Jack Sikma named Sonics' special assignments coach

Updated: September 18, 2003, 10:11 PM ET

SEATTLE -- After being away from the NBA since he retired after the 1990-91 season, Jack Sikma is rejoining the Seattle SuperSonics, a team he helped to its only league championship in 1979.

Sikma, 47, a seven-time All-Star and a highly successful Bellevue real estate and golf course developer, will be special assistants coach for the Sonics.

Sikma will support the coaching staff in scouting, working out players and assisting the team's centers.

"Of course, my focus is going to be with the big guys," Sikma said in a Thursday interview with The Associated Press. "I'll try to give them some things that will help them be more effective. I felt the itch to get back involved with basketball at the highest level."

Sikma's No. 43 is one of four retired Sonics' jerseys, along with Fred Brown's No. 32, Nate McMillan's No. 10 and Lenny Wilkens' No. 19.

In 1979, Sikma teamed with Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, Fred Brown, Lonnie Shelton and John Johnson to beat the then-Washington Bullets in five games in the NBA Finals.

"One of his major responsibilities is to aid in the growth and development of our centers," general manager Rick Sund said.

With the Sonics, he will work with centers Jerome James, Calvin Booth and Vitaly Potapenko and, perhaps, center Predrag Drobnjak, who is a restricted free agent.

Sikma also will help first-round draft choice Nick Collison and Vladimir Radmanovic, who are power forwards, and, perhaps, power forward Reggie Evans, who also is a restricted free agent.

"Big guys and post play are areas I think I can add the most," the 6-foot-11 Sikma said. "I'll help whoever is here."

Sikma was selected by the Sonics with the eighth pick in the 1977 NBA draft from Illinois Wesleyan. He missed only 23 games during his nine years in Seattle.

Sikma was traded to Milwaukee in 1986, leaving as Seattle's career leader in rebounds (7,729), blocked shots (705) and made free throws (3,044). He still holds the top spot on the rebounding and free throws charts.

Sikma retired after the 1990-91 season and returned to the Seattle area. His jersey was retired by the Sonics on Nov. 21, 1992.

Sikma said the timing was right for him to get back into the NBA now because his three sons are at an age when he can be gone more from home. He has high school senior and freshman sons and a son who is in the fifth grade.

He took Wally Walker, his former Sonics' teammate who now is the team's president, to lunch in June and told Walker he wanted to go to work as a coach for the team.

"I told him I was going to get back into the game," Sikma said. "I told him I had made that decision. I just said, 'Hey, I'm letting you know because if there's an opportunity with the Sonics I'd be very interested.' "

He will work under McMillan, who will be starting his fourth season as Sonics head coach this season.

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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