Teams/Northwest Division
Oklahoma City Thunder
Clay Bennett chairs the group that has owned the team since 2006, when it paid $350M for the Seattle SuperSonics and the WNBA's Storm. Forbes values the Thunder at $4.9B, and the franchise has had four owners since it began in Seattle in 1967.
Every owner since the start
- 2006-todayProfessional Basketball Club LLC, chaired by Clay Bennett
Bought the SuperSonics and the Storm from Howard Schultz's group for $350M. Closed on 31 October 2006; moved the team in 2008.
- 2001-2006Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Howard Schultz
Bought the SuperSonics and the Storm from the Ackerley Group for $200M in January 2001.
- 1983-2001Barry Ackerley (Ackerley Group)
Bought from Sam Schulman in October 1983; price not found.
- 1967-1983Sam Schulman and Eugene Klein
Founded the team through NBA expansion; the league entry fee was $1.75M.
Value over time
- 12001 Schultz group buys, $200M
- 22006 Bennett group buys, $350M
Show the numbers
| Year | Forbes value |
|---|---|
| 1998 | $169M |
| 1999 | $183M |
| 2000 | $187M |
| 2002 | $200M |
| 2003 | $207M |
| 2004 | $205M |
| 2005 | $234M |
| 2007 | $269M |
| 2008 | $300M |
| 2009 | $310M |
| 2011 | $329M |
| 2012 | $348M |
| 2013 | $475M |
| 2014 | $590M |
| 2015 | $930M |
| 2016 | $950M |
| 2017 | $1.02B |
| 2018 | $1.25B |
| 2019 | $1.48B |
| 2020 | $1.57B |
| 2021 | $1.63B |
| 2022 | $1.88B |
| 2023 | $3.05B |
| 2024 | $3.65B |
| 2025 | $4.35B |
| 2026 | $4.9B |
| Year | Sale | Team valued at |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Howard Schultz group buys SuperSonics and Storm for $200M | $200M |
| 2006 | Clay Bennett group buys SuperSonics and Storm for $350M | $350M |
Forbes valued the franchise at $169M in 1998, when it played in Seattle, and $4.9B in 2026, about 29 times as much. The biggest one-year jump was $1.175B, from $1.875B in 2022 to $3.05B in 2023.
How the current owner bought it
- On 18 July 2006 the group agreed to pay Howard Schultz's company $350M. NBA owners approved on 24 October 2006.
- The terms promised 12 months of good-faith effort to secure an arena deal in the Seattle area.
- After failing to win about $500M of public arena money, Bennett told the NBA on 2 November 2007 that he intended to move. Owners approved the move 28-2 on 18 April 2008.
- On 2 July 2008 the group paid Seattle $45M to leave its arena lease. A further $30M was due if Seattle had no replacement team within five years.
- The group sold the Storm to Seattle buyers on 8 January 2008. No sale of the Thunder is pending in 2026.
Partners in the team
| Partner | Stake | Who they are |
|---|---|---|
| George Kaiser | 19.23% | Oil and banking billionaire; bought Tom Ward's stake in April 2014, price not found |
| G. Jeffrey Records Jr. | undisclosed | MidFirst Bank; his stake is described as significant |
| William Cameron, Jay Scaramucci, Everett Dobson, Robert Howard II | undisclosed | American Fidelity Assurance; Balon Corporation; Dobson Partnerships; Howard Investments |
| Aubrey McClendon estate (former) | About 20% to 22% | Sportico reported in 2025 that the remaining owners bought this stake themselves; date and price undisclosed. Forbes' October 2026 list still names the estate as an owner |
How the team is run
- Bennett is chairman and NBA governor. Sam Presti is general manager.
- Debt is 4% of team value, and the team has not paid luxury tax, a league charge on high payrolls, since 2019-20.
- The team pays the city $1.6M a year in rent at Paycom Center.
- A $900M arena, Continental Coliseum, broke ground on 26 March 2026 and is due to open in 2028. The owners pay $50M; a voter-approved sales tax and an earlier city programme pay the rest.
- The arena agreements bind the team to Oklahoma City for 25 years after opening, with penalties above $1B for leaving early.
Quick answers
Who owns the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Clay Bennett chairs the group that has owned the team since 2006, when it paid $350M for the Seattle SuperSonics and the WNBA's Storm.
How much are the Oklahoma City Thunder worth?
Forbes values the Oklahoma City Thunder at $4.9B in its October 2026 list, up 13% from $4.35B a year earlier. That makes them the 19th most valuable of the 30 teams; in 1998 Forbes put the team at $169M.
How much did the current owner pay for the Thunder?
$350M (Clay Bennett, 2006). Forbes now values the team at about 14 times that price.
Who owned the Oklahoma City Thunder before the current owner?
Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Howard Schultz (2001-2006). Bought the SuperSonics and the Storm from the Ackerley Group for $200M in January 2001.
Open questions
- Bennett's own percentage: not disclosed.
- Prices for the 1983 purchase and the 2008 Storm sale, and any NBA relocation fee: not found.
- Whether the further $30M to Seattle was paid: not stated.
- One July 2025 newspaper column, citing one unnamed source, forecast that the partners may sell at some point; no sale process has been reported.