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🏀 The Return of the Supersonics

🏀 The Return of the Supersonics

Chris Lesiak
October 05, 2022

KAT hospitalized with throat infection, some of the NBA's brightest stars make their highly-awaited returns, and Seattle is ready for the Supersonics return.

Happy Humpday!

KARL ANTHONY-TOWNS

KAT Hospitalized With Throat Infection

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns recently revealed some scary medical news, but thankfully he’s recovering well. Towns was hospitalized last week due to a throat infection that impacted his ability to breathe and required multiple days of bed rest. Additionally, he lost quite a bit of weight since getting sick, dropping from 248 to 231 pounds.

It’s unknown at this time what illness KAT suffered, but it’s said to not have been COVID-19. Last Saturday was the first day he was permitted to walk again, so it’s likely to be a little while before he takes the court again.

KAT is coming off a huge year in which he averaged 24.6 points and 9.8 boards while shooting 41% from three. Even with Rudy Gobert in the fold, the Timberwolves will need KAT at 100% to make a run in the increasingly-competitive West.

NBA

Some of the NBA's Brightest Stars Make Their Highly-Awaited Return

Ben Simmons played in his first NBA game since June 2021, coincidentally against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons only played 19 minutes but finished with six points, five assists, four rebounds, and one steal. It was a great first step for the three-time All-Star as he defended multiple positions and dimed up his teammates.

Out West, we finally saw the returns of Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray who missed last season as they recovered from ACL surgeries. Kawhi put forth a solid outing, scoring eleven points and chipping in four boards and two assists in 16 minutes of game time. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray, after a long 539-day absence, played 15 minutes and scored ten points on 4-7 shooting, including 2-3 from downtown.

Last but not least, John Wall made his Clippers debut after not playing in any games last season. Wall played 14 minutes and recorded five points, one rebound, and three assists. It’s foolish to try and extrapolate anything meaningful out of the preseason; the only thing that matters is that these men are healthy and back to doing what they love.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

Seattle is Ready For Their Supersonics to Return

Seattle hosted a pair of preseason games, dubbed the Rain City Showcase, and reminded the NBA what kind of passionate basketball fan base they have in The Pacific Northwest. It’s no secret that Seattle fans have been dying for the Supersonics to return since leaving for OKC in 2008, and turning out in numbers was part of their plan to make their voices heard.

The NBA is eyeing potential expansions to Seattle and Las Vegas after not adding a new team since 2004. Seattle’s case is bolstered not only by the fanbase and history but by the presence of an NBA-quality stadium, the Climate Pledge Arena, which currently houses the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, that’s ready to host them. According to Adam Silver: “Seattle is one of those cities that we have our eye on. We had great success there in the past, and the fact now that they have a state-of-the-art arena back online increases their prospects.”

Per the Nielsen Designated Market Area Rankings, Seattle is the 12th largest market in the country and the largest without an NBA team. It feels like an expansion to Seattle is inevitable, but for Seattle fans’ sake, let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later.