American · Kankakee, Illinois · Born 14 November 1955American basketball center known for his unique outside shooting ability and helping Seattle SuperSonics win 1979 NBA Championship during 14-year NBA career
Jack Wayne Sikma was born in Kankakee, Illinois in 1955. Seattle SuperSonics selected him eighth overall in the 1977 NBA Draft after four years at Illinois Wesleyan University. His 14-season career produced 15.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game along with seven All-Star appearances. He won the NBA championship with Seattle in 1979. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team twice. His outside shooting from the center position — particularly his turnaround jump shot from 15 feet — was genuinely unusual for his position in the late 1970s and early 1980s, making him one of the earliest stretch bigs in NBA history. He also led the league in free throw percentage once — 92.2% — demonstrating his shooting touch. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. His Seattle career established him as the cornerstone of the only championship in franchise history. His combination of rebounding, outside shooting and passing from the center position influenced how coaches thought about the position years before the term stretch center entered the basketball vocabulary.
Hall of Fame center known for unique shooting style and 1979 NBA title
How They Played
Versatile center with excellent shooting range and court vision
Lasting Impact
Pioneer center who could shoot from outside and pass effectively
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (1979)
- All-Star 7x
- All-NBA Second Team 2x
- Hall of Fame (2019)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle SuperSonics | 1977–1986 | 715 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1986–1991 | 410 |
American Athletes