Originally published Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Brown happy it's Haywood's time
Fred Brown had one question when the Sonics approached him about having his number retired. "The first thing out of my mouth was that Spencer...
Seattle Times staff reporter
Fred Brown had one question when the Sonics approached him about having his number retired.
"The first thing out of my mouth was that Spencer Haywood should be retired before anybody else," said Brown, who had his No. 32 retired in November 1986. "The one reason why I agreed to a Fred Brown honor was I looked at it as an honor for all of the players who came before me. But the city deserved to have Spencer Haywood up there."
After Haywood was included in last summer's Legends Tour with the Sonics, Lenny Wilkens reignited talks about retiring Haywood's No. 24. When Clay Bennett purchased the franchise in July and appointed Wilkens vice chairman in the fall, the go-ahead was given.
Haywood, traded to New York in October 1975 after five seasons in Seattle, will have his jersey retired in a halftime ceremony Monday. Brown, Wilkens, Jack Sikma, Nate McMillan and Gus Williams — the other five Sonics with retired jerseys — will participate. Haywood, 57, will be given an elaborate spread of gifts, including a framed jersey and autographed basketball.
"It basically has to do with who's in ownership," Sonics legend Slick Watts said. "Lets face it; a lot of people's numbers could be up there. A lot of it has to deal with the ownership, and we've got a different owner. Clay Bennett is trying to cover all of the bases. They even gave me a job [in community relations]. They're trying to cover all the bases, and he wants to do the right thing. But I always say it was time a long time ago."
Haywood, who has two sisters who have lived in the Seattle area the past three decades, begins his return today at a basketball clinic from 3 to 4 p.m. at Crossroads Community Center. He'll be on Smooth Jazz 98.9 (KWJZ) on Monday morning and appear at Key Bank Key Center at Fourth and Union from 1 to 2 p.m.
The halftime ceremony Monday will be tempered because Dennis Johnson, who was named MVP of the 1979 championship team, died on Thursday. He also wore No. 24. The Sonics will pay tribute to Johnson prior to the game against Portland, then the focus will turn to Haywood.
Brown is particularly enthused about Haywood's honor. They teamed to help lead the organization to its first postseason appearance in 1975. And Haywood always made practice spirited with his competitive nature, or with shots that would make coach Bill Russell stop the session.
"Spencer Haywood, would you please take that shot out of your repertoire," Russell would say sternly after watching the 6-foot-8 forward swish a fadeaway.
"It's been a long time coming," said Haywood, who averaged 24.9 points and 12.1 rebounds in Seattle. "But it came on time, with time on God's time."
NFL, union resume labor talks at mediator's office
UPDATE - 08:52 AM
Hundreds attend funeral for fallen Mich. player
UPDATE - 09:40 AM
Norway's Tarjei Boe wins men's biathlon at worlds
Crying is OK, but admitting it is apparently not
NEW - 08:46 AM
Tripoli ruled unsafe for international soccer
![]()

Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwautos
Turismo upgrade "Gran Turismo 5: XL Edition" for PlayStation 3 has features such as new car-tuning settings, new NASCAR vehicles, better replay video...
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
464 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming
357 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
277 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
242 - Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement
231 - Oregon live game thread
155 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
127 - AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule
117 - Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'
100
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- A wandering gene's destructive path | Book review







