April 03, 2005. The buzzer sounded in Seattle as the Supersonics defeated Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller, Cuttino Mobley, and the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs. The Kings would not make the playoffs for the next 18 years. Fast forward to 2023. The Sonics no longer exist. Peja’s son Andrej Stojakovic played in the McDonald’s All-American Game with Bronny James and will start college in the fall. The Kings have the highest offensive efficiency in NBA history. They beat the defending champion Golden State Warriors in game one of the playoffs behind a dominant showing from All-Star De’Aaron Fox. And the Sacramento Kings light a giant purple beam into the sky after every victory. Crazy how things change over the years. The Kings put in work to get here.
New Owner, New Management, New Coach
Vivek Ranadivé became a co-owner of the Golden State Warriors in 2010 but later sold his shares to purchase the Sacramento Kings in 2013. His leadership led to the new Sacramento Kings Arena built in 2016, replacing the dilapidated Arco Arena.
Ranadivé previously had a beloved former Kings player managing the team in Vlade Divac with Stojakovic as assistant manager. The results were anemic, especially regarding drafting (Marvin Bagley III was chosen one pick ahead of superstar Luka Doncic). The Kings could not win, and Divac stepped down. Ranadivé hired former Houston Rockets executive Monte McNair to step in. The innovative new hire spent nearly a decade assisting analytic guru Darryl Morey and the Rockets enjoyed a ton of draft success in his tenure.
This season, Ranadivé hired away Golden State assistant coach Mike Brown to replace Luke Walton, another former Golden State assistant coach. Mike Brown, former head coach for superstar and future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James, was initially known as a defensive guru. However, his time with an All-Star and Hall-of-Fame offensive backcourt in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson proved helpful. The Sacramento Kings are now an offensive juggernaut. Complete with a brilliant general manager and team owner.
Gamble Away a Young Star
McNair chose a terrific young point guard, Tyrese Halliburton, in the 2020 NBA draft. He and Fox looked like a backcourt of the future, but the Kings continued to lose. McNair took a chance and traded Halliburton to the Pacers for their All-Star center Domantas Sabonis at last year’s trade deadline. The Kings missed the playoffs again, but the team looked poised to make a run. For example, Harrison Barnes, a former NBA champion from the Golden State Warriors, is on the roster. They also traded for Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Kevin Huerter, another player who gained valuable playoff experience elsewhere.
Domantas Sabonis, led the league in double-doubles this season and is a top-five center. Meanwhile, Halliburton became an All-Star this year, so it was a rare win-win trade for both teams. The Sacramento Kings won the Pacific Division with two All-Stars in place (Fox and Sabonis) and great young pieces like Davion Mitchell and Keegan Murray.
Light The Beam
Part of the appeal of this young team is the unique way they engage with the fans. The most notable gesture is the victory celebration dubbed “Light the Beam.” Starting this season, whether the Kings are at home or on the road, a Kings’ victory is marked by a giant purple laser light that shoots into the sky from the entrance of the Kings’ arena and can be seen from miles away. At the end of the Kings’ Game 1 victory over the Golden State Warriors, Malik Monk hit the button to Light the Beam and sent a sold-out stadium of fans home happy. Speaking of Game 1…
Game 1
The Sacramento Kings won a tight ball game against the Warriors 126-123 in Game 1 of a seven-game series. People unfamiliar with the Kings’ style of play were likely taken back by the sheer speed with which they played. Many Warriors fans on social media puff their chest and scoff at the idea that the Kings are an issue. After all, the Warriors have won four out of the last eight NBA championships. However, here are some reasons for Warriors fans to fear #LightTheBeam:
- The Kings have a Western Conference-best 25 road victories. Strong likelihood that they are winning some games on the Warriors’ home court.
- By contrast, the Golden State Warriors have one of the worst road records in the league. The only three teams with worse records occupy the top three spots in the NBA draft lottery scheduled for May 16.
- Golden State is as close to a road game as the Kings could play, with many crossover fans in NorCal.
- De’Aaron Fox led the league in clutch points. That is, points scored in the last five minutes of a game where the margin is within five. Fox is a killer when the game is tight. The former Cypress Lakes High School (Katy, Texas) star will likely run away with the NBA’s new Clutch Player of the Year Award.
- The Kings know the Warriors’ plays. Harrison Barnes played for the Warriors during their championship run. Mike Brown was on the bench and in the locker room with them. Minus having the greatest shooter of all time in Curry, the Kings are the youngest, speedier team.
The West grew wilder with rising young teams like the Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 2 is Monday night.
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