INQUIRER Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The new National Basketball Association club in Oklahoma City will be called the Thunder, team officials announced here Wednesday night.

The former Seattle Supersonics moved to the Central US plains when new ownership based in Oklahoma decided to move the club when moves to have a new arena constructed in Seattle were turned down.

But a deal with the NBA and Seattle officials had the Sonics leave behind their nickname and colors with the hope that one day an expansion team or another relocated NBA franchise might pick up the Supersonics name and history.