5 Amazing Cards Of The OKC Thunder and Seattle SuperSonics Franchise
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Would you consider this the first championship in Oklahoma City Thunder history? After all, the team (once the SuperSonics) did come from Seattle - moving away in 2008. But in 1979, those SuperSonics were indeed NBA champs. While there's no doubt the move to OKC was controversial, and still a sore spot for thousands of basketball fans in Seattle, it is true that a bridge still remains between the games played in the two cities. Franchise records still hold across both homes. Kevin Durant, as we know, played in both Seattle and Oklahoma City as he began his Hall-of-Fame career.
Seattle fans do have the right to feel aggrieved, even after all these years, especially as the franchise that once was theirs could now be on the cusp of a dynasty. But, there's no doubt the future in OKC is a bright one. So, in celebration of the Thunder's title win, with a nod to a past in the Pacific Northwest, let's look at some of the best cards in the entire history of the two-time champion franchise.
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The trip down memory lane starts with the man of the moment, NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder superstar has shot to the top of the basketball Hobby with one of the great guard seasons of all-time. Over the past year, Card Ladder puts his Rate of Growth at over 225%. This card is a great place to begin. Panini National Treasures cards have become some of the most coveted in all The Hobby, and this Rookie Patch Logoman Auto 1/1 is something special. It's also a reminder of the incredible trade that sent SGA (pictured here with the Clippers) to the Thunder, beginning one of the greatest rebuilds the sport has ever seen - ending with Sunday's championship win. This remains SGA's biggest sale ever, at $288,000 - Card Ladder's Value metric suggests this card, that sold back in 2023, may be worth seven-figures.
While SGA is the star who finally brought a title to OKC, no player has captured the heart of the city like Russell Westbrook. Even in this year's playoff series win against Denver, Westbrook received standing ovations of appreciation from the crowd while playing for the Nuggets.
There are more valuable Westbrook cards but this is just such a fun card. Westbrook's 2018 Panini Kaboom! makes this otherwordly athlete look like a superhero. This card sold for $3,500 in February 2025.
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Much like the Westbrook card, this 2007/08 Topps Chrome Basketball Kevin Durant RC is not the most valuable card of the bunch, but it's simplicity and elegance match so well with the player's languid brilliance. The lovely white border surrounds a spectacular action image of the Durant jump shot that has helped define his career. An orange refractor PSA 10 version of the card sold for almost $14,000 last January.
It's not Topps, it's not Fleer, it's not Skybox, its not Upper Deck, it's not Panini. And each of these brands have some fantastic cards of one of the most exciting athletes basketball has ever seen. But, this Kemp card is a gem all its own. It's part of The United States Forest Service Smokey Bear Collection, which included a team set of Seattle SuperSonics cards from 1990.
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The cards were in part promotional materials to bring awareness to fire prevention, and come with complete with a Smokey the Bear stamp on the front of the card. On the back, Smokey is teaching some of the basic rules of fire safety. While it's not a card from one of the big boys, the image itself is a masterpiece, right up there with any Kemp card. One of the great leapers of all-time, Kemp is looking to finish at the rim, right at the rim, while taking a seat on the shoulder of none other than Scottie Pippen. With a PSA population of only 13, with 2 graded at 10, this is a special piece for any collector looking to capture a unique piece of the history of this franchise.
Gary Payton remains one of the greatest and most beloved players in SuperSonics history. The Glove was a brilliant point guard and all-world defender, and he's also got one of the best-designed cards in the history of the franchise.
Like the Durant card, there's a simplicity here that allows Payton to pop off the card itself, as a wonderfully brilliant solid green surrounds the player. There's no need for a basketball even, instead, it looks as though a viewer has to follow Payton's hand to the sky, away from the card, to get a glimpse. Perhaps its a Payton finger roll. The action itself, the centering of Payton, and the depth of the background color, combine to make an amazing card. Card Ladder lists only one sale of this rare Payton 1997/98 SkyBox Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems, at $50,400 in 2023 for this card numbered 001/100.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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