Quick Facts: Oklahoma City Thunder
| Current Owner | Clay Bennett |
| Ownership Type | Private |
| Founded | 1967, as the Seattle SuperSonics |
| Headquarters / Arena | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City |
| Relocated | 2008, from Seattle to Oklahoma City |
| Championships | 1 NBA title (2025, as Thunder) |
| Bennett’s Background | Oklahoma City real estate & hospitality executive |
Who Owns the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Clay Bennett, an Oklahoma City businessman, has owned the Thunder since leading the group that bought the team — then the Seattle SuperSonics — in 2006.
Bennett’s relocation of the franchise to Oklahoma City in 2008 remains one of the most controversial moves in modern NBA history, ending Seattle’s 41-year relationship with the team amid public accusations that Bennett had negotiated in bad faith with the city over a new arena.
Whatever the controversy, the move paid off on the court: the Thunder won their first NBA championship in 2025, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, validating over a decade of patient roster-building since the relocation.
Bennett built his business career in Oklahoma City real estate and hospitality before moving into sports ownership, and has kept a comparatively low public profile relative to many NBA owners.
Thunder/SuperSonics Ownership History
This franchise’s ownership story is inseparable from its most controversial chapter — a relocation that still generates hard feelings in Seattle.
| Year | Event | Owner / Key Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Founded as Seattle SuperSonics | Sam Schulman-led group | NBA expansion franchise |
| 2001 | Sold to Starbucks CEO | Howard Schultz | ~$200 million |
| 2006 | Sold to Oklahoma City group | Clay Bennett | ~$350 million |
| 2008 | Team relocates, renamed Thunder | Clay Bennett | Ended 41 years in Seattle; still controversial |
| 2025–Present | First NBA championship | Clay Bennett | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander MVP run |
About Clay Bennett
Bennett made his money in Oklahoma City real estate and hospitality ventures before assembling the ownership group that bought the Sonics from Howard Schultz in 2006.
He’d previously tried to bring an NBA team to Oklahoma City through other means, including temporarily hosting the New Orleans Hornets after Hurricane Katrina displaced them in 2005 — an experience that convinced him the city could support a franchise long-term.
His relocation of the Sonics remains a sore subject in Seattle, where fans and city officials accused him of never genuinely negotiating for a new arena in good faith, instead using the process to clear the way for a move he’d planned from the start.
Key Ownership Highlights
- The relocation is one of the NBA’s most contentious in decades: Seattle’s loss of the SuperSonics in 2008 still fuels calls for the city to get an NBA team back, separate from this franchise’s ongoing success in Oklahoma City.
- Bennett had a trial run hosting NOLA’s team first: Oklahoma City temporarily hosted the New Orleans Hornets in 2005-2006 after Hurricane Katrina, which helped demonstrate the market’s viability before Bennett’s Sonics purchase closed.
- The 2025 championship validated the relocation, competitively at least: Nearly two decades after the controversial move, the Thunder’s title under Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave Oklahoma City its first major pro sports championship.
- Howard Schultz’s ownership was brief: The Starbucks founder owned the Sonics for only about five years before selling to Bennett’s group, a tenure most remember for the team’s eventual relocation rather than for Schultz himself.
- Bennett keeps a low public profile: Unlike many NBA owners who court media attention, Bennett has largely stayed out of the spotlight since the 2008 relocation controversy died down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Clay Bennett has owned the team since leading the group that bought it — then the Seattle SuperSonics — in 2006.
Why did the team move from Seattle to Oklahoma City?
Clay Bennett relocated the franchise in 2008 after failed negotiations over a new Seattle arena, a move that remains controversial and is widely viewed in Seattle as having been planned from the start.
Who founded the Seattle SuperSonics?
The franchise was founded in 1967 as an NBA expansion team under a group led by Sam Schulman.
Has the team won a championship?
Yes, in 2025, as the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. (The Seattle-era Sonics won a separate title in 1979, before Bennett’s ownership.)
Who owned the team before Clay Bennett?
Starbucks founder Howard Schultz owned the Sonics from 2001 to 2006, before selling to Bennett’s Oklahoma City-based group.
