While many NBA teams have spent the summer reeling in big name free agents and working on blockbuster trades, the Oklahoma City Thunder are taking a more patient approach. The team might not be on anyone’s short list of title contenders for next season, but they believe the future is bright.
“We’re not about the quick fix, we’re not trying to find the next free agent, who will be headline material guy, we’re not trying to spend a lot of money prematurely on a good player, who maybe is not the best fit for our team,” said Brian Byrnes, Senior Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service during Wednesday’s Edmond Rotary Club meet at First Christian Church.
The key figure is general manager Sam Presti, who implemented that conservative approach towards building a winner.
“Sam is the guy to do it, Sam is one of the best basketball minds in the country and we have total confidence in him that he’s putting the pieces together and developing the team,” said Dan Mahoney, Vice President of Community Relations and Corporate Communications, who also spoke to the Edmond Rotary Club Wednesday afternoon.
The Thunder don’t have to look far for inspiration. The team is looking to follow in the footsteps of the Presti’s former employer, the San Antonio Spurs, who have developed into one of the most successful and consistent teams in professional sports.
“That’s where Sam learned the trade, where he grew up and cut his teeth,” Byrnes said. “(San Antonio) is just a very well oiled machine. Year in and year out you know what you get, you get excellence. And that’s what we’re trying to build here.”
The Thunder executives also expressed their confidence in the community. While some had doubts about Oklahoma City’s ability to support an NBA franchise, the fans quickly threw their support behind the new team. Last year the Thunder sold about 13,000 season tickets, which ranked third in the league. This year the team retained 85 percent of those season ticket holder while adding nearly 1,000 new ones.
“The night that we announced we were relocating, we had operators ready to take phone calls for people expressing interest in season tickets. And within a few days we had 20,000 people call,” Mahoney said.
“To have more season tickets sold than Cleveland with one of the world’s popular players in LeBron James, and to have more tickets sold than Dallas, Houston or San Antonio, I think it speaks volumes to the opportunities for Oklahoma City,” Byrnes said.
Despite all the recent success, Mahoney said the Thunder aren’t taking anything for granted. He said they’re committed to improving both the team and the gameday experience. The next step in the process is improving the Ford Center. The first phase of the renovations is currently underway, with improvements being made to the locker rooms, media areas and some concourses. But the most noticeable addition to the fans will be the new $4 million scoreboard.
“It has 10 video panels on it, all digital video, it’s really going to add to the game experience at all levels,” Mahoney said. “Everyone from the top of Loud City to the courtside seats will enjoy it.”
Mahoney also said the team will soon break ground on their new practice facility in north Oklahoma City. The project is scheduled to completed before the 2010-11 season.
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Patience is key for Thunder
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6 Edmond golfers hit pro links in Norman
Six Edmond golf professionals will tee it up Wednesday in the Second Annual OK Kids Korral Championship at Belmar Golf Club in Norman.
One hundred-eight players make up this year’s event on the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series. This includes five amateurs and 15 of the top 25 players on the 2013 AGPTS money list including last week’s winner in Miami, Okla. Mark Walker of Hurst, Texas, who is currently third among the money leaders.
Players from Edmond include William Kropp, Andrew Green, Dillon Rust, Wilhelm Bogstrand, Jackson Ogle and Cameron Meyers. -
UCO Endeavor Games athletes qualify for 2014 world championship powerlifting team
At the University of Central Oklahoma’s Endeavor Games for Athletes with Physical Disabilities June 6-9, four athletes qualified for the 2014 World Championships in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) powerlifting competition.
The qualifying athletes include Trevor Bunch from O’Fallon, Mo.; who is making his World Championships debut; Scott Danberg from Cooper City, Fla., a five-time Paralympian; Bryce Segura from New Iberia, La., who is competing in his first World Championships; and Mary Stack from Ann Arbor, Mich., a four-time Paralympian. -
Two UCO rowers named All-American
Central Oklahoma rowers Jenna Goodner and Michaela Stam have been named to the NCAA Division II All-America Team, it was announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
Goodner was a first-team selection, while Stam was a second-team choice. All-America selections take into account a candidate’s strength of schedule, regular season record, end of season regatta results, nomination rank, coach’s comments and 2,000-meter ergometer score. -
The remembrance remains fresh
The celebration is not over.
The Deer Creek girls basketball team continued to relive March’s state basketball championship Friday at Deer Creek High School with a Class 5A state championship ring ceremony.
Head coach Totsy Manning greeted each of her players by presenting them with a title ring.
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Traffic shouldn’t be an issue with upcoming national soccer tournament
About 15,000 people are expected at the U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Regional at the Edmond Soccer Complex on Danforth Road near Kelly Avenue June 21-27.
The number of out-of-state guests should not be a problem according to Assistant City Manager Steve Commons. The tournament will attract more than 200 boys and girls teams, ages Under-13 through Under-19, from the 12 state associations that make up U.S. Youth Soccer Region III (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, north Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, south Texas and Tennessee).
As a matter of fact, Commons feels very upbeat about the prospect of Edmond hosting the national tournament. -
LaFaye takes Pick-A-Partner crown with 135
The KickingBird Men’s Golf Assocation’s Pick-A-Partner was won by Robert LaFaye Saturday with a 135.
Sean Conrad took second (136) while Kevin Wright and Kevin O’Neil deadlocked for third place at 137. -
UCO overtakes Division II foes for national title
Starting out the postseason, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos softball team puttered out in the MIAA Tournament.
But UCO shifted it into another gear when the rounds of regionals began and rode the wild momentum going undefeated en route to securing the NCAA II national championship over Kutztown (Pa.) in Salem, Va.
The Bronchos dominated, going 9-0 straight through to the national title contest on May 27. -
2013 US Youth Soccer Region III Championships to bring more than $8 million to Edmond area
he 2013 US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Championships presented by the National Guard, to be played June 21-27, will provide an estimated economic impact of more than $8 million to the Edmond area.
Local restaurants, hotels, retail stores and others will benefit from the more than 3,600 players, coaches, teams and tournament officials, along with an estimated 12,000 spectators attending the seven-day tournament. Visitors to the Edmond area will book an estimated 10,000 room nights at area hotels.
The top 200 Boys and Girls US Youth Soccer teams from Region III, including at least 19 teams from the host Oklahoma Soccer Association, will compete at the Edmond Soccer Club Complex. -
Memorial graduate Morris totes home MVP trophy
It’s always good when Oklahoma beats Texas in anything and Saturday night’s 101-95 victory by Oklahoma over Texas in the annual Faith 7 Basketball Bowl at Oklahoma Baptist University's Noble Complex was a real cause for celebration.
But the happiest person in the gym might have been Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. You might remember that Marshall and his band of opportunistic Shockers shocked the basketball world and several NCAA experts with their improbable run to the much coveted Final 4 in April.
But Marshall, one of the clinic speakers during the annual Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association annual festival, didn't want to talk about the Shockers’ monumental achievements of the spring. His big grin and jovial nature could easily have been a glimpse into the Wichita State future. -
Stars’ Crabaugh, Jensen become MLB draftees
Oklahoma City University’s Cody Crabaugh and Chase Jensen have been chosen in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Saturday.
The San Diego Padres took Jensen in the 22nd round with the 658th overall selection, while the Miami Marlins picked Crabaugh, a former Edmond North player, in the 32nd round with the 952nd choice.
Crabaugh, a senior right-handed pitcher from Edmond, compiled a 13-2 record and 2.12 earned run average, three complete games, a shutout and 77 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched this year.
In the NAIA, Crabaugh ranked fourth in wins this year. He led the SAC in wins and ranked second in ERA to his teammate Derek Howell. Crabaugh struck out seven in eight innings, both season highs, against Mid-America Christian on May 3 in the SAC Tournament. His whitewashed St. Gregory's on March 20 in Shawnee, Okla. He became a second-team NAIA all-American and first-team all-SAC selection this season. - More Sports Headlines
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