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WNBA Seattle Storm

Sonics tip off 40th anniversary season with the Sonics and Storm Legends Tour

August 3, 2006 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


SEATTLE - The Seattle Sonics will host the Sonics & Storm Legends Tour beginning next week in honor of the 40th anniversary of Seattle's NBA franchise. Next week's Sonics & Storm Legends Tour ceremony is the first series of celebrations in what will be a season-long campaign honoring the team. The Sonics & Storm Legends Tour will conclude with a dedication, in the name of all Sonics and Storm fans, of the Sonics & Storm Foundation's newest NeighborHoops court at Van Asselt Park.

The first Sonics & Storm Legends Tour event will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Burke Gilman Park's NeighborHoops Court. Fans are invited to celebrate the team's 40th Anniversary with Sonics legend and assistant coach Jack Sikma, Wally Walker, Kevin Calabro, Sonics mascot Squatch, Storm mascot Doppler and final candidates for the 2006-07 Sonics Dance Team. The festivities include free food and beverages, music, 40th Anniversary giveaways and a children's basketball clinic led by Sikma. The Burke Gilman NeighborHoops court was renovated in 2004 by the Sonics & Storm Foundation NeighborHoops program in partnership with T-Mobile.

Sonics legend Xavier McDaniel and former Storm player Simone Edwards will host the second Sonics & Storm Legends Tour ceremony at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 at the NeighborHoops Court at Seattle's Benefit Park.

"We are proud of the heritage, the dedication to the community and the 40 years of tradition that make up the Sonics & Storm organization," said Sonics & Storm Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Development Karen Bryant. "What better way to celebrate with our legends and fans than to visit the communities that have supported us and will continue to support us for decades to come."

The Sonics & Storm Legends Tour will honor additional Sonics and Storm legends that embody 40 years of tradition including Spencer Haywood, Slick Watts, Shawn Kemp, Lenny Wilkens, Gus Williams, Detlef Schrempf and Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan at NeighborHoops courts such as Pratt Park, Greenlake Park, White Center Community Center and the Colman Playfield.

For additional information about the Sonics & Storm Legends Tour, fans are encouraged to log on to the teams' web sites, SUPERSONICS.COM and storm.wnba.com. Please contact the Sonics & Storm public relations department for media availability at these events by calling 206-281-5847.

Each of the courts visited on the Sonics & Storm Legends Tour have been refurbished as part of the Sonics & Storm Foundation's NeighborHoops program and are in partnership with Seattle Parks & Recreation. The court refurbishments were made possible through support from Court Games LLC.

The Sonics & Storm Foundation NeighborHoops program refurbishes dilapidated basketball courts throughout the state of Washington. Since its inception in 1998, NeighborHoops has renovated more than 20 courts including Pratt Park, Lakewood Boys & Girls Club, Everett Boys & Girls Club, Blaine Elementary School, White Center Community Center, East Central Community Center in Spokane and the Nate McMillan Court in Seattle.

The Seattle Sonics & Storm organization manages the Puget Sound region's professional basketball franchises - the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics and the WNBA's Seattle Storm. The organization oversees all sales, marketing, finance, public relations and basketball operations for the teams.

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