60 Fun Facts About Sacramento Kings

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

The purple beam lit above it after every home win inspired the 'Light the Beam' chant.

The Kings franchise began in which New York city, as the Seagrams and then the Royals?

They are the NBA's oldest franchise, tracing their roots to a semi-pro team formed in 1923.

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

The Canadian company took the bulk of whatever money the team made.

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

They beat the New York Knicks 4–3, the only title in a stretch otherwise dominated by George Mikan's Lakers.

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

He and brother Jack paid a steep $25,000 entry fee in 1945.

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

Teammate Jack Twyman legally adopted him 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?

'The Big O' won MVP in 1964 and was traded to Milwaukee in 1970, where he immediately won a title.

A 1963 Royals playoff series was disrupted when new owner Louis Jacobs booked what into Cincinnati Gardens?

The Royals had to play their home games at Xavier University's Schmidt Field House.

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

Both deals were deeply unpopular and attendance collapsed.

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

They were initially the Kansas City–Omaha Kings, splitting home games between the two cities.

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

They played 42 regular-season games there and kept visiting through 1977–78.

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

'Tiny' remains the only player ever to lead the league in both categories in the same season.

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

The template survived the first several Sacramento seasons.

Which point guard won 1979 Rookie of the Year with Cotton Fitzsimmons's Kings?

That season's average of 10,789 fans was the only time Kansas City attendance reached five figures.

In 1981 the Kings became the first fifth seed to oust a top seed, beating which team in Game 7?

They then lost the West finals to Houston; the franchise did not win another series for two decades.

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

The same year, GM Joe Begzos was fired for reusing marked postage stamps.

Which general manager became the first in sports history to fail with the same franchise in four cities?

Fans wore masks of his face at the last game in Kansas City; he said he hoped his plane never touched down there again.

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

The first ARCO Arena was a $12 million conversion of an 82,000-square-foot warehouse.

In which season did the Kings begin play in Sacramento?

They made the playoffs in their first season and then not again until 1996.

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

Broadcaster Jerry Reynolds also had two stints as head coach around the same time.

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

'Never Nervous' Pervis missed 48 games as a rookie and was traded to Washington.

What was the Kings' road record in one early-1990s season, despite winning over 60 percent at home?

Sacramento's fan support was famous even as the team struggled away from ARCO Arena.

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

He was traded to Washington with Otis Thorpe in 1998 for Chris Webber.

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

The deal was one of the keys to the 'Greatest Show on Court' era.

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

'White Chocolate' went to Vancouver in 2001 as the Kings tired of his turnovers.

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

The Princeton offense was famous for its cutting and passing.

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

Williams, Christie, Stojaković, Webber and Divac shared the cover.

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

They went 36–5 at home before the controversial seven-game loss to the Lakers in the West finals.

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

The New York Post ran the headline 'Foul Play'; a later league review found poor officiating but no proof of fixing.

Which team eliminated the Kings in seven games in the 2004 second round, ending the Webber era's last deep run?

Webber had returned mid-season from knee surgery but was never the same.

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

The Kings went 20–9 after the All-Star break, then began a 16-year playoff drought.

How many consecutive losing seasons did the Kings endure from 2006 to 2022, the most in NBA history?

Their playoff drought over the same span was the longest active one in the four major North American sports.

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

He joined Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only rookies to average 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

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

Broadcasters Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds signed off emotionally before the Board of Governors killed the move.

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

He beat out college superstar Jimmer Fredette for the starting job.

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

His group beat back Chris Hansen's bid to relocate the team.

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

He had faced the Kings in the 2002 West finals as a Laker.

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

Sacramento gave up Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, a protected first and two pick swaps for two second-round rights.

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

GM Vlade Divac said he was confident in the Duke big man.

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

He was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for wire fraud and identity theft.

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

He became an All-Star in Indiana; Sabonis made All-NBA in Sacramento.

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

Malik Monk scored 45 and De'Aaron Fox 42, the first time two Kings scored 40 in the same game.

Which coach won 2023 Coach of the Year for ending the Kings' 16-year playoff drought, then was fired 18 months later?

His team lost a seven-game first round to Golden State, the teams' first-ever playoff meeting.

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

The 2025–26 'City' uniform in deep purple honoured the celebration.

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

Zach LaVine came from Chicago in the three-team deal.

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

Before him, the Kings' mascot was 'The Gorilla'.

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

The NHL's Los Angeles Kings later used the same combination from 1998 to 2011.

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

The Sacramento-based almond cooperative took the patch in the NBA's first jersey-sponsor season.

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

The 2018–19 version replaced a lion-head logo with the wordmark.

Which team was the Royals' biggest rival in the BAA years, led by George Mikan?

Rochester's 1951 title was the only interruption of Minneapolis's five championships between 1949 and 1954.

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

Monk's 45 was a career high in the 176–175 win at the Clippers.

The Kings' 2023-24 'City' uniform echoed the Cincinnati Royals to mark what milestone?

The franchise dates back to the Rochester Seagrams of 1923.

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

Game 7 drew 11.9 million viewers, the highest early-round rating since 1999.

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

The return included Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and two future picks, and the Kings finished the season 32-50.

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

He drafted Jason Williams, signed Vlade Divac, traded for Chris Webber and brought over 1996 pick Peja Stojaković from Greece.

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

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?

He had joined the franchise as a special advisor in June 2019 before stepping up as interim executive vice president.

The Kings' 176-175 win in 2023 was the NBA's second-highest-scoring game. Which teams played the highest?

Detroit beat Denver 186-184 in triple overtime in December 1983; the Kings-Clippers shootout featured 44 made three-pointers, tying an NBA record.

Which Kings rookie shot 40.6 percent from three in 1988-89 before his death that summer?

The 18th pick of the 1988 draft, his loss preceded the arrival of No. 1 pick Pervis Ellison and Wayman Tisdale the following season.

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

He lasted until April 2016 with a 44-68 record and was succeeded by Dave Joerger as the team moved into Golden 1 Center.