The SuperSonics announced today that a limited-edition bobblehead series will be unveiled to fans beginning Monday, Feb. 4 when the Sonics take on the Chicago Bulls.  The Nick Collison bobblehead, presented by FSN, is the first of three to be given away this season.  Kevin Durant presented by Allstate Insurance Company will be launched next on Feb. 19, followed by Chris Wilcox presented by KeyBank, on March 14.
“We are pleased to reintroduce the SuperSonics bobblehead series, a longtime Sonics tradition and fan favorite promotion,” said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Byrnes. “These limited edition collectibles are a must for any Sonics fan, and the Golden Bobblehead is a way for us to reward a lucky fan with a once in a lifetime game experience.”

The Seattle SuperSonics announced today that the team has assigned guard Mickael Gelabale to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League.
Under the affiliation system with the D-League, NBA teams can assign up to two players who are rookies or in their second season to their D-League affiliate. Players can stay with the D-League team for as long as the team wishes, and be recalled back to the NBA at any time. A player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.
The Stampede, the D-League affiliate for the Sonics and the Portland Trail Blazers, are coached by Bryan Gates, who worked as an assistant for the Sonics during summer league play in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City this past July. Idaho will play host to Bakersfield on Dec. 26 and Anaheim on Dec. 28.

Rockets Assistant Coach Jack Sikma joined Houston after spending four seasons on the Seattle coaching staff … Sikma, who was selected by the Sonics with the eighth overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft, had his jersey #43 retired by Seattle during a halftime ceremony of a Sonics vs. Detroit Pistons game on Nov. 21, 1992 … Houston Assistant Coach R.J. Adelman worked as an NBA advance scout for the Sonics before coming to Houston … Rockets guard Aaron Brook is a native of Seattle, leading Franklin High School to the Washington 4A State Championship as a senior … originally chosen by the Sonics in the second round (31st overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Houston obtained the draft rights to forward Carl Landry from Seattle on June 28, 2007 … Scott Brooks, an assistant coach with the Sonics, played three seasons with the Rockets (1992-95) … Seattle Assistant Coach Mark Bryant also played one season with Houston (1995-96).

WNBA President Donna Orender announced today that a select group of Seattle businesswomen and civic leaders has secured an exclusive option to purchase the Seattle Storm.
“Today is a great day for Storm fans. Seattle is a terrific WNBA city and I’m thrilled for Storm fans who have been so supportive of their team over the years,” Orender said. “What this group of women is doing is yet another example of that famous Seattle civic leadership. I have no doubt that this group of women, with support from the public, business community and elected officials, will be able to make a strong case for this sale to be approved by the Board of Governors.”
“We are pleased to be able to step forward to ensure that Seattle will be the Storm’s home,” said Anne Levinson, who led the negotiations and is part of the new ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, L.L.C. “This is something we wanted to be able to do for Storm fans and the community.  I want to thank Clay Bennett for working with us on this.”
“In the time we have been a part of the WNBA we have consistently been impressed by the very loyal fan base and broad community support the Storm enjoys. We believe the Storm can continue to be successful in KeyArena. We are pleased we have been able to negotiate a transaction with an extraordinary group of highly accomplished women. Through our extensive negotiations we have become convinced that their commitment to the community and passion for the game will result in a secure and promising future for the Seattle Storm. We knew the right thing to do for Seattle was to work with Anne’s group to see if we could make this happen. We will assist them in any way we can to ensure a smooth transition and wish them the very best,” said Clay Bennett, Chairman of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC that owns the Seattle SuperSonics and the Women’s Basketball Club of Seattle, LLC, owner of the Seattle Storm.
In addition to Levinson, other members of the new ownership group are philanthropists and businesswomen who also have deep roots in Seattle and a history of civic involvement. Ginny Gilder owns an investment business and is president of one of her family’s philanthropic entities, which invests in projects throughout the world that seek to level the economic playing field and promote social justice. She was the founding Executive Director of Washington Works, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting welfare recipients in obtaining and retaining livable-wage employment. A rower, she won a silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner reports that Tuesday morning the WNBA will make a major announcement regarding the future of the Seattle Storm.
Word is, the team is being sold to another owner. This isn’t confirmed yet.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ Yi Jianlian and the Seattle SuperSonics’ Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played for the month of December.
Yi averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds for the month and ranks second in scoring and rebounding among rookies. He also leads rookies in field goal percentage with .503 and is third in minutes per game with 30.6. In addition, he scored a career-high 29 points in a 103-99 win over Charlotte on Dec. 22.
Among rookie qualifiers for the second straight month Durant ranks first in the league in scoring with 19.7 points per game, seventh in rebounding with 4.2, and is tied for first in assists with 2.1. He is also ranked second in the league in field goal percentage with .407, first in free throw percentage and is averaging 1.3 blocks per game. In addition, Durant matched his career high in points with 35 and rebounds with eight and set a new career high in blocks with five on Dec. 7 vs. Milwaukee.