Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - Sam Schulman, the original owner of the Seattle SuperSonics, died at the age of 93. Schulman passed away Thursday at his home in Los Angeles with complication from a blood disease. Schulman co-purchased the Seattle club in 1966 and later became the team's principal owner. The Sonics won the franchise's only NBA title in 1979. Schulman might be best known for winning a legal victory which reshaped the way the NBA Draft functions today. In 1970, Spencer Haywood signed a contract to play for Seattle, but the NBA did not allow a player to be signed until four years after he graduated from high school. Under the old rule, Haywood would not have been eligible to join the league until 1971-72. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled on Haywood's favor, allowing him to immediately play for Seattle. The monumental ruling opened the draft potential for younger players to the format currently utilized by the NBA. Schulman, who sold the franchise in 1983, is survived by his wife and two daughters. |
