Gus Williams, the beloved Seattle SuperSonics star who led the franchise to its only NBA championship in 1979, died Wednesday at age 71.

NBA champion Gus Williams, who played for 11 years and led the Seattle SuperSonics to their only championship in 1979, died on Wednesday at age 71. The Washington Wizards, who Williams played for in the final year of his career,

Undersized but speedy and known as the Wizard for his acrobatics, he was a high scorer who in 1979 starred in a series that brought the SuperSonics their only crown.

Gus Williams, who died this week aged 71, was first drafted by the Warriors in 1975 and went on to become a runner-up for Rookie of the Year.

Former Seattle Sonics star point guard Gus Williams, the leading scorer on the franchise's lone NBA championship team, died at age 71.

The Seattle SuperSonics only won a single NBA title - in 1979, two years after the Blazers won their lone championship - and they wouldn’t have been able to do it without 6’2” guard Gus Johnson who passed away Wednesday at the age of 71.