Last Updated on September 13, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Seattle SuperSonics > Roster & Statistics
The Seattle SuperSonics 1998–99 were led by Gary Payton, whose scoring, playmaking, and defensive production drove one of the league’s more efficient offenses. Vin Baker and Detlef Schrempf provided dependable secondary scoring and rebounding, while Hersey Hawkins added perimeter shooting. Despite balanced offensive contributions and strong ball movement, the team’s statistical profile showed defensive shortcomings that outweighed its offensive efficiency and contributed to an even record.
Roster
| NO | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Olden Polynice | C | 7-0 | 250 | November 21, 1964 | Virginia |
| 4 | James Cotton | SG | 6-5 | 220 | December 14, 1975 | Cal State Long Beach |
| 5 | Vladimir Stepania | C | 7-0 | 236 | May 8, 1976 | |
| 6 | Moochie Norris | PG | 6-1 | 175 | July 27, 1973 | Auburn, University of West Florida |
| 7 | Rashard Lewis | SF | 6-10 | 215 | August 8, 1979 | |
| 9 | Dale Ellis | SF | 6-7 | 205 | August 6, 1960 | Tennessee |
| 11 | Detlef Schrempf | SF | 6-10 | 235 | January 21, 1963 | Washington |
| 12 | Drew Barry | SG | 6-5 | 191 | February 17, 1973 | Georgia Tech |
| 15 | Aaron Williams | PF | 6-9 | 220 | October 2, 1971 | Xavier |
| 20 | Gary Payton | PG | 6-4 | 180 | July 23, 1968 | Oregon State |
| 22 | John Crotty | PG | 6-1 | 185 | July 15, 1969 | Virginia |
| 24 | Don MacLean | PF | 6-10 | 235 | January 16, 1970 | UCLA |
| 30 | Billy Owens | SF | 6-9 | 225 | May 1, 1969 | Syracuse |
| 33 | Hersey Hawkins | SG | 6-3 | 190 | September 29, 1966 | Bradley |
| 34 | Jelani McCoy | C | 6-10 | 245 | December 6, 1977 | UCLA |
| 42 | Vin Baker | PF | 6-11 | 232 | November 23, 1971 | University of Hartford |
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 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 40.2 | 21.7 | 4.9 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 18.5 | 8.0 | .434 | 5.6 | 1.7 | .295 | 5.5 | 4.0 | .721 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 36 | 50 | 39 | 35.3 | 15.0 | 7.4 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 11.0 | 5.2 | .472 | 1.7 | 0.7 | .395 | 4.9 | 4.0 | .823 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 32 | 50 | 34 | 32.9 | 10.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 8.2 | 3.4 | .419 | 3.6 | 1.1 | .306 | 2.6 | 2.4 | .902 |
| Dale Ellis | SF | 38 | 48 | 5 | 25.7 | 10.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 8.2 | 3.6 | .441 | 4.5 | 2.0 | .433 | 1.5 | 1.1 | .757 |
| Vin Baker | PF | 27 | 34 | 31 | 34.2 | 13.8 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 12.9 | 5.8 | .453 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.7 | 2.1 | .450 |
| Olden Polynice | C | 34 | 48 | 47 | 30.9 | 7.7 | 8.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 7.5 | 3.5 | .472 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .309 |
| Don MacLean | PF | 29 | 17 | 10 | 21.5 | 10.9 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 9.4 | 3.7 | .396 | 1.9 | 0.5 | .273 | 4.7 | 2.9 | .625 |
| Billy Owens | SF | 29 | 21 | 19 | 21.5 | 7.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 7.9 | 3.1 | .394 | 0.5 | 0.2 | .455 | 1.7 | 1.3 | .800 |
| Aaron Williams | PF | 27 | 40 | 2 | 11.5 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 1.3 | .423 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .730 |
| John Crotty | PG | 29 | 24 | 0 | 15.1 | 6.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 2.0 | .405 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .371 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .851 |
| Jelani McCoy | C | 21 | 26 | 0 | 12.7 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 2.2 | .737 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | .500 | |
| Vladimir Stepania | C | 22 | 23 | 6 | 13.6 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 5.4 | 2.3 | .424 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.7 | 0.9 | .525 |
| Rashard Lewis | SF | 19 | 20 | 7 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .365 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .167 | 0.7 | 0.4 | .571 |
| Moochie Norris | PG | 25 | 12 | 0 | 11.7 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .325 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .400 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .375 |
| Drew Barry | SG | 25 | 17 | 0 | 10.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.6 | .313 | 1.4 | 0.5 | .333 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .692 |
| James Cotton | SG | 23 | 10 | 0 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 0.6 | .333 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .722 |
| Team Totals | 50 | 50 | 242.0 | 94.9 | 42.0 | 21.7 | 7.9 | 4.0 | 15.3 | 79.5 | 35.1 | .442 | 18.0 | 6.2 | .344 | 27.1 | 18.4 | .681 |
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 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 2008 | 19.4 | 4.4 | 7.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 16.5 | 7.2 | .434 | 5.0 | 1.5 | .295 | 4.9 | 3.6 | .721 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 36 | 50 | 39 | 1765 | 15.3 | 7.5 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 11.2 | 5.3 | .472 | 1.8 | 0.7 | .395 | 5.0 | 4.1 | .823 |
| Dale Ellis | SF | 38 | 48 | 5 | 1232 | 14.5 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 11.5 | 5.1 | .441 | 6.3 | 2.7 | .433 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .757 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 32 | 50 | 34 | 1644 | 11.3 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 8.9 | 3.7 | .419 | 3.9 | 1.2 | .306 | 2.9 | 2.6 | .902 |
| Aaron Williams | PF | 27 | 40 | 2 | 458 | 12.4 | 10.1 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 9.7 | 4.1 | .423 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 5.8 | 4.2 | .730 |
| Vin Baker | PF | 27 | 34 | 31 | 1162 | 14.5 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 13.5 | 6.1 | .453 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 5.0 | 2.2 | .450 |
| Olden Polynice | C | 34 | 48 | 47 | 1481 | 8.9 | 10.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 8.7 | 4.1 | .472 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.000 | 2.3 | 0.7 | .309 |
| Jelani McCoy | C | 21 | 26 | 0 | 331 | 14.5 | 8.6 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 8.3 | 6.1 | .737 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 2.3 | .500 | |
| John Crotty | PG | 29 | 24 | 0 | 363 | 14.6 | 3.0 | 5.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 11.5 | 4.7 | .405 | 3.5 | 1.3 | .371 | 4.7 | 4.0 | .851 |
| Vladimir Stepania | C | 22 | 23 | 6 | 313 | 14.6 | 8.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 14.4 | 6.1 | .424 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.6 | 2.4 | .525 |
| Don MacLean | PF | 29 | 17 | 10 | 365 | 18.2 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 15.7 | 6.2 | .396 | 3.3 | 0.9 | .273 | 7.9 | 4.9 | .625 |
| Billy Owens | SF | 29 | 21 | 19 | 451 | 13.0 | 6.4 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 13.2 | 5.2 | .394 | 0.9 | 0.4 | .455 | 2.8 | 2.2 | .800 |
| Rashard Lewis | SF | 19 | 20 | 7 | 145 | 11.7 | 6.2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 5.0 | 12.9 | 4.7 | .365 | 1.5 | 0.2 | .167 | 3.5 | 2.0 | .571 |
| James Cotton | SG | 23 | 10 | 0 | 59 | 15.3 | 6.1 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 11.0 | 3.7 | .333 | 1.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 11.0 | 7.9 | .722 |
| Drew Barry | SG | 25 | 17 | 0 | 183 | 7.3 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 6.3 | 2.0 | .313 | 4.7 | 1.6 | .333 | 2.6 | 1.8 | .692 |
| Moochie Norris | PG | 25 | 12 | 0 | 140 | 9.8 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 10.3 | 3.3 | .325 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .400 | 4.1 | 1.5 | .375 |
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 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 2008 | 1084 | 244 | 436 | 109 | 12 | 154 | 923 | 401 | .434 | 281 | 83 | .295 | 276 | 199 | .721 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 36 | 50 | 39 | 1765 | 752 | 370 | 184 | 41 | 26 | 103 | 549 | 259 | .472 | 86 | 34 | .395 | 243 | 200 | .823 |
| Hersey Hawkins | SG | 32 | 50 | 34 | 1644 | 516 | 201 | 123 | 80 | 18 | 80 | 408 | 171 | .419 | 180 | 55 | .306 | 132 | 119 | .902 |
| Dale Ellis | SF | 38 | 48 | 5 | 1232 | 495 | 115 | 38 | 25 | 3 | 45 | 395 | 174 | .441 | 217 | 94 | .433 | 70 | 53 | .757 |
| Vin Baker | PF | 27 | 34 | 31 | 1162 | 468 | 211 | 56 | 32 | 34 | 76 | 437 | 198 | .453 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 160 | 72 | .450 |
| Olden Polynice | C | 34 | 48 | 47 | 1481 | 368 | 425 | 43 | 20 | 30 | 49 | 358 | 169 | .472 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 94 | 29 | .309 |
| Don MacLean | PF | 29 | 17 | 10 | 365 | 185 | 65 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 159 | 63 | .396 | 33 | 9 | .273 | 80 | 50 | .625 |
| Billy Owens | SF | 29 | 21 | 19 | 451 | 163 | 80 | 38 | 12 | 4 | 33 | 165 | 65 | .394 | 11 | 5 | .455 | 35 | 28 | .800 |
| Aaron Williams | PF | 27 | 40 | 2 | 458 | 158 | 128 | 22 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 123 | 52 | .423 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 74 | 54 | .730 |
| John Crotty | PG | 29 | 24 | 0 | 363 | 147 | 30 | 58 | 9 | 0 | 33 | 116 | 47 | .405 | 35 | 13 | .371 | 47 | 40 | .851 |
| Jelani McCoy | C | 21 | 26 | 0 | 331 | 133 | 79 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 76 | 56 | .737 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 21 | .500 | |
| Vladimir Stepania | C | 22 | 23 | 6 | 313 | 127 | 75 | 12 | 10 | 23 | 32 | 125 | 53 | .424 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 40 | 21 | .525 |
| Rashard Lewis | SF | 19 | 20 | 7 | 145 | 47 | 25 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 20 | 52 | 19 | .365 | 6 | 1 | .167 | 14 | 8 | .571 |
| Moochie Norris | PG | 25 | 12 | 0 | 140 | 38 | 20 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 40 | 13 | .325 | 15 | 6 | .400 | 16 | 6 | .375 |
| Drew Barry | SG | 25 | 17 | 0 | 183 | 37 | 20 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 32 | 10 | .313 | 24 | 8 | .333 | 13 | 9 | .692 |
| James Cotton | SG | 23 | 10 | 0 | 59 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 6 | .333 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 18 | 13 | .722 |
| Team Totals | 50 | 50 | 12100 | 4743 | 2098 | 1087 | 393 | 201 | 721 | 3976 | 1756 | .442 | 899 | 309 | .344 | 1354 | 922 | .681 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: 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) | 40.2 | High (1.2) | 21.7 | 4.9 | 8.7 | 2.4 | 99.79 | Seattle’s offense flowed almost entirely through Payton’s ball-screen creation, post mismatches and late-clock decision-making, while coaches and league observers continued to regard him as the NBA’s premier defensive point guard. His two-way burden defined the club throughout the lockout-shortened season rather than simply his scoring output. (Wikipedia) | All-NBA Second Team (1999), NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999), MVP Voting – 9th (1999), Defensive Player of the Year Voting – 3rd (1999) |
| Detlef Schrempf | Offensive Connector Forward (1.05) | 35.3 | Medium (1.1) | 15.0 | 7.4 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 63.29 | Operating as Seattle’s connective forward, Schrempf spaced the floor, initiated secondary actions and consistently kept the offense moving. Contemporary coverage frequently highlighted his veteran decision-making and versatility as the stabilizing influence alongside Payton. | — |
| Vin Baker | Starting Interior Scoring Option (1.05) | 34.2 | Medium (1.1) | 13.8 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 54.96 | Baker remained a featured low-post option, but independent reporting noted inconsistent rhythm and conditioning as his influence fluctuated during the season. Seattle still relied on him to create inside when half-court possessions stalled. | — |
| Hersey Hawkins | Starting Floor-Spacer Wing (1.05) | 32.9 | Medium (1.1) | 10.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 43.54 | Hawkins embraced an off-ball role, stretching defenses, guarding opposing perimeter scorers and fitting beside Payton without demanding touches. His veteran discipline remained more valuable than raw production. | — |
| Olden Polynice | Starting Defensive Anchor (1.05) | 30.9 | Low (1.0) | 7.7 | 8.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 38.64 | Polynice’s primary responsibility was screening, rebounding and protecting the paint. Coaches leaned on his physical presence to absorb difficult interior assignments while allowing Seattle’s perimeter defenders to pressure aggressively. | — |
| Dale Ellis | Instant-Offense Reserve (1.0) | 25.7 | Medium (1.1) | 10.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 34.12 | Ellis came off the bench hunting perimeter looks, and his shooting gravity remained respected despite his age. Coverage regularly described him as Seattle’s trusted microwave scorer whenever spacing became an issue. | — |
| Don MacLean | Reserve Shot Creator (1.0) | 21.5 | Medium (1.1) | 10.9 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 35.64 | MacLean was acquired to provide second-unit scoring and attacked favorable mismatches, although injuries and limited availability prevented him from settling into a consistent rotation role. | — |
| Billy Owens | Utility Forward Starter (1.05) | 21.5 | Low (1.0) | 7.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 29.82 | Owens filled multiple frontcourt assignments, giving Seattle another passer and rebounder on the wing. Contemporary discussion centered more on his versatility than offensive production. | — |
| John Crotty | Backup Point Guard (1.0) | 15.1 | Low (1.0) | 6.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 20.40 | Crotty’s job was to organize the second unit, limit mistakes and keep the offense functional during Payton’s rest. He played a controlled, low-risk style that fit his reserve role. | — |
| Vladimir Stepania | Developmental Rim Protector (1.0) | 13.6 | Low (1.0) | 5.5 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 21.40 | Stepania flashed size and shot-blocking tools but remained a developmental project whose decision-making and consistency were still catching up with his physical talent. Limited contemporary coverage reflected that long-term outlook. | — |
| Jelani McCoy | Energy Big Reserve (1.0) | 12.7 | Low (1.0) | 5.1 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 19.00 | McCoy supplied athletic minutes around the rim, finishing plays efficiently while providing energy and occasional weak-side shot blocking rather than a polished offensive package. | — |
| Aaron Williams | Frontcourt Depth Piece (1.0) | 11.5 | Low (1.0) | 4.0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 17.60 | Williams earned minutes through hustle, offensive rebounding and physical interior defense. His role was deliberately narrow, allowing Seattle to maintain frontcourt intensity off the bench. | — |
| Moochie Norris | Change-of-Pace Reserve Guard (1.0) | 11.7 | Low (1.0) | 3.2 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 15.00 | Norris injected tempo with the ball in his hands and looked to create for teammates first, though his rotation opportunities remained limited during the abbreviated season. | — |
| Drew Barry | Reserve Perimeter Specialist (1.0) | 10.8 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 11.20 | Barry filled spot minutes as a ball mover and perimeter shooter. Independent contemporary discussion of his season was limited, with most coverage focusing on his depth role. | — |
| Rashard Lewis | Developmental Scoring Wing (1.0) | 7.3 | Low (1.0) | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 8.80 | Lewis spent much of the season developing behind veteran forwards, but coaches continued giving him minutes because of his length, shooting upside and long-term potential despite inevitable inconsistency. | — |
| James Cotton | End-of-Bench Guard (1.0) | 5.9 | Low (1.0) | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 7.60 | Cotton appeared only briefly in the rotation. Contemporary independent coverage was limited, with his role largely confined to emergency depth and developmental opportunities. | — |
| Team Totals | — | 242.0 | — | 94.9 | 42.0 | 21.7 | 11.9 | 523.80 | Seattle relied heavily on Gary Payton’s two-way leadership while surrounding him with experienced veterans, versatile forwards and dependable perimeter shooting during the lockout-shortened regular season. | — |