Russell Wilson’s decade-long NBA dream could soon be realized with $10bn decision expected in 2026

The Seattle Seahawks have a mixed experience facing the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Earlier this month, Seattle won its second Super Bowl in franchise history, beating the Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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However, in 2015, former Seahawks QB Russell Wilson was within touching distance of back-to-back triumphs having secured an underdog victory over the Denver Broncos a year previous.

The Seahawks were on the one-yard line looking for a game-clinching touchdown and decided to throw instead of handing off to running back Marshawn Lynch — a short-yardage monster.

Wilson’s pass was picked off by Malcolm Butler and the dream was over as the Pats won 28-24.

He has never been back to the Super Bowl since and is unlikely to get a shot after miserable spells with the Broncos and New York Giants.

Wilson – who has vowed to play on in 2026 after losing the Giants starting spot to rookie Jaxson Dart – will probably be watching his former team’s bid for revenge with a tinge of regret.

Russell Wilson tried to bring the Sonics back to Seattle

It is not the only time he tried and failed to bring home a major prize of the people of Seattle.

At the height of his Seahawks career in 2016, the quarterback joined a group led by investor Chris Hansen aiming to build an NBA and NHL arena in the SODO neighborhood.

The hope was to bring the Sonics and hockey back to the city.

“I became a SuperSonics fan by playing NBA Jam and watching them on SportsCenter and NBA Inside Stuff,” Wilson wrote in The Players’ Tribune.

“I loved their name. I loved their colors. I loved [Shawn] Kemp and [Gary] Payton, and then in later years, I loved watching Ray Allen swish corner threes with that perfect form.

“Even though we lived in Virginia, I got a Sonics jersey one Christmas and I used to put it on and go play hoops out in front of the house, pretending I was Gary Payton.”

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Wilson wanted to transform the lives of local children after their team controversially relocated to Oklahoma City.

“There is no place like the Emerald City,” he said via the Associated Press.

“The positive impact sports has on our kids and many generations to come and bringing different cultures and people together is what motivates and inspires me.”

Hansen, the man leading the bid at the time, was relishing the lure of Wilson as part of the plan to bring Seattle to the forefront of the major sports once again.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled that Russell is joining our partnership and continued efforts to bring the NBA and NHL back to Seattle,” he added.

“As you are all aware, we have always kept our focus on doing this for the right reasons — our love for our city, our love of basketball and our belief that pro sports has the ability to positively influence our youth and bring communities together in a way very few things in this world can.

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“It is with this shared view that we welcome Russell, a young, smart and passionate entrepreneur, as our business partner. We know that his enthusiasm, positivity and ‘never give up’ attitude will make a huge difference in our effort.”

The Sonics left Seattle for Oklahoma City before the 2008-09 season and have since become the most dominant team in the NBA thanks to MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“It’s crazy to me that kids growing up in Seattle now turn on NBA 2K and they can’t even play as the Sonics. It doesn’t seem right that they’re gone,” Wilson wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “They were a part of my childhood, and I grew up 2,840 miles away.

“The NBA needs that green and gold back. Seattle needs basketball back. And hockey, too. (The Seattle Metropolitans won the Stanley Cup in 1917, in case you didn’t know.)”

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Unfortunately, the project hit a road block as the City Council voted against giving part of Occidental Avenue South to the would-be ownership group.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray declared at the time: “The city’s past actions contributed to the Sonics leaving Seattle. Today’s council vote makes it less likely that the NBA will return.”

“Seattle, Lets stand up & fight to get our team back! The stadium would sell out every game,” Wilson posted on what was then Twitter in response. “Let’s start a petition Seattle! @NBA#WhyNotUs.”

Wilson also tweeted about bringing the Atlanta Hawks to Seattle in 2014.

As of now, his dream is unrealized, but there is hope.

Seattle in line for NBA expansion team

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is considering allowing two new expansion teams to enter the NBA, with a decision expected in 2026.

“I’d say in terms of domestic expansion, that is something we’re continuing to look at,” he said before the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to end a 52-year drought for silverware and win the NBA Cup.

“It’s not a secret we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle. We’ve looked at other markets, as well.

“I’d say I want to be sensitive there about this notion that we’re somehow teasing these markets, because I know we’ve been talking about it for a while.

“As I’ve said before, domestic expansion, as opposed to doing a new league in Europe, is selling equity in this current league. If you own 1/30 of this league, now you own 1/32 if you add two teams. So it’s a much more difficult economic analysis. In many ways, it requires predicting the future.

“I think now we’re in the process of working with our teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams and what a pro forma would look like for them, and then sometime in 2026 we’ll make a determination.”

The move could generate $10 billion for the league, with each team expected to pay around $5 billion for the right if the expansion gets the go-ahead.

Seattle being name-dropped will be music to Wilson’s ears but if the league decides to place a team on each side of the Rockies, the city may miss out to Vegas.

Wilson’s priority will be finding a new team with his one-year Giants contract over.

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