Clay Bennett Net Worth

What is Clay Bennett's net worth?

Clay Bennett is an American businessman who has a net worth of $400 million. Clay Bennett is best known as the chairman of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA team he famously relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City. As we detail later in this article, the size of Clay's ownership stake is not known. What is known is that the Thunder has roughly a dozen individual investors, and the largest individual investor, George Kaiser, owns a 19% stake. So Clay owns greater than 0% but less than 19% of a team that is worth roughly $3.5 billion.

A lifelong Oklahoman with deep ties to the energy industry and local civic efforts, Bennett has played a central role in the growth of professional sports in his home state. Through his holding company, the Professional Basketball Club LLC, Bennett has overseen the Thunder's transformation into a consistently competitive franchise. Though lauded in Oklahoma for bringing the NBA to town, he remains a controversial figure in Seattle due to the circumstances of the SuperSonics' departure. Outside of basketball, Bennett has held prominent leadership positions in business, education, and economic development, including serving as chairman of Dorchester Capital and being a longtime member of the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents.

Early Life and Background

Clayton Ike Bennett was born in April 1959 in Oklahoma City. He comes from a prominent Oklahoma family with long-standing ties to the local business and philanthropic communities. He attended Heritage Hall School in Oklahoma City before earning a degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma.

After college, Bennett entered the world of business and finance, working in banking, investment, and energy. Over the years, he developed a portfolio of business interests through Dorchester Capital, a private investment firm with holdings in oil and gas, telecommunications, and other sectors. He built a reputation as a civic-minded businessman with a particular interest in economic development within Oklahoma.

Bringing the NBA to Oklahoma City

Bennett's most visible and polarizing move came in 2006, when he led a group of Oklahoma City investors in purchasing the Seattle SuperSonics from Howard Schultz, then CEO of Starbucks, for $350 million. The stated goal was to keep the team in Seattle, but it quickly became clear that Bennett's group had other long-term ambitions.

After failed negotiations with the city of Seattle over funding for a new arena, Bennett formally announced plans to relocate the franchise. Following legal battles and mounting public backlash in Seattle, the NBA approved the move in 2008. The team was rebranded as the Oklahoma City Thunder, beginning play in the 2008–2009 season.

While Bennett was vilified by Seattle fans and local officials, he became a hero in Oklahoma City. The Thunder marked the first permanent major league sports franchise in the state's history. Under his leadership, the team quickly became a model small-market success story, fueled by the early careers of stars like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

On June 22, 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder won its first NBA Championship, defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games.

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Role with the Thunder

Bennett serves as chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the ownership group behind the Thunder. He has remained deeply involved in the team's business and strategic decisions, though he generally leaves basketball operations to his general managers and coaches. During the Thunder's most successful era, the team reached the NBA Finals in 2012 and remained a perennial playoff contender for much of the next decade.

Bennett is known for his low public profile and behind-the-scenes influence. He has built strong relationships within the NBA's executive ranks, particularly with commissioner Adam Silver and his predecessor, the late David Stern, who was a vocal supporter of the Oklahoma City move. The team's Paycom Center (formerly Chesapeake Energy Arena) has become a centerpiece of Oklahoma City's downtown revitalization, something Bennett frequently cites as a core motivation behind his efforts.

Thunder Ownership & Valuation

The Oklahoma City Thunder are valued at approximately $3.5 billion, a 10X increase from the $350 million purchase price Clay Bennett and his group paid in 2006 when they acquired the Seattle SuperSonics. The franchise is owned by Professional Basketball Club LLC, a consortium of Oklahoma-based investors led by Bennett.

Bennett's exact ownership stake is not known. However, it is known that billionaire George Kaiser owns the largest individual share at 19%. At the $3.5 billion valuation, a 19% stake is worth $665 million.

Other investors include Jeffrey Records Jr., Bill Cameron, Robert E. Howard II, Jay Scaramucci, and Everett Dobson. The estate of Aubrey McClendon, a founding partner who passed away in 2016, also retains a stake. Considering the fact that Clay is the most prominent founding owner and the Chairman, one might assume he owns a 10% stake. If that were true, his share would be worth around $350 million, on paper, pre-tax.

Business and Civic Leadership

Outside of the NBA, Bennett has maintained his role as chairman of Dorchester Capital and has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, where he played a key role in advancing the MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) public improvement initiatives.

He is also a longtime trustee of the University of Oklahoma and served multiple terms on its Board of Regents. In 2013, he was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin to chair the Oklahoma State Board of Education, although he later resigned from that post. His philanthropic interests include education, health care, and civic infrastructure.

Personal Life and Real Estate

Clay Bennett is married to Louise Gaylord Bennett, the granddaughter of media mogul Edward L. Gaylord, who built the Gaylord Entertainment empire and long controlled The Oklahoman newspaper. The couple has three children and maintains residences in Oklahoma City and other parts of the state. The Bennett and Gaylord families have remained two of the most influential in Oklahoma civic and business life.

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