Seattle SuperSonics legend Jack Sikma says being elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame hit him in many ways.
While he was being recognized by the King County Council, Sikma said it has been "amazing" to look back at all the people who impacted his life.
"I'm just overwhelmed by it," he said Wednesday morning.
The council celebrated Sikma's accomplishments - and the Sonics - just days before the 40th anniversary of the team's championship win over the Washington Bullets for Seattle's only NBA title.
Former Sonics Coach Lenny Wilkens says he's still proud of the 79 championship team. He added there is "no one happier than me" that Sikma is being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Sikma was drafted by the Sonics right out of college and spent nine years with the team. Most notably, Sikma helped lead the Sonics to a 1979 NBA championship, grabbing an astonishing 17 rebounds in Games Three, Four, and Five against the Washington Bullets. The center ended his career with the Sonics with more rebounds (7,729), blocked shots (705), and free throws made (3,044) than any other player in the team’s history.
Over 14 years in the NBA, Sikma was an All-Star seven times. After retiring in 1991, Sikma returned to the league a decade later to work as an assistant coach with the Sonics, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Also selected this year were WNBA great Teresa Weatherspoon, NBA players Vlade Divac, Sidney Moncrief, Al Attles, Carl Braun, Chuck Cooper and Bobby Jones, NBA coach Bill Fitch, the Tennessee A&I men's teams from 1957-59 (the first collegiate team to win back-to-back-to-back championships) and the Wayland Baptist University women's team (which won 131 consecutive games from 1953-58 and 10 Amateur Athletic Union national championships overall).
The class will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Sept. 6.