Sports Radio KJR has been touting this event for over a week, but in case you haven’t heard, there’s a rally to bring back the Sonics tomorrow at 4pm at Occidental Park, and it’s bringing out all the big guns who want an NBA franchise in our city. Seattle native Chris Hansen, the hedge-fund manager with deep pockets who’s willing to put up $290 million for a $490 million pro-sports arena in SoDo, will be there alongside former Sonics Gary Payton and Slick Watts, former Sonics play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro, and "special guests." (Maybe Shawn Kemp? He was in town on Monday for a 710 ESPN Seattle event.) UPDATED 6/14/12. Shawn Kemp it is! Along with Sir Mix-A-Lot and Guns N’ Roses’ former bassist Duff McKagan, according to sbnation.com. Seattle musicians Blue Scholars, Common Market, the Presidents of the United States of America, and The Dangerettes are expected to perform, and food trucks Skillet, Off the Rez, and Bluebird will keep us fed.

Gotta love the timing, considering the Sonics…err, Oklahoma City Thunder are in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat right now (no spoilers from me, but Kevin Durant was really fun to watch last night in Game 1). To date, Hansen has already received verbal support from Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine for a SoDo arena, and just this morning, he released a letter saying that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Erik and Peter Nordstrom will join him as investors. But this is no slam dunk (puns, ugh). The arena proposal faces plenty of opposition from the Port of Seattle, and the city council still has to vote—that debate is now slated for August. Matthew Halverson breaks it all down in Meet the Players in Seattle’s NBA Proposal.

Find out more about the rally at Facebook/BringBackOurSonics.

Bring Back the Sonics Rally
June 14 at 4, Occidental Park