The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder’s history today.
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For this article, we continue with the 42nd jersey number in the series, jersey No. 45, with nine players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise.
Seattle SuperSonics Vin Baker (L) and Chuck Person (R) battle Miami Heat’s Alonzo Mourning (C) for a rebound during first quarter action of their game in Seattle 11 December 1999. Seattle won the game 92-88. AFP PHOTO/Dan LEVINE (Photo by DAN LEVINE / AFP) (Photo by DAN LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images)
The sixth of those players who did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, forward alum Chuck Person. After ending his college career at Auburn, Person was picked up with the fourth overall selection of the 1986 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.
The Brantley, Alabama native would play the first six seasons of his pro career with the Pacers. He also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and Charlotte Hornets before he signed with Seattle in 1999. His stay with the team would span a single season, coming to an end when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.
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All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
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This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Thunder jersey history No. 45 – Chuck Person (1999-2000)