SEATTLE – L.A. Clippers star and Puget Sound native Jamal Crawford wants the Sonics back in Seattle, and he's telling the world so.
Crawford, who played high school ball at Rainier Beach, penned an op-ed for Sports Illustrated's The Cauldron called "Bring Back The Sonics!"
Crawford writes about rooting for the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder because he didn't want his former hometown team winning a title in a new city. He writes of almost being drafted by the Sonics in 2000 had his stock not risen. And he writes about how he always assumed he'd eventually end up in the green and gold once free agency came his way.
"It dawned on me immediately that I had already played my last professional game in the city of Seattle," wrote Crawford, who was a New York Knick when the Sonics left for Oklahoma City. "It was an emotional moment, but mostly because it also sunk in that I'd never get a chance to actually suit up in a Sonics jersey."
Crawford now hosts a Pro-Am game in Seattle every year so fans and kids who only get to watch the NBA on TV can see pro players close-up.
But what he wants is the Sonics back where they belong.
"I just wish the powers that be in the NBA would start paying attention to Seattle fans' extreme passion. We all know that money plays a big factor when it comes to stuff like this, but sometimes, it's about doing the right thing. Seattle fans were — and many remain — furious that their beloved Sonics were taken away from them, but time heals most wounds, and all will be forgiven if and when a "new" NBA franchise comes to town," wrote Crawford.
Getting a new NBA franchise may hinge on first moving making progress on a new arena. The Seattle City Council will hold two different hearings Tuesday about the $500 million Seattle Arena project as they decide whether to vacate a one-block stretch of Occidental Avenue to allow for construction.
