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Oklahoma City Thunder: 25 Best Players To Play For The Thunder

By Phil Watson

May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; General view of t-shirts lining the seats before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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SEATTLE – JUNE 7: Jack Sikma #43 of the Seattle SuperSonics battles Mitch Kupchak #25 of the Washington Bullets for rebound position during the 1978 NBA Championship in Seattle, Washington. The Washington Bullets won 105 to 99. (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./ NBAE/ Getty Images)
SEATTLE – JUNE 7: Jack Sikma #43 of the Seattle SuperSonics battles Mitch Kupchak #25 of the Washington Bullets for rebound position during the 1978 NBA Championship in Seattle, Washington. The Washington Bullets won 105 to 99. (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./ NBAE/ Getty Images) /

8th overall pick from Illinois Wesleyan, 1977 NBA Draft.. C. 1977-86. Jack Sikma. 6. player. 149

Few people had heard of Illinois Wesleyan, much less Jack Sikma, when the Seattle SuperSonics took the NAIA star with the eighth overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft.

Sikma made a name for himself in Seattle.

OKC_06_SIKMA
OKC_06_SIKMA /

An All-Rookie selection in 1977-78, Sikma went on to become a seven-time All-Star for the Sonics, also earning All-Defensive honors in 1981-82. He was second in the NBA in rebounding that season and finished fifth in that category four times while in Seattle.

As a rookie in the 1978 NBA Finals, Sikma averaged 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game, shooting 40 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the line in a seven-game loss to the Washington Bullets.

But in the Sonics’ five-game win over the Bullets to win the title in 1979, Sikma averaged 16.2 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 44 minutes per game, shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and going 9-for-14 at the foul line.

In July 1986, Sikma was traded with second-round picks in 1987 and 1989 to the Milwaukee Bucks for Alton Lister and first-round selections in 1987 and 1989.

In nine seasons with Seattle, Sikma averaged 16.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game, shooting .471/.077/.836.

Sikma retired after five seasons with the Bucks, following the 1990-91 season.

He led the NBA in free-throw shooting in 1987-88.

He is 29th in NBA history with 10,816 rebounds.

Next: The Wizard Sparked A Title Run

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