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The Five Best Sonics Souvenirs Ever

At least, the best pieces of memorabilia we’ve ever seen. Because the Museum of History and Industry let KUOW’s Deborah Wang peek at the stashthat came into their hands as part of a settlement between the city of Seattle and Clay Bennett.

5. 8-by-10 Inch Wheedle Glossy
Before Squatch, the Sonics mascot was the Wheedle. Unlike Squatch’s Chewbacca-like rock-and-roll appearance, the Wheedle had large eyes and long eyelashes and was apparently known for guzzling Pepsi out of two-liters. His appearance is inpired by a popular children’s book about a large fuzzy creature that had to climb to the top of the Space Needle just to take a nap.

4. Gary Payton Lunch Box
Look! Behind the shoes! It’s a Gary Payton lunch box! The Adidas are cool, but the Gary Payton lunch box emblazons the world’s most popular Sonic onto a classic totem of childhood. Imagine the envy of your colleagues when you celebrate the return of the Sonics with a PB&J and milk unfurled from this box. After you walk to the break room in your fly Sonics kicks. Maybe they’ll reissue these just so that can happen.

3. The Trophy
We can call it The Trophy because it put Seattle on the map in professional sports. Sports victories here are so rare that The Trophy must be encased with The Banner and displayed for homage.

2. Jack Sikma’s Hair Jersey
Jack Sikma’s college athletic director saidhis “mop of floppy blond hair” made him look just like the Dutch Boy from the paint can. At its peak, Jack Sikma’s hair haloed the championship player with styles curly and feathered. Sikma’s hair is still in great condition after a career of coaching other coifs; its crowning achievements are the distinctive blond buzzes of Sikma’s sons Luke and Nate. Pictured: Jack Sikma’s hair’s jersey.

1. Slick Watts Matryoshka Doll
Inspired by the great Russian tradition of tiny cute dolls that fit inside slightly less-tiny cute dolls, this hand-painted likeness of Slick Watts concluded a three-doll giveawaypromotion in the 2008 season at Key Arena. His nested buddies Nate McMillan and Gary Payton form a complete set from the promotion. The Slick Watts doll is hollow, though, perhaps to accommodate two more. Do you have all three, or another Sonics doll set? Send us a photo!