Last Updated on September 13, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Seattle SuperSonics > Roster & Statistics
The Seattle SuperSonics 1994–95 featured one of the NBA’s most productive offenses, driven by Gary Payton’s leadership as the primary scorer and playmaker alongside Shawn Kemp’s interior scoring and rebounding. Detlef Schrempf, Kendall Gill, and Šarūnas Marčiulionis added versatile scoring and secondary creation, while Sam Perkins stretched the floor. The statistics reflect an up-tempo team with efficient ball movement and strong offensive firepower, backed by solid but less dominant defensive production.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Nate McMillan | PG | 6-5 | 195 | August 3, 1964 | NC State |
| 11 | Detlef Schrempf | SF | 6-10 | 235 | January 21, 1963 | Washington |
| 13 | Kendall Gill | SG | 6-5 | 195 | May 25, 1968 | Illinois |
| 14 | Sam Perkins | C | 6-9 | 235 | June 14, 1961 | UNC |
| 17 | Vincent Askew | SG | 6-6 | 210 | February 28, 1966 | Memphis |
| 20 | Gary Payton | PG | 6-4 | 180 | July 23, 1968 | Oregon State |
| 21 | Byron Houston | PF | 6-5 | 250 | November 22, 1969 | Oklahoma State |
| 24 | Bill Cartwright | C | 7-1 | 245 | July 30, 1957 | San Francisco |
| 30 | Šarūnas Marčiulionis | SG | 6-5 | 200 | June 13, 1964 | N/A |
| 34 | Dontonio Wingfield | SF | 6-8 | 256 | June 23, 1974 | Cincinnati |
| 40 | Shawn Kemp | PF | 6-10 | 230 | November 26, 1969 | Trinity Valley CC, Kentucky |
| 45 | Rich King | C | 7-2 | 260 | April 4, 1969 | Nebraska |
| 50 | Ervin Johnson | C | 6-11 | 245 | December 21, 1967 | New Orleans |
| 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 | 26 | 82 | 82 | 36.8 | 20.6 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 16.4 | 8.4 | .509 | 2.8 | 0.9 | .302 | 4.2 | 3.0 | .716 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 82 | 82 | 35.2 | 19.2 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 12.2 | 6.4 | .523 | 2.2 | 1.1 | .514 | 6.4 | 5.3 | .839 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 25 | 82 | 79 | 32.7 | 18.7 | 10.9 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 12.2 | 6.6 | .547 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .286 | 7.1 | 5.3 | .749 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 82 | 37 | 28.7 | 12.7 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 9.0 | 4.2 | .466 | 4.2 | 1.7 | .397 | 3.3 | 2.6 | .799 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 73 | 58 | 29.1 | 13.7 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 11.8 | 5.4 | .457 | 2.3 | 0.9 | .368 | 2.9 | 2.1 | .742 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 71 | 1 | 24.2 | 9.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 7.1 | 3.5 | .492 | 1.3 | 0.4 | .330 | 3.4 | 2.5 | .739 |
| Šarūnas Marčiulionis | SG | 30 | 66 | 4 | 18.1 | 9.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 6.9 | 3.3 | .473 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .402 | 3.0 | 2.2 | .732 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 80 | 18 | 25.9 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 5.0 | 2.1 | .418 | 1.9 | 0.7 | .342 | 0.7 | 0.4 | .586 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 64 | 30 | 14.2 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .443 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.5 | .630 |
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 39 | 0 | 6.6 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 1.3 | .458 | 0.6 | 0.2 | .273 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .737 |
| Bill Cartwright | C | 37 | 29 | 19 | 14.8 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 0.9 | .391 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .625 | |
| Dontonio Wingfield | SF | 20 | 20 | 0 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 0.9 | .353 | 0.6 | 0.1 | .167 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .800 |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 18 | 0 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 0.7 | .522 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | .833 | |
| Rich King | C | 25 | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 110.4 | 41.5 | 25.8 | 11.2 | 4.8 | 15.8 | 82.2 | 40.4 | .491 | 15.9 | 6.0 | .376 | 31.3 | 23.7 | .758 |
Playoff Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 25 | 4 | 4 | 40.0 | 24.8 | 12.0 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 14.3 | 8.3 | .579 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.000 | 9.8 | 8.0 | .821 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 4 | 4 | 38.3 | 18.8 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 14.3 | 5.8 | .404 | 4.5 | 2.5 | .556 | 6.0 | 4.8 | .792 |
| Gary Payton | PG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 43.0 | 17.8 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 16.8 | 8.0 | .478 | 2.5 | 0.5 | .200 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .417 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 4 | 2 | 35.3 | 13.5 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 12.0 | 5.3 | .438 | 5.5 | 2.5 | .455 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 23.3 | 7.5 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 7.3 | 3.0 | .414 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .800 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .667 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 4 | 0 | 18.0 | 6.3 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 | .360 | 2.0 | 0.5 | .250 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .625 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 4 | 4 | 28.3 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 5.8 | 2.0 | .348 | 2.0 | 0.3 | .125 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 4 | 2 | 13.5 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .286 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.000 | |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Team Totals | 4 | 4 | 240.0 | 97.3 | 41.8 | 26.0 | 9.3 | 5.3 | 14.8 | 80.5 | 35.8 | .444 | 18.0 | 7.5 | .417 | 24.0 | 18.3 | .760 |
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 25 | 82 | 79 | 2679 | 20.6 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 13.4 | 7.3 | .547 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .286 | 7.9 | 5.9 | .749 |
| Gary Payton | PG | 26 | 82 | 82 | 3015 | 20.2 | 3.4 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 16.1 | 8.2 | .509 | 2.8 | 0.8 | .302 | 4.2 | 3.0 | .716 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 82 | 82 | 2886 | 19.6 | 6.3 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 12.4 | 6.5 | .523 | 2.3 | 1.2 | .514 | 6.5 | 5.5 | .839 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 82 | 37 | 2356 | 15.9 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 11.3 | 5.3 | .466 | 5.2 | 2.1 | .397 | 4.1 | 3.3 | .799 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 73 | 58 | 2125 | 17.0 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 14.5 | 6.6 | .457 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .368 | 3.5 | 2.6 | .742 |
| Šarūnas Marčiulionis | SG | 30 | 66 | 4 | 1194 | 18.5 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 13.8 | 6.5 | .473 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .402 | 6.0 | 4.4 | .732 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 71 | 1 | 1721 | 14.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 10.5 | 5.2 | .492 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .330 | 5.0 | 3.7 | .739 |
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 39 | 0 | 258 | 18.4 | 7.7 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 14.9 | 6.8 | .458 | 3.1 | 0.8 | .273 | 5.3 | 3.9 | .737 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 80 | 18 | 2070 | 7.3 | 5.3 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 6.9 | 2.9 | .418 | 2.7 | 0.9 | .342 | 1.0 | 0.6 | .586 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 64 | 30 | 907 | 7.9 | 11.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 7.6 | 3.4 | .443 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .630 |
| Dontonio Wingfield | SF | 20 | 20 | 0 | 81 | 20.4 | 13.3 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 22.7 | 8.0 | .353 | 5.3 | 0.9 | .167 | 4.4 | 3.6 | .800 |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 18 | 0 | 102 | 13.8 | 8.1 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 8.1 | 4.2 | .522 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.4 | 5.3 | .833 | |
| Bill Cartwright | C | 37 | 29 | 19 | 430 | 5.8 | 7.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 5.8 | 2.3 | .391 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .625 | |
| Rich King | C | 25 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | .000 |
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 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 160 | 22.3 | 10.8 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 12.8 | 7.4 | .579 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.000 | 8.8 | 7.2 | .821 |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 72.0 | 36.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 4 | 4 | 153 | 17.6 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 13.4 | 5.4 | .404 | 4.2 | 2.4 | .556 | 5.6 | 4.5 | .792 |
| Gary Payton | PG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 172 | 14.9 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 14.0 | 6.7 | .478 | 2.1 | 0.4 | .200 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .417 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 4 | 2 | 141 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 12.3 | 5.4 | .438 | 5.6 | 2.6 | .455 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 12.5 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 12.5 | 4.5 | .360 | 4.0 | 1.0 | .250 | 4.0 | 2.5 | .625 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 93 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 11.2 | 4.6 | .414 | 1.9 | 1.5 | .800 | 1.2 | 0.8 | .667 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 4 | 2 | 54 | 9.3 | 14.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 9.3 | 2.7 | .286 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.000 | |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 4 | 4 | 113 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 7.3 | 2.5 | .348 | 2.5 | 0.3 | .125 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.000 |
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 36.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 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 | 26 | 82 | 82 | 3015 | 1689 | 281 | 583 | 204 | 13 | 201 | 1345 | 685 | .509 | 232 | 70 | .302 | 348 | 249 | .716 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 82 | 82 | 2886 | 1572 | 508 | 310 | 93 | 35 | 176 | 997 | 521 | .523 | 181 | 93 | .514 | 521 | 437 | .839 |
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 25 | 82 | 79 | 2679 | 1530 | 893 | 149 | 102 | 122 | 259 | 997 | 545 | .547 | 7 | 2 | .286 | 585 | 438 | .749 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 82 | 37 | 2356 | 1043 | 398 | 135 | 72 | 45 | 77 | 742 | 346 | .466 | 343 | 136 | .397 | 269 | 215 | .799 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 73 | 58 | 2125 | 1002 | 290 | 192 | 117 | 28 | 138 | 858 | 392 | .457 | 171 | 63 | .368 | 209 | 155 | .742 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 71 | 1 | 1721 | 703 | 181 | 176 | 49 | 13 | 85 | 504 | 248 | .492 | 94 | 31 | .330 | 238 | 176 | .739 |
| Šarūnas Marčiulionis | SG | 30 | 66 | 4 | 1194 | 612 | 68 | 110 | 72 | 3 | 98 | 457 | 216 | .473 | 87 | 35 | .402 | 198 | 145 | .732 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 80 | 18 | 2070 | 419 | 302 | 421 | 165 | 53 | 126 | 397 | 166 | .418 | 155 | 53 | .342 | 58 | 34 | .586 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 64 | 30 | 907 | 199 | 289 | 16 | 17 | 67 | 54 | 192 | 85 | .443 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 46 | 29 | .630 |
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 39 | 0 | 258 | 132 | 55 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 107 | 49 | .458 | 22 | 6 | .273 | 38 | 28 | .737 |
| Bill Cartwright | C | 37 | 29 | 19 | 430 | 69 | 87 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 69 | 27 | .391 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 15 | .625 | |
| Dontonio Wingfield | SF | 20 | 20 | 0 | 81 | 46 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 51 | 18 | .353 | 12 | 2 | .167 | 10 | 8 | .800 |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 18 | 0 | 102 | 39 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 12 | .522 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 15 | .833 | |
| Rich King | C | 25 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19830 | 9055 | 3405 | 2115 | 917 | 392 | 1263 | 6741 | 3310 | .491 | 1305 | 491 | .376 | 2564 | 1944 | .758 |
Playoff Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 25 | 4 | 4 | 160 | 99 | 48 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 57 | 33 | .579 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 39 | 32 | .821 |
| Detlef Schrempf | SF | 32 | 4 | 4 | 153 | 75 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 57 | 23 | .404 | 18 | 10 | .556 | 24 | 19 | .792 |
| Gary Payton | PG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 172 | 71 | 10 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 67 | 32 | .478 | 10 | 2 | .200 | 12 | 5 | .417 |
| Sam Perkins | C | 33 | 4 | 2 | 141 | 54 | 31 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 48 | 21 | .438 | 22 | 10 | .455 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Vincent Askew | SG | 28 | 4 | 0 | 93 | 30 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 12 | .414 | 5 | 4 | .800 | 3 | 2 | .667 |
| Kendall Gill | SG | 26 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 25 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 9 | .360 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 8 | 5 | .625 |
| Nate McMillan | PG | 30 | 4 | 4 | 113 | 19 | 18 | 29 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 8 | .348 | 8 | 1 | .125 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Ervin Johnson | C | 27 | 4 | 2 | 54 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 4 | .286 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1.000 | |
| Steve Scheffler | C | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Byron Houston | PF | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Team Totals | 4 | 4 | 960 | 389 | 167 | 104 | 37 | 21 | 58 | 322 | 143 | .444 | 72 | 30 | .417 | 96 | 73 | .760 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | Two-Way Interior Superstar (1.1) | 32.7 | High (1.2) | 18.7 | 10.9 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 90.02 | A high-flying interior force who could turn Seattle’s transition game into instant offense, Kemp also carried a heavy defensive load around the rim. His 10.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks reflected the physical side of his game, while contemporary season coverage noted that Payton and Schrempf’s increased offensive roles sometimes pushed Kemp into the background despite his 54.7% shooting and All-NBA level production. (Sonic’s Central) | All-Star; All-NBA Second Team |
| Gary Payton | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 36.8 | High (1.2) | 20.6 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 89.23 | A two-way lead guard with genuine offensive control, Payton became Seattle’s primary initiator while remaining the point-of-attack defender who set the team’s defensive tone. His improved scoring efficiency was a major part of the season’s story, with contemporary reporting noting that he had developed from a defense-first playmaker into a 20-point scorer, although critics still wanted him to create more consistently for teammates. (From Way Downtown) | MVP voting 9th; DPOY voting 6th; All-Star; All-NBA Second Team; All-Defensive First Team |
| Detlef Schrempf | Primary Forward Creator (1.1) | 35.2 | High (1.2) | 19.2 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 81.05 | A skilled scoring forward who stretched defenses well beyond the traditional power-forward area, Schrempf became one of Seattle’s most reliable half-court creators. His 51.4% three-point shooting was especially striking in the shortened-line environment, and his combination of shooting, rebounding and passing helped earn an All-Star selection and the best statistical season of his Seattle tenure to that point. (Sonic’s Central) | All-Star; All-NBA Third Team |
| Kendall Gill | Defensive Slashing Wing (1.05) | 29.1 | Medium (1.1) | 13.7 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 51.51 | A rangy defensive wing who could attack off the dribble, Gill occupied an awkward middle ground in Seattle’s offense because George Karl demanded more discipline from him than his natural scoring instincts sometimes allowed. Contemporary season coverage described an uneven campaign, with his 45.7% shooting and inconsistent relationship with the coaching staff becoming recurring concerns even as his perimeter defense and athleticism remained useful. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Sam Perkins | Stretch Frontcourt Connector (1.05) | 28.7 | Medium (1.1) | 12.7 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 47.59 | A stretch-big precursor who opened driving lanes with his left-handed perimeter shooting, Perkins supplied Seattle with a different offensive look from the frontcourt. His 1.7 made threes per game were a major spacing weapon, allowing Kemp to operate inside while Perkins pulled opposing bigs away from the paint; retrospective coverage has consistently identified his shooting as an important part of the Sonics’ frontcourt balance. (Sporting News) | — |
| Nate McMillan | Defensive Table-Setter (1.05) | 25.9 | Medium (1.1) | 5.2 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 39.50 | A veteran defensive organizer and secondary floor general, McMillan gave Seattle control when Payton sat and could pressure the ball without demanding many shots. Injuries reduced his explosiveness, but he remained one of the league’s better backup point guards, ranking sixth in steals at 2.1 per game and earning another All-Defensive selection. (Sonic’s Central) | DPOY voting 6th; Sixth Man of the Year voting 4th; All-Defensive Second Team |
| Vincent Askew | Defensive Utility Wing (1.05) | 24.2 | Medium (1.1) | 9.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 36.50 | A defense-first reserve wing who could cover multiple perimeter assignments, Askew was valued more for lineup stability than for shot creation. His 24.2 minutes per game show how much Karl trusted him, while independent retrospective coverage specifically identified his defense-first style as a strong fit for Seattle’s roster construction. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) | — |
| Šarūnas Marčiulionis | Instant-Offense Reserve (1.05) | 18.1 | Medium (1.1) | 9.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 30.26 | An aggressive attacking reserve, Marčiulionis supplied the kind of downhill scoring that could change the pace of a game when Seattle’s starters needed a jolt. His 9.3 points in only 18.1 minutes reflected a scorer-oriented role, but his place in the rotation became less secure as the season progressed and his relationship with the organization deteriorated. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Ervin Johnson | Starting Rim Protector (1.05) | 14.2 | Low (1.0) | 3.1 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 19.32 | A low-usage interior defender whose job was largely to rebound, contest shots and protect the paint, Johnson eventually won the starting-center battle after Seattle rotated through several options. Contemporary season coverage described exactly that fit: he did not need offensive touches, but his rebounding and shot blocking gave the lineup the defensive presence Karl wanted. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Bill Cartwright | Veteran Interior Reserve (1.0) | 14.8 | Low (1.0) | 2.4 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12.00 | A veteran low-post reserve whose value came more from size, positioning and experience than offensive volume, Cartwright’s season was disrupted by a groin injury. He appeared in only 29 games, and Seattle ultimately moved toward younger interior options as the season developed. (Wikipedia) | — |
| Byron Houston | Physical Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 6.6 | Low (1.0) | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 10.80 | A physical depth forward used mainly in short stretches, Houston’s role was to provide size and energy rather than create offense. Contemporary season coverage gives him little individual attention, reflecting how limited his rotation responsibility was behind Kemp and the veteran frontcourt pieces. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Dontonio Wingfield | Developmental Forward Reserve (1.0) | 4.1 | Low (1.0) | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 9.00 | A developmental forward at the edge of the rotation, Wingfield saw only scattered minutes while Seattle relied heavily on its established veteran core. Independent season coverage is limited, but his eventual selection by Toronto in the expansion draft underscores how little room he had carved out in Seattle’s established frontcourt hierarchy. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Steve Scheffler | Emergency Interior Reserve (1.0) | 5.7 | Low (1.0) | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 7.80 | An emergency interior option, Scheffler was used sparingly behind Seattle’s deeper center rotation and rarely had enough floor time to establish an offensive role. Contemporary independent coverage of his specific season is limited, so the clearest context is his peripheral place in a frontcourt already crowded with Perkins, Johnson and Cartwright. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Rich King | Deep-Coverage Center (1.0) | 3.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | A deep-rotation center with essentially no regular-season role, King appeared for only two games and three total minutes. Contemporary coverage of his individual contribution is extremely limited, consistent with a player who sat well outside Seattle’s functional rotation. (Sonic’s Central) | — |
| Team Totals | — | 241.8 | — | 110.4 | 41.5 | 25.8 | 16.0 | — | Seattle finished 57-25 and reached the Western Conference playoffs, but its season ended in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers. | 57-25; Western Conference First Round (1995) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | Two-Way Interior Superstar (1.1) | 40.0 | High (1.2) | 24.8 | 12.0 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 114.58 | Interior offensive focal point and defensive eraser, Kemp was Seattle’s most reliable matchup weapon in the series. He attacked the Lakers’ front line with explosive finishes and relentless offensive rebounding, while his 3.8 combined steals and blocks captured how active he was away from the ball. He posted 30 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3 and 18 rebounds in the elimination game, but Seattle still could not contain Los Angeles late. (Los Angeles Times) | All-Star; All-NBA Second Team |
| Detlef Schrempf | Primary Forward Creator (1.1) | 38.3 | High (1.2) | 18.8 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 73.66 | Versatile half-court forward and secondary creator, Schrempf gave Seattle a large playmaking option alongside Payton and Kemp. His perimeter shooting was a major part of his value, although the Lakers made his scoring less comfortable as the series progressed. Seattle’s pre-series coverage specifically highlighted his 51% three-point shooting as a major weapon, while his 38.3 minutes showed how heavily George Karl leaned on him. (The Washington Post) | All-Star; All-NBA Third Team |
| Gary Payton | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 43.0 | High (1.2) | 17.8 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 71.02 | Primary ball-handler and point-of-attack defender, Payton had to control Seattle’s offense while dealing with an aggressive Nick Van Exel matchup that became the defining problem of the series. The Lakers had already shown during the regular season that Van Exel could attack Payton late in games, and that pressure carried into the playoff matchup. Payton still produced 27 points in Game 4, but Seattle’s lead guard could not consistently swing the series back. (Los Angeles Times) | MVP voting 9th; DPOY voting 6th; All-Star; All-NBA Second Team; All-Defensive First Team |
| Sam Perkins | Stretch Frontcourt Connector (1.05) | 35.3 | Medium (1.1) | 13.5 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 61.68 | Stretch-five spacer and frontcourt facilitator, Perkins was important because his shooting pulled the Lakers’ interior defenders away from Kemp. He also handled a sizeable defensive rebounding burden and remained on the floor for 35.3 minutes per game, giving Seattle a veteran big who could space, pass and defend without needing the offense built around him. His 2.5 playoff threes per game underline how much of his value came from changing the geometry of the floor. (The Washington Post) | — |
| Nate McMillan | Defensive Quarterback (1.05) | 28.3 | Medium (1.1) | 4.8 | 4.5 | 7.3 | 3.0 | 45.28 | Defensive organizer and secondary floor general, McMillan became especially valuable when Seattle needed another ball-handler beside Payton. His 7.3 assists and 2.5 steals reflected a series built around pressure and ball movement rather than scoring, and he started all four games. The veteran guard’s ability to initiate offense also allowed Payton to spend more possessions attacking rather than carrying every possession from the backcourt. | DPOY voting 6th; Sixth Man of the Year voting 4th; All-Defensive Second Team |
| Vincent Askew | Defensive Utility Wing (1.05) | 23.3 | Medium (1.1) | 7.5 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 32.57 | Defensive utility wing and physical reserve, Askew supplied Seattle with a bigger perimeter body when Karl needed another defender without sacrificing all of the team’s spacing. He did not start any game in the series but still averaged 23.3 minutes, indicating meaningful trust in the rotation. His role was largely connective rather than shot-creation oriented, with his best offensive moments coming when the defense left him room to attack or shoot. | — |
| Kendall Gill | Secondary Slashing Wing (1.05) | 18.0 | Low (1.0) | 6.3 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 23.31 | Secondary wing creator whose athleticism offered Seattle another way to pressure the perimeter, Gill was reduced to a smaller role during the series. He came off the bench in all four games and averaged only 18 minutes, suggesting that Karl preferred more dependable defensive and shooting combinations around Payton, Kemp and Schrempf. The limited minutes also left little opportunity for Gill’s open-floor game to influence the matchup. | — |
| Ervin Johnson | Interior Defensive Reserve (1.05) | 13.5 | Low (1.0) | 3.5 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 21.21 | Rim-protecting reserve and rebound specialist, Johnson’s job was straightforward: provide size, occupy the paint and clean up possessions when Seattle’s primary frontcourt players needed relief. He started twice but averaged only 13.5 minutes, illustrating how matchup-dependent his role became. His 1.0 block and 5.3 rebounds in limited time were useful defensive contributions, though the Lakers ultimately forced Seattle toward more versatile lineups. | — |
| Steve Scheffler | Emergency Interior Reserve (1.0) | 1.0 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.00 | Emergency frontcourt depth with virtually no tactical role, Scheffler appeared for one minute in the series. His lone basket came on his only field-goal attempt, but the tiny sample provides no meaningful basis for evaluating him as a regular playoff contributor. Independent season-specific reporting on his role is extremely limited. | — |
| Byron Houston | Deep-Rotation Power Forward (1.0) | 1.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Deep frontcourt reserve used only in an emergency stretch, Houston played one minute across the series. There is insufficient independent contemporary reporting to establish a more substantial tactical role, and his appearance came well outside Seattle’s primary rotation. | — |
| Team Totals | — | 240.0 | — | 97.3 | 41.8 | 26.0 | 14.6 | — | Seattle’s playoff offense revolved around Kemp’s interior scoring, Payton’s lead-guard creation and Schrempf’s versatile forward play, but the Lakers won three straight after Seattle’s 96-71 Game 1 victory. Los Angeles closed the series 3-1, with Nick Van Exel’s shot-making repeatedly putting pressure on Seattle’s defensive structure. (Los Angeles Times) | Western Conference First Round (1995) |