The Oklahoma City Thunder will probably never again be the Seattle SuperSonics.
But that didn't stop Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson from joining a group hoping to lure the NBA franchise back to the Emerald City.
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Wilson announced Monday he has joined Seattle's Arena Investment Group to build a sports arena in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood.
I'm excited to announce I've partnered w/ the Sonics Arena Group to help bring the @NBA & @NHL to the best fan base in the world.
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) November 14, 2016
Seattle.
"There is no place like the Emerald City," Wilson said in a statement. "The positive impact sports has on our kids and many generations to come, and bringing different cultures and people together is what motivates and inspires me."
Both the NBA and NHL have expressed interest in expanding, with Seattle considered one of the top sites. Seattle has been without an NBA team since the SuperSonics left to become the Thunder in 2008.
Entrepreneur Chris Hansen and his partners announced last month they are willing to use private funds to fully finance a basketball arena in SoDo. By using only private funds, Hansen will not have to procure an NBA team within a specific amount of time. Previously, a deal between Hansen, Seattle and the King Country required a $200 million stipend in municipal-bond funding to build an arena if an NBA team was brought in.
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For the public funding to work, Hansen would have needed to bring in an NBA team to Seattle by November 2017. The proposed building site is Occidental Avenue S., which would need to be, in part, vacated. Hansen stated last month he would donate extra money to build an overpass to Occidental Avenue to combat traffic.
Wilson is not just a spokesman for the stadium project, but an investor. He has expressed interest in team ownership since he and Hansen met four years ago and became close friends.
"We couldn’t be more thrilled that Russell is joining our partnership and continued efforts to bring the NBA and NHL back to Seattle," Hansen said in Monday's release. "As you are all aware, we have always kept our focus on doing this for the right reasons — Our love for our City, our love of basketball, and our belief that pro-sports has the ability to positively influence our youth and bring communities together in a way very few things in this world can.
"It is with this shared view that we welcome Russell, a young, smart and passionate entrepreneur, as our business partner. We know that his enthusiasm, positivity, and 'never give up' attitude will make a huge difference in our effort."