 games and later led Seattle with 24 points in the decisive Phoenix series-clincher, including timely three-point shooting. (Los Angeles Times) | All-Star (1997) |
| Hersey Hawkins | Starting Two-Way Shooter (1.05) | 33.6 | Medium | 13.9 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 52.67 | Hawkins supplied the spacing and perimeter defense that allowed Payton and Kemp to dominate possessions without crowding the floor. His shooting was particularly valuable against Houston, where he erupted for four straight threes during a late comeback attempt and later scored 23 points in Seattle’s Game 5 win. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Sam Perkins | Sixth Man Stretch Center (1.05) | 24.4 | Medium | 11.0 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 40.43 | Perkins was Seattle’s veteran spacing big and one of the league’s more unusual sixth-man centers for the era. He could change a game without needing a large offensive workload; in April he hit a late three-pointer against Denver, while in the Houston series he stepped into a rare starting assignment and battled Hakeem Olajuwon nearly point-for-point. | Sixth Man of the Year voting: T-5th; All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest (1997) |
| Terry Cummings | Veteran Post Scorer (1.0) | 18.4 | Low | 8.2 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 28.20 | Cummings arrived during the season as an experienced interior scorer rather than a centerpiece, giving George Karl another physical option when Seattle needed offense from its second unit. His value was situational, with his veteran scoring and strength helping stabilize a frontcourt rotation built around Kemp and Perkins. (Teknopedia) | None |
| Nate McMillan | Defensive Floor General (1.05) | 21.6 | Low | 4.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 28.14 | McMillan’s impact was still rooted in point-of-attack defense, ball pressure and veteran organization, but an adductor injury severely restricted his availability. Contemporary reporting noted that he remained involved from the bench while injured, reinforcing how Seattle viewed him as a defensive organizer even when he could not provide his usual minutes. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Jim McIlvaine | Starting Rim Protector (1.05) | 18.0 | Low | 3.8 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 22.26 | McIlvaine’s job was principally defensive: occupy the middle, contest at the rim and provide size behind Seattle’s aggressive perimeter defenders. The enormous contract created expectations for a larger offensive role, but contemporary reporting described his actual contribution as limited, making his defensive presence much more important than his scoring. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Larry Stewart | Physical Forward Reserve (1.0) | 14.0 | Low | 4.3 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 16.20 | Stewart entered the season competing for a place in a crowded Seattle forward rotation, with contemporary reporting describing the competition among the team’s free-agent forwards as physical. His eventual role was modest, but his size and willingness to battle for minutes gave Karl useful frontcourt depth behind Kemp and Schrempf. (Spokesman-Review) | None |
| Craig Ehlo | Veteran Guard Reserve (1.0) | 13.7 | Low | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 14.20 | Ehlo was brought in as a veteran perimeter option, but his Seattle stint never developed into a meaningful rotation role. By February, Washington Post coverage described his signing as a disappointment and noted his limited offensive production, illustrating how quickly he fell behind the team’s established guards. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Eric Snow | Developing Backup Point Guard (1.0) | 11.6 | Low | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 14.00 | Snow was still a developmental point guard buried behind Payton and McMillan, so his job was primarily to organize second-unit possessions and absorb spot minutes. His limited usage reflected Seattle’s veteran-heavy guard rotation rather than an absence of point-guard responsibilities. (Wikipedia) | None |
| David Wingate | Defensive Specialist Reserve (1.0) | 14.3 | Low | 3.6 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 13.40 | Wingate was known primarily for defense and occasionally produced offense beyond his normal assignment. That became decisive against Phoenix, when the veteran reserve scored 14 fourth-quarter points in Game 5 and was singled out by the Washington Post as the pivotal player in Seattle’s series-clinching win. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Antonio Harvey | Frontcourt Depth Piece (1.0) | 4.3 | Low | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 10.20 | Harvey occupied an emergency frontcourt role in a crowded Seattle rotation and saw only brief opportunities before leaving the team. His minutes were essentially matchup and depth insurance behind Kemp, Cummings and the center rotation rather than a regular offensive assignment. (Teknopedia) | None |
| Greg Graham | Deep Rotation Shooting Guard (1.0) | 7.0 | Low | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 9.20 | Graham’s role was limited, but Karl could turn to him for short stretches when Seattle needed another perimeter body. One March win over Orlando showed the value of those minutes in a team context, as Graham helped close the game by making free throws alongside Perkins and Hawkins. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Steve Scheffler | Emergency Center Reserve (1.0) | 4.1 | Low | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.60 | Limited contemporary independent reporting was available on Scheffler’s 1996–97 season. His role was essentially deep frontcourt insurance, with Seattle turning to him only when its established center rotation needed additional size. | None |
| Elmore Spencer | Emergency Center Reserve (1.0) | 5.0 | Low | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.00 | Contemporary independent coverage of Spencer’s brief Seattle stint was extremely limited. His appearance amounted to emergency center depth rather than a sustained rotation role, and the lack of a regular offensive or defensive assignment is consistent with how little he was used. | None |
| Team Totals | 241.2 | 100.9 | 40.0 | 23.5 | 15.7 | Seattle’s rotation combined a star-led offensive structure with a deep defensive identity. The team entered the season trying to return to the Finals, won 57 games and again relied heavily on Payton, Kemp and Schrempf while using veterans such as Perkins, Hawkins and McMillan to balance the lineup. (HistoryLink) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Payton | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 45.5 | High | 23.8 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 2.5 | 106.66 | Lead ball-handler and late-clock creator, Payton carried an enormous offensive and defensive burden throughout the postseason. Seattle repeatedly trusted him to create the decisive possession, including a spinning left-handed hook with 12.1 seconds left to beat Houston in Game 6, while his request to guard Matt Maloney showed how seriously he embraced the defensive matchup as well. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Shawn Kemp | Two-Way Interior Superstar (1.1) | 36.8 | High | 21.6 | 12.3 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 104.02 | Explosive interior scorer and dominant glass cleaner, Kemp was the Sonics’ main frontcourt pressure point whenever the offense needed to get downhill. His 24-point, 20-rebound Game 5 against Phoenix showed how much Seattle relied on his physicality, while Houston repeatedly made him work through a rugged series that finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds in Game 7. (Spokesman-Review) | None |
| Detlef Schrempf | Versatile Frontcourt Creator (1.05) | 38.3 | Medium | 16.9 | 5.8 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 63.06 | Stretch forward and secondary creator, Schrempf gave Seattle a calmer offensive option when Payton and Kemp drew heavy pressure. He led the Sonics with 24 points to close out Phoenix and hit a pair of important threes during the Suns’ fourth-quarter push, while his size allowed Seattle to keep a skilled passer and shooter on the floor without sacrificing frontcourt versatility. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Hersey Hawkins | Defensive Shooting Guard (1.05) | 40.3 | Medium | 15.3 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 58.67 | Perimeter stopper and movement shooter, Hawkins took on difficult defensive assignments while providing reliable spacing around Seattle’s stars. He scored 23 points in the crucial Game 5 win over Houston while helping shut down Matt Maloney and Mario Elie, and his 40-plus-minute workload shows how indispensable his two-way role became during the series. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Sam Perkins | Stretch-Center Connector (1.05) | 28.3 | Medium | 8.4 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 37.19 | Floor-spacing center and veteran connector, Perkins was asked to pull opposing bigs away from the paint and absorb difficult defensive minutes. Houston specifically targeted him and Hawkins as the more vulnerable supporting pieces in Game 3, but Perkins still provided the sort of spacing Seattle needed around Payton and Kemp, including a timely three-pointer during the first round against Phoenix. (The Washington Post) | None |
| Terry Cummings | Veteran Interior Scoring Reserve (1.0) | 24.3 | Low | 8.8 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 34.80 | Physical second-unit forward, Cummings supplied veteran offense when Seattle needed another player capable of attacking the interior without demanding a featured role. His importance was particularly visible in Game 6 against Houston, when he helped fuel an 11-0 third-quarter run with a jumper and two free throws after the Rockets had begun cutting into Seattle’s lead. (The Washington Post) | None |
| David Wingate | Instant-Offense Defensive Reserve (1.0) | 16.0 | Low | 6.4 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 22.80 | Defensive-minded reserve who could suddenly become an offensive factor, Wingate produced one of Seattle’s biggest bench bursts in the Phoenix series. He scored 19 points off the bench in the deciding Game 5, including a pair of fourth-quarter threes that helped halt the Suns’ comeback and gave Seattle badly needed perimeter offense. (Los Angeles Times) | None |
| Greg Graham | Deep Rotation Guard (1.0) | 7.2 | Low | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 8.20 | Deep reserve guard with a very narrow playoff assignment, Graham appeared mainly when Seattle needed another perimeter body rather than another creator. His opportunities disappeared almost entirely in the Houston series; contemporary game coverage shows him receiving only a handful of minutes, underscoring how short Karl’s trusted postseason rotation became. (Basketball Reference) | None |
| Larry Stewart | Emergency Forward Reserve (1.0) | 4.0 | Low | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 9.80 | Limited contemporary independent coverage was available on Stewart’s playoff role. His appearances were strictly situational, with the Houston series reducing him to two brief games as Seattle leaned heavily on its established frontcourt rotation rather than expanding the bench. | None |
| Eric Snow | Third-Unit Point Guard (1.0) | 6.0 | Low | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 7.80 | Developing reserve point guard, Snow was trusted mainly to organize short second-unit stretches behind Payton and the veteran McMillan. His limited playoff workload reflected the coaching staff’s preference for established guards in high-pressure situations; he logged only brief appearances against Houston rather than receiving a meaningful rotation assignment. | None |
| Nate McMillan | Defensive Veteran Spot Guard (1.05) | 13.7 | Low | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 6.30 | Defensive veteran and locker-room organizer, McMillan’s playoff contribution was severely constrained by the physical limitations that had already reduced his regular-season availability. He appeared in only three postseason games and was absent from the Houston rotation in the later games, leaving Payton to absorb much of the lead-guard workload. | None |
| Jim McIlvaine | Situational Rim Protector (1.0) | 5.6 | Low | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 5.60 | Shot-blocking center used almost entirely as a matchup option, McIlvaine never established a regular postseason rotation role. He appeared in only three games against Houston, and Seattle increasingly relied on its smaller, more mobile frontcourt combinations as the series became a physical seven-game battle. | None |
| Team Totals | 244.2 | 105.1 | 42.8 | 23.4 | 14.2 | Seattle’s postseason identity revolved around Payton’s high-volume creation, Kemp’s interior force and a versatile supporting group capable of changing defensive matchups. The Sonics survived a five-game Phoenix series before pushing Houston to seven games after falling behind 3-1, but the Rockets ultimately disrupted Seattle’s preferred rhythm and ended its season. (Los Angeles Times) | None |