Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett Connection Summons Memories of Past Seattle Legends
After the Seahawks thrilling 40-34 win last Sunday, the NFL world is talking about Russell Wilson as an MVP candidate and rightfully so.
However, they are also talking about his favorite weapon Tyler Lockett, who carved up the Buccaneers maligned secondary to the tune of 13 catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
Their connection is on another level right now. The throws that Wilson makes that somehow land right in Lockett’s hands are incredible. You would be hard-pressed to find another quarterback-receiver duo that have this kind of twin-mind connection.
You might have to go to the basketball court to find such a special connection. In fact, while you are at it, get yourself a time machine and go back to the days of the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA, setting the clock to around 1995.
Now that you are in the mid-90s, you can either smack the boxed, 50-pound TV in your room or put on your colorful windbreaker and denim and head on down to KeyArena at Seattle Center to watch Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp read each other’s minds.
Gary Payton was in the midst of a Hall of Fame career, much like Wilson is for the Seahawks. He finished his NBA career with 8,966 assists, the ninth-most all-time. He earned the nickname “The Glove” for his defensive prowess and thanks to his quick hands, he finished fourth all-time with 2,445 career steals.
His partner in crime was Kemp, who at 6-foot-10, 230 pounds was slightly bigger than Lockett, his comparison in this analogy. He was an absolute force to be reckoned with in the paint, making six all-star teams and earning three All-NBA selections.
While starring together in Seattle, these two superstars hooked up for some of the raddest alley-oops in the game of basketball. It almost looked like they had telepathic powers between each other, reading each other’s thoughts and anticipating their every move.
When two teammates have a connection like this, it is a blast to watch. The 1995-1996 season was the best in Sonics (or Thunder) franchise history as the team went 64-18 and advanced all the way to the NBA Finals. Payton and Kemp dunked and alley-ooped their way to dominance.
Their connection led the Sonics to seven straight playoff appearances, two trips to the conference finals, and that lone finals appearance in 1996.
Moving back to the gridiron, similar magic has been taking place for the Seahawks over the past two season. In 2018, Wilson posted a perfect passer rating targeting Lockett and the duo has somehow gotten better this season.
Through nine games last year, Lockett had 33 catches for 483 yards and seven touchdowns. Now, nine weeks in this season, he has already collected 59 catches for 767 yards and six scores. He ranks fourth in the NFL in receptions and yards and has the second-most receiving touchdowns in the league. Clearly, he is a Pro Bowler and even All-Pro candidate just over halfway through the season.
Meanwhile, Wilson is building an MVP resume leading the league with 22 touchdowns and a 118.2 passer rating while throwing just one interception. He's been near flawless and his chemistry with Lockett has certainly been a huge part of his success.
When things break down and he scrambles, it seems as if Wilson and Lockett connect on a mental level and innately know what the other one is going to do. Some of their plays have been so perfect to beat quality coverage, it’s almost as if Wilson stops time, walks over, and hands the ball to Lockett.
If their torrid stretch of dominance continues, Wilson and Lockett have to be considered as the best quarterback/receiver tandem currently in the NFL. It’s not quite Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison status yet, but it could reach that pinnacle in time.
Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp would be proud of this version of dishing and dunking.
It’s nice to have a dynamic duo back in Seattle, even if it’s on the football field instead of the hardwood.
