Hoop Culture

Basketball in Seattle Is Bigger than the Sonics

What made the Sonics’ departure most galling—the city’s undying appreciation for the sport—is also what helps keep the flame burning without the NBA.

06/23/2026 By Christian Caple

Excerpt

Inside Gary Payton's Trash Talk Genius

A new book takes on the history of talking smack—and takes a hard look at a Sonics legend.

01/11/2024 By Rafi Kohan

Faking Left

Shaun Scott Chronicles Seattle’s Civic Shortcomings through Sports

Heartbreak City details progressive failures, and resilience, by focusing on the city’s relationship to its teams and athletes.

10/23/2023 By Benjamin Cassidy

We Needed This

Simply Seattle Is the Best Shop in the City for Local Sports Gear

The folks at Simply Seattle don't just sell Seattle stuff—they're serious Seattle superfans.

02/03/2023 By Zoe Sayler

Year in Review

The Seattle Sports Moments to Remember (and Forget) from 2021

The Mariners continued an unenviable streak, the Reign announced their return, the Storm and Sounders got close, the Kraken were released, and the Seahawks...sucked?

12/27/2021 By Seattle Met Staff

Hoops Heartache

Are the Sonics Really Coming Back This Time?

You have permission to get your hopes up. But you may have to keep them there for a while.

11/22/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy

The Sporting Life

5 Classic Seattle Sports Games You Can Watch on YouTube Right Now

Because you can only consume so much marble racing.

03/20/2020 By Benjamin Cassidy

History Lessons

Crash Course: A Century of Seattle Music

From prohibition jazz to garage rock in a castle to hip-hop's new guard.

11/20/2018 By Stefan Milne

Act Local

The New Pleasure of a Band Coming Home

Brandi Carlile, Fleet Foxes, and Foo Fighters all play Seattle this weekend. The shows will be sentimental. Deal with it.

08/28/2018 By Stefan Milne

Local Legends

Why You Should See the Sonics in Tacoma

The garage rock legends are playing their hometown for the first time in six years.

08/23/2018 By Stefan Milne

Open Letter

An Open Letter to Chris Hansen and Ed Murray

Boys bye.

12/20/2016

Morning Fizz

Negative Ads, Negative Balance Sheets, and Negative Emails

Walkinshaw versus Jayapal, Hansen's taxes, and opponents of a safe heroin site.

10/27/2016 By Josh Feit

The Sporting Life

EXCLUSIVE: Unedited First Draft of Chris Hansen's Arena Letter

Read the *totally real and in no way made up* letter declaring his true feelings about privately financing a new home for the Sonics.

10/26/2016 By Matthew Halverson

Sound Off

Hey, Let’s Stop Rooting for the Thunder to Fail

It's not a good look.

09/21/2016 By Seth Sommerfeld

Afternoon Jolt

Seattle Times Publisher Pitched a $290,000 Promo to the Port While the Paper Was Editorializing Against SoDo Arena

As the Seattle Times was making the Port of Seattle's case against the SoDo arena, it was simultaneously proposing a newspaper promo.

08/04/2016 By Josh Feit

Afternoon Jolt

Hansen's Arena Site Appeared on List of Potential New Port Headquarters

Port documents show their SoDo property assessment included Hansen site.

05/12/2016 By Josh Feit

Morning Fizz

Feminist Celebrity Contribution

Campaign contributions and timely condemnations.

05/05/2016 By Josh Feit

Morning Fizz

Formal Complaints, Angry Emails, and Novel Ideas

The Democrats file a campaign complaint against GOP gubernatorial candidate, sexist email jars city hall, and lidding I-5.

05/04/2016 By Josh Feit

Morning Fizz

It Takes a City

The urbanist moment in Chicago.

03/14/2016 By Josh Feit

Morning Fizz

City Locks in Corporate Tax Exemption, Daugaard Protests, and Blethen Tweets

City to leave a couple million dollars on table in tax revenue.

12/02/2015 By Josh Feit