▁the ▁" New ▁Orleans / Ok lahoma ▁City ▁Hor net s ", ▁giving ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁credit ▁for ▁hosting ▁the ▁' home ▁team '. ▁The ▁Hor net s ▁played ▁their ▁last ▁game ▁in ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁on ▁October ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁a ▁pr ese ason ▁game . ▁ ▁The ▁hosting ▁of ▁the ▁Hor net s ▁arg u ably ▁gave ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁the ▁edge ▁it ▁needed ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁the ▁rad ar ▁of ▁professional ▁sports . ▁Long ▁being ▁considered ▁by ▁many ▁as ▁too ▁small ▁to ▁host ▁a ▁major - le ague ▁team ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁reasons , ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Hor net s ▁during ▁their ▁two - year ▁stay ▁caught ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁NBA ▁and ▁other ▁sports ▁le agues . ▁Att endance ▁for ▁Hor net s ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Energy ▁Arena ▁aver aged ▁ 1 8 , 7 1 6   f ans ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 – 0 6 ▁( 3 6   g ames ) ▁and ▁ 1 7 , 9 5 1   f ans ▁( 3 5   g ames ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 – 0 7 . ▁David ▁Stern ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁stating ▁that ▁" Ok lahoma ▁City ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁re location ▁list ▁of ▁cities " ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁Hor net s ' ▁last ▁home ▁game ▁he ▁all ▁but ▁assured ▁local ▁fans ▁that ▁" I ▁look ▁forward ▁to ▁the ▁day ▁that ▁the ▁NBA ▁will ▁return ▁to ▁Oklahoma ▁City ." ▁