58 Fun Facts About Sacramento Kings

What is the name of the Kings' downtown Sacramento arena, opened in 2016?

Golden 1 Center, named for Golden 1 Credit Union, opened in downtown Sacramento in September 2016, replacing the suburban arena in Natomas that the Kings had used since 1988.

The Kings franchise began as the Royals in which New York city?

Rochester: the Royals joined the National Basketball League there in 1945, moved to the BAA in 1948 and came into the NBA with the 1949 merger, their roots reaching a semi-pro club of the 1920s.

Which distiller sponsored the semi-professional team that preceded the Royals?

Seagram, the Canadian distiller, sponsored the 1920s semi-professional club that carried its name before the team was reorganised as the Royals in 1945.

In which year did the Royals win the franchise's only NBA championship?

1951: the Royals beat the New York Knicks 4–3 in the NBA Finals, winning the deciding game 79–75 for the franchise's only championship.

Which local star was the Royals' captain, coach, manager and scout, and co-founded the franchise with his brother?

Lester Harrison founded the Royals with his brother Jack in 1945, coached them to the 1946 NBL title and was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.

Which Royals star suffered a career-ending brain injury in 1958 after a fall was aggravated by cabin pressure?

Maurice Stokes was left paralysed by post-traumatic encephalopathy; teammate Jack Twyman became his legal guardian and cared for him until his death in 1970, a story told in the 1973 film 'Maurie'.

Which local superstar joined the Cincinnati Royals in 1960 and averaged a triple-double in 1961–62?

Oscar Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists in 1961–62, won the 1964 MVP and was traded to Milwaukee in 1970, winning a title there in 1971.

Which Hall of Fame coach traded Jerry Lucas in 1969 and the Big O in 1970, speeding the exit from Ohio?

Bob Cousy, the Celtics great, coached the Royals from 1969 to 1973 and dealt both stars away; the deeply unpopular trades sank attendance and hastened the 1972 move to Kansas City.

Why did the franchise change its nickname from Royals to Kings when it relocated in 1972?

A local baseball team already used the name: the Kansas City Royals of baseball's American League had begun play in 1969, so the relocated NBA club became the Kings, keeping a regal theme.

With which Nebraska city did the Kings share their home games from 1972 to 1975?

Omaha: as the Kansas City–Omaha Kings from 1972 to 1975 the team split its home schedule between Kansas City and the Omaha Civic Auditorium, dropping the Nebraska city from its name in 1975.

Which point guard led the NBA in scoring and assists in 1972–73, the Kings' first Kansas City season?

Nate Archibald, 'Tiny', averaged 34.0 points and 11.4 assists in 1972–73, the only player to lead the NBA in both scoring and assists in a single season.

What unusual Kings uniform feature, introduced in Cincinnati, was later adopted by the WNBA and the All-Star Game?

The player's surname placed below the number first appeared on Royals jerseys in the Cincinnati years, stayed on Kings uniforms into the Sacramento era and was later used by WNBA and NBA All-Star Game uniforms.

Who won 1979 Rookie of the Year with Cotton Fitzsimmons's Kings?

Phil Ford, the second overall pick from North Carolina, averaged 15.9 points and 8.6 assists in 1978–79 to win Rookie of the Year as the Kings won the Midwest Division.

In the 1981 playoffs, the fifth-seeded Kings ousted which top seed in Game 7?

Phoenix Suns: the 40–42 Kings, seeded fifth, beat the 57–25 Suns 4–3 in the 1981 Western semifinals, then fell to Houston in the conference finals, the franchise's last series win until 2001.

What happened to Kemper Arena in 1979 that forced the Kings back into the smaller Municipal Auditorium?

The roof collapsed in a storm: on 4 June 1979 high winds brought down much of Kemper Arena's roof, so the Kings spent 1979–80 back in Municipal Auditorium while repairs were made.

Which executive ran the franchise in Cincinnati and Kansas City, then returned for the Sacramento move?

Joe Axelson became general manager of the Royals in 1969, oversaw the 1972 relocation to Kansas City and returned to run the front office when the club moved to Sacramento.

For how many million dollars was the franchise sold to the Sacramento group in 1983?

10.5: a group led by Sacramento developer Gregg Lukenbill bought the Kings in 1983 for $10.5 million, keeping them in Kansas City while a new arena was built in California.

In which season did the Kings begin play in Sacramento?

1985–86: the Kings opened their first Sacramento season in the original ARCO Arena, went 37–45 and reached the playoffs before a decade-long drought that lasted until 1996.

Which NBA legend coached the Kings in 1987–88, early in the Sacramento era?

Bill Russell, the 11-time champion Celtics center, coached the Kings to a 17–41 start in 1987–88 before moving into the front office and handing the bench to Jerry Reynolds.

Which centre did the Kings take first overall in 1989, a pick blamed for early Sacramento struggles?

Pervis Ellison, the Louisville centre nicknamed 'Never Nervous', played only 34 games as a rookie and was dealt to Washington in a 1990 three-team trade.

What was the Kings' road record in 1990–91, when they went 24–17 at home?

1–40: the 1990–91 Kings won a single road game all season while going 24–17 at home, finishing 25–57.

Which shooting guard, acquired from Golden State in 1991, made six All-Star teams with the Kings?

Mitch Richmond, acquired for rookie Billy Owens, averaged more than 21 points in every Kings season and was the 1995 All-Star Game MVP before being traded in 1998.

Whom did the Kings receive from Washington in the May 1998 trade of their six-time All-Star guard?

Chris Webber came from Washington in May 1998 for the Kings' star guard and Otis Thorpe, then made four All-Star teams and the 2001 All-NBA First Team in Sacramento.

Which flashy point guard, drafted in 1998, thrilled fans with his passing before being traded for Mike Bibby?

Jason Williams, 'White Chocolate', was the seventh pick in 1998 and made the All-Rookie First Team; the Kings sent him to the Grizzlies in June 2001 for Mike Bibby.

Which former Princeton coach helped install the ball-movement offense of the Adelman-era Kings?

Pete Carril, who coached Princeton for 29 seasons, joined the Kings as an assistant in 1996 and under Rick Adelman installed the cutting, passing 'Princeton offense' that defined the early-2000s teams.

What was the title of the February 2001 Sports Illustrated cover story on the Kings?

The Greatest Show on Court: Sports Illustrated's February 2001 cover put five Kings players together, celebrating the pass-happy, fast-breaking style that made Sacramento a must-watch team.

What was the Kings' league-best record in 2001–02?

61–21: the 2001–02 Kings went 36–5 at home to post the NBA's best record, earning home-court advantage throughout the playoffs before a seven-game loss to the Lakers.

How many free throws were the Lakers awarded in the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the 2002 West finals?

27: the Lakers shot 27 fourth-quarter free throws in Game 6, winning 106–102 to force Game 7; referee Tim Donaghy later alleged the game was rigged, a claim the NBA's Pedowitz review did not substantiate.

Which team eliminated the Kings in seven games in the 2004 Western semifinals?

Minnesota Timberwolves, led by MVP Kevin Garnett's 32 points and 21 rebounds, won Game 7 83–80 at home to reach their first conference final.

Which volatile forward did the Kings acquire from Indiana in 2006 in exchange for Peja Stojaković?

Ron Artest arrived from Indiana in January 2006 for Peja Stojaković; the Kings finished 44–38 and reached the playoffs, losing in the first round in six games.

How many consecutive losing seasons, an NBA record, did the Kings suffer before 2022–23?

16: from 2006–07 through 2021–22 the Kings posted sixteen straight losing seasons, an NBA record, before going 48–34 in 2022–23.

Who was the first Sacramento-era King to win Rookie of the Year, in 2010?

Tyreke Evans, the fourth pick in 2009, averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists as a rookie, at the time only the fourth first-year player to reach 20-5-5.

To which Southern California city did the Maloof family try to move the Kings in 2011?

Anaheim: the Maloofs negotiated a move to the Honda Center in spring 2011, prompting an emotional season-ending sign-off from broadcasters Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds, before the family withdrew the plan in May 2011.

Which 5-foot-9 guard, taken with the 60th and final pick in 2011, made the All-Rookie team for the Kings?

Isaiah Thomas, the last pick of the 2011 draft out of Washington, averaged 11.5 points as a rookie and made the All-Rookie Second Team, taking the starting job from Jimmer Fredette.

Which tech entrepreneur led the 2013 purchase of the Kings, keeping them out of Seattle?

Vivek Ranadivé, founder of the software firm TIBCO, led the group whose purchase of the Kings was approved in May 2013 after the NBA rejected Chris Hansen's bid to move them to Seattle.

Which retired NBA superstar bought a minority stake in the Kings in 2013?

Shaquille O'Neal, who had taunted the 'Sacramento Queens' while beating them with the Lakers in the 2002 Western finals, bought a minority stake in the franchise in September 2013.

The Kings' 2015 salary-dump trade with Philadelphia eventually gave the 76ers assets to draft which No. 1 pick?

Markelle Fultz: the 2017 pick swap from that deal moved Philadelphia up to third, and the 76ers packaged that pick to Boston for the No. 1 choice, using it on Fultz.

Whom did the Kings draft in 2018 with the second overall pick, passing on Luka Dončić?

Marvin Bagley III, the Duke forward, went second in 2018; Luka Dončić was taken third and became an All-NBA star in Dallas while injuries limited Bagley's Kings career.

Which former Kings executive embezzled more than $13 million over four years?

Jeff David, chief revenue officer of the Kings, diverted about $13.4 million of sponsorship money from two corporate partners into his own accounts and was sentenced in 2019 to seven years in federal prison.

Which young guard did the Kings trade to Indiana in February 2022 for Domantas Sabonis?

Tyrese Haliburton, the 12th pick in 2020, went to Indiana with Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson for Domantas Sabonis; he became an All-NBA guard with the Pacers while Sabonis made All-NBA in Sacramento.

What was the final score of the Kings' double-OT win at the Clippers on 24 February 2023?

176–175: the Kings edged the Clippers in double overtime on 24 February 2023, and the 351 combined points were the second-most in an NBA game at the time.

Which coach won 2023 Coach of the Year with the Kings, then was fired in 2024?

Mike Brown, hired in 2022, was the unanimous 2023 Coach of the Year after a 48–34 season, and was dismissed on 27 December 2024 with the team 13–18.

What do the Kings light above their arena after every home win, inspiring a crowd chant?

A purple beam: after each home win the Kings fire a purple laser into the sky from the arena's roof, and 'Light the Beam' became the rallying cry of the 2022–23 playoff season.

To which team did the Kings trade De'Aaron Fox in February 2025?

San Antonio Spurs: Fox was sent to San Antonio in a February 2025 three-team deal that brought Zach LaVine from Chicago to Sacramento.

What is the name of the Kings' lion mascot, introduced in 1997–98?

Slamson the Lion, named with a nod to the slam dunk, debuted as the Kings' mascot in the 1997–98 season.

Which MLB team first used the purple, silver and black colour scheme the Kings adopted in 1994?

Colorado Rockies: the expansion baseball club debuted purple, silver and black in 1993, a year before the Kings replaced their red, white and blue; the NHL's Los Angeles Kings wore the same combination from 1998 to 2011.

Which company became the Kings' jersey patch sponsor in 2017–18?

Blue Diamond Growers, the Sacramento-based almond cooperative, took the patch in 2017–18, the NBA's first season of jersey sponsorship.

Which nickname appears on several Kings 'City' uniforms in place of the team name?

Sactown, Sacramento's nickname, was spelled across the chest of several Kings 'City' edition uniforms in place of 'Kings', beginning in the late 2010s.

Which team, led by George Mikan, was the Royals' biggest rival around 1950?

Minneapolis Lakers: George Mikan's team won five titles between 1949 and 1954, and the Royals were their chief rival, beating them on the way to the franchise's lone championship.

Which two Kings players scored 40-plus in the same game for the first time in franchise history in 2023?

Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox: Monk scored a career-high 45 off the bench and Fox 42 in the double-overtime win at the Clippers on 24 February 2023.

Which team did the Kings meet in the playoffs for the first time ever in 2023?

Golden State Warriors: in the 2023 first round, the teams' first playoff meeting, Stephen Curry scored a Game 7-record 50 points in Sacramento to send the Warriors through 4–3.

To which team did the Kings trade DeMarcus Cousins in February 2017?

New Orleans Pelicans: the Kings dealt Cousins during the 2017 All-Star weekend for Buddy Hield, two veterans and a first-round pick, and finished the season 32–50.

Which Kings general manager assembled the 1998-99 core and twice won NBA Executive of the Year?

Geoff Petrie, a former Trail Blazers guard, ran the Kings' front office from 1994 to 2013, winning Executive of the Year in 1999 and 2001 for building the early-2000s contenders.

Whom did DeMarcus Cousins replace as a 2015 All-Star, ending an 11-year Kings drought at the game?

Kobe Bryant's shoulder injury opened the spot, and Adam Silver named Cousins to the 2015 West team; the last Kings All-Stars before him were Brad Miller and Peja Stojaković in 2004.

Which former Pistons great became the Kings' interim basketball boss when Vlade Divac resigned in 2020?

Joe Dumars, the two-time champion Pistons guard, had joined the Kings as a special advisor in June 2019 and stepped up as interim executive vice president when Divac left in August 2020.

Which two teams set the NBA scoring record with a 186–184 triple-overtime game in 1983?

Pistons and Nuggets: Detroit beat Denver 186–184 in triple overtime on 13 December 1983, with Kiki Vandeweghe scoring 51 and Isiah Thomas 47.

Which Kings sharpshooter from San Jose State died in August 1989 after his rookie season?

Ricky Berry, the 18th pick in 1988 out of San Jose State, averaged 11 points as a rookie and took his own life in August 1989, aged 24.

Which Hall of Fame coach replaced Tyrone Corbin as Kings head coach in February 2015?

George Karl took over in February 2015 after Tyrone Corbin's interim spell, went 44–68 and was fired in April 2016, with Dave Joerger hired for the move to the new downtown arena.