The National Basketball Association approved the return of a Seattle expansion franchise on September 2, 2026, awarding the 32nd NBA team to an ownership group led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen estate and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. ## Seattle SuperSonics Return After 18-Year Absence The new team, tentatively named the Seattle SuperSonics, will begin play in the 2028-29 season at a new 18,500-seat arena currently under construction in the SoDo district. Commissioner Adam Silver stated that the expansion fee was set at 4 billion dollars, the highest in professional sports history. "Seattle is one of the great basketball cities in America, and the return of the SuperSonics is an emotional and historic moment for the NBA," Silver said at the press conference at Climate Pledge Arena. "This franchise will be among the best-equipped in the league from day one." The ownership group includes Allen sister Jody Allen, who controls the estate, along with Amazon Jassy and Seattle-based venture capitalist Nick Hanauer. The group beat competing bids from Las Vegas and Mexico City. The franchise will be Seattle first major professional basketball team since the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. ## Arena Construction and Timeline The new arena, designed by Populous Architects, is located adjacent to Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park in Seattle stadium district. The 1.2 billion dollars facility will feature retractable seating configurations, a transparent roof structure using ETFE material, and a 360-degree LED video board measuring 9,800 square feet. Construction is 45 percent complete, with the projected opening date of October 2028. "This arena will be a landmark for Seattle and a showcase for the NBA," said Jody Allen. "My brother Paul always believed that Seattle deserved an NBA team, and seeing this dream realized is deeply meaningful for our family." The NBA confirmed that the expansion draft will take place in June 2028, with the new franchise selecting from existing team rosters under rules similar to previous expansion drafts. The team will also receive the first overall pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. ## Community Impact and Historical Significance Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell called the announcement "the proudest day in Seattle sports history since the Seahawks won the Super Bowl." The city projects that the NBA franchise will generate 320 million dollars annually in economic impact, including 4,200 direct and indirect jobs. The original Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA championship in 1979 and reached the NBA Finals in 1996, losing to Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls. Former SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp, who played for the team from 1989 to 1997, attended the announcement. "I never stopped believing this day would come," Kemp said, visibly emotional. "Seattle is a basketball city, and the Sonics belong here." NBA players with Seattle connections also expressed excitement. Current Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II, whose father Gary Payton Sr. played for the original SuperSonics, said the franchise return represents "full circle" for basketball in the Pacific Northwest. Season ticket deposits exceeded 30,000 within 6 hours of the announcement, according to the ownership group. Season ticket packages will range from 500 to 25,000 dollars annually, with a waiting list system expected to be established by early 2027.