Sacramento Kings Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, Stats
The Sacramento Kings is not one of the flashiest franchises in the league. However, it has not won any championship for the past 74 years. The team came close to the title once in the year 2002. However, the Kobe Bryant-dominated Los Angeles Lakers squad was much more dominant, but that series was also riled up with controversies. Today we will be exploring the immense legacy that the franchise has created within the league.
However, it is not just the controversies that the franchise accumulated in the league. It also carries a greater weightage of the players who contributed at different timestamps in the last century to keep the team relevant. So, let’s move ahead with it.
Sacramento Kings Profile
Sacramento Kings’ profile is much more than a simple description. It is a whole book of history that has been active in the basketball world before the inception of the NBA. However, before we explore that legacy, we will take a look at the overview of the franchise:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 (as Rochester Seagrams) |
| Owner | Vivek Ranadivé |
| City | Sacramento, California |
| Nickname | The Kings |
| Stadium | Golden 1 Center |
| Capacity | Approximately 17,600 |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Pacific |
| Head Coach | Doug Christie (Interim) |
| Net Worth | Estimated at $3.7 billion as of October 2024 |
Sacramento Kings History
The Sacramento Kings have a rich history that dates back to 1923. First, it was a semi-professional team that used to play basketball with local sponsor Seagram under the title Rochester Seagrams. The pioneer player of the team at that time, Lester Harrison who then pushed the team into the NBL after the end of World War II. However, NBL and BBA joined hands to form the NBA in 1949, and the Royals lost their profit from exhibition games. In 1951, the Rochester Royals won the NBA title, defeating the New York Knicks in a best-of-seven showdown(4-3).
However, the team was not gaining traction among basketball enthusiasts, so they shifted to Cincinnati in 1957 in hopes of a better market. In this era, the Cincinnati Royals might have lost their generational player Maurice Stokes, who was 2nd in Rebounds and 3re in assists in the NBA at that time. Later, in 1960, Oscar Robertson hopes to return. He tried his best alongside Jerry Lucas but could not win a championship, and even the audience started declining, which compelled the franchise to move to Kansas City. After shuffling between Kansas and Omaha till 1983, when the franchise was sold. In 1985, the team made its way as the original Sacramento Kings.
Also Read: Boston Celtics Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, Stats
It was a dark early phase for the Kings since they did not enter the playoffs until 1996. They did get top picks like Pervis Ellison, Ricky Berry, and Lionel Simmons. However, they could not make it to the big games since they were released before they could groom themselves as per the league’s pace for one reason or another. The fate of the Kings did not change until 1998.
The Sacramento Kings front office drafted Jason Williams in the 1998 NBA draft, signed Vlade Divac, and traded for Chris Webber prior to the lockout-shortened season of 1998–99. Along with Peja Stojaković, the condition of the Kings started improving over the years. In 2002, they finally reached the Western Conference Finals, reaching their arch-nemesis, the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they lost the series in the seventh game, with the sixth game being the most controversial part of that series. Even the analysts and media called out the 27 free throws given to the Lakers squad in the fourth quarter as foul play. However, nothing came out of it since a committee concluded that the match was not fixed.
Soon after the farewell of its stars like Chris Webber due to knee injury, the Sacramento Kings declined and kept falling till 2015. DeMarcus Cousins gave some hope to the franchise, but he was not good enough to carry the burden of the Kings’ expectations. Eventually, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis got the franchise a certain level of recognition, participating in the All-Star games. However, it was not enough, and on February 3, 2025, the franchise traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs while acquiring Zach LaVine from the Bulls. It was a three-team trade where the Sacramento Kings got several draft picks.
Sacramento Kings Stats
Under interim coach Doug Christie, the Sacramento Kings have shown some growth since they are having a run of 15 wins and 9 losses under him. Otherwise, with former coach Brown, this record was 13 wins and 18 losses, which is way worse. Sabonis has been a pillar of support for the Kings squad for the past couple of seasons. This year, the Sacramento Kings might wish to get a playoff spot, considering their ability to bounce back. We have curated the data about the previous runs of Sacramento Kings as well as indicating the significant runs of the franchise:
| Season | Lg | Team | W | L | Playoffs | Coaches | Top WS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 48 | 34 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | M. Brown (48-34) | D. Sabonis (12.6) |
| 2005-06 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 44 | 38 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | R. Adelman (44-38) | B. Miller (9.1) |
| 2004-05 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 50 | 32 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | R. Adelman (50-32) | B. Miller (8.6) |
| 2003-04 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 55 | 27 | Lost W. Conf. Semis | R. Adelman (55-27) | P. Stojaković (13.5) |
| 2002-03 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 59 | 23 | Lost W. Conf. Semis | R. Adelman (59-23) | P. Stojaković (10.1) |
| 2001-02 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | Lost W. Conf. Finals | R. Adelman (61-21) | P. Stojaković (9.9) |
| 2000-01 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 55 | 27 | Lost W. Conf. Semis | R. Adelman (55-27) | C. Webber (11.0) |
| 1999-00 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 44 | 38 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | R. Adelman (44-38) | C. Webber (10.7) |
| 1998-99 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 27 | 23 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | R. Adelman (27-23) | V. Divac (5.2) |
| 1995-96 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 39 | 43 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | G. St. Jean (39-43) | M. Richmond (9.3) |
| 1985-86 | NBA | Sacramento Kings | 37 | 45 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | P. Johnson (37-45) | R. Theus (6.4) |
| 1983-84 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 38 | 44 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | C. Fitzsimmons (38-44) | E. Johnson (5.6) |
| 1980-81 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | Lost W. Conf. Finals | C. Fitzsimmons (40-42) | R. King (8.3) |
| 1979-80 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 47 | 35 | Lost W. Conf. 1st Rnd. | C. Fitzsimmons (47-35) | O. Birdsong (8.6) |
| 1978-79 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 48 | 34 | Lost W. Conf. Semis | C. Fitzsimmons (48-34) | O. Birdsong (8.8) |
| 1974-75 | NBA | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | 44 | 38 | Lost W. Conf. Semis | P. Johnson (44-38) | T. Archibald (11.2) |
| 1966-67 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 39 | 42 | Lost E. Div. Semis | J. McMahon (39-42) | O. Robertson (17.4) |
| 1965-66 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 45 | 35 | Lost E. Div. Semis | J. McMahon (45-35) | O. Robertson (16.9) |
| 1964-65 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 48 | 32 | Lost E. Div. Semis | J. McMahon (48-32) | O. Robertson (17.0) |
| 1963-64 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 55 | 25 | Lost E. Div. Finals | J. McMahon (55-25) | O. Robertson (20.6) |
| 1962-63 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 42 | 38 | Lost E. Div. Finals | C. Wolf (42-38) | O. Robertson (16.8) |
| 1961-62 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 43 | 37 | Lost W. Div. Semis | C. Wolf (43-37) | O. Robertson (15.6) |
| 1957-58 | NBA | Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 39 | Lost W. Div. Semis | B. Wanzer (33-39) | C. Lovellette (10.1) |
| 1954-55 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 29 | 43 | Lost W. Div. Semis | L. Harrison (29-43) | J. Coleman (6.2) |
| 1953-54 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 44 | 28 | Lost W. Div. Finals | L. Harrison (44-28) | B. Wanzer (9.1) |
| 1952-53 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 44 | 26 | Lost W. Div. Semis | L. Harrison (44-26) | B. Wanzer (7.9) |
| 1951-52 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 41 | 25 | Lost W. Div. Finals | L. Harrison (41-25) | B. Wanzer (11.4) |
| 1950-51 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 41 | 27 | Won Finals | L. Harrison (41-27) | A. Risen (9.3) |
| 1949-50 | NBA | Rochester Royals | 51 | 17 | Lost Central Div. Semis | L. Harrison (51-17) | B. Wanzer (10.5) |
| 1948-49 | BAA | Rochester Royals | 45 | 15 | Lost W. Div. Finals | L. Harrison (45-15) | A. Risen (10.6) |
Sacramento Kings Famous Players
The Sacramento Kings could have been greater than they are if the franchise had nourished the chances that they got with their present stars. Here are the significant players who kept the lost respect of the Sacramento Kings alive in the league.
- Oscar Robertson: He is more famous as “The Big O” among the fans. Oscar Robertson is the all-time leader in points( 22,009) and assists(7,731) for the Sacramento Kings and the Cincinnati Royals, the previous name of the Kings. He was also a 12-time All-Star, gaining the trust of the massive fanbase. Along with it, Robertson also won the NBA MVP award in 1964. He was the first player to average a triple-double in league history.
- Chris Webber: In the seven seasons that Chris Webber played for the franchise, he took it to the playoffs six times in a row. Webber averaged 23 points per game during his first five seasons with the Kings and was five times All-Star. The best showcase from Chris came during the 2000-01 season, where he dished out 27.1 points per game.
- Peja Stojaković: The Sniper Peja is the second all-time scoring leader for the Kings with 9,498 points. He is on the top for making 1,070 three-pointers for the Sacramento Kings franchise. He was an All-Star player three times and clinched the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend in 2001 and 2003.
- Mitch Richmond: After a big drought of failure, Mitch led the Kings to a first-round playoff series in 1995-96. That year, he averaged 26 points per game with 21.9 points per game average in all the seasons that he played for the franchise. Apart from that, he was also a six-time All-Star in the league.
- Vlade Divac: He led the team in terms of rebounds and blocked shots during his stint within the league. Divac was one of his kind and the first foreign-born player to play in more than 1000 NBA games. After the playing era, he took over the management of the franchise for its transition.
Also Read: Golden State Warriors Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, and Stats
Sacramento Kings Roster
For the ongoing season, the Sacramento Kings are playing with the following players, according to ESPN archives. Primarily, Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan are at the helm of this roster to lead the squad on the court.
| NAME | Number | POS | AGE | HT | WT | COLLEGE | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin Carter | 22 | Guard | 22 | 1.88 m | 88 kg | Providence | $4,702,800 |
| Isaiah Crawford | 24 | Forward | 24 | 1.98 m | 99 kg | Louisiana Tech | — |
| Jae Crowder | 99 | Point Forward | 34 | 1.98 m | 106 kg | Marquette | $1,655,619 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 10 | Small Forward | 35 | 1.98 m | 99 kg | USC | $23,400,000 |
| Keon Ellis | 23 | Guard | 25 | 1.93 m | 79 kg | Alabama | $2,120,693 |
| Markelle Fultz | 20 | Point Guard | 26 | 1.93 m | 94 kg | Washington | — |
| Isaac Jones | 3 | Center | 24 | 2.06 m | 111 kg | Washington State | — |
| Mason Jones | 15 | Guard | 26 | 1.93 m | 90 kg | Arkansas | — |
| Jake LaRavia | 33 | Forward | 23 | 2.01 m | 106 kg | Wake Forest | $3,352,680 |
| Zach LaVine | 8 | Shooting Guard | 29 | 1.96 m | 90 kg | UCLA | $44,531,940 |
| Trey Lyles | 41 | Point Forward | 29 | 2.06 m | 106 kg | Kentucky | $8,000,000 |
| Doug McDermott | 7 | Small Forward | 33 | 1.98 m | 102 kg | Creighton | $2,087,519 |
| Malik Monk | 0 | Shooting Guard | 27 | 1.91 m | 90 kg | Kentucky | $17,405,202 |
| Keegan Murray | 13 | Small Forward | 24 | 2.03 m | 102 kg | Iowa | $8,809,560 |
| Daishen Nix | 18 | Shooting Guard | 23 | 1.93 m | 107 kg | — | — |
| Domantas Sabonis | 11 | Point Forward | 28 | 2.08 m | 108 kg | Gonzaga | $40,500,000 |
| Jonas Valanciunas | 17 | Center | 32 | 2.11 m | 120 kg | — | $9,900,000 |
Sacramento Kings Head Coach
On December 23, 2024, the Sacramento Kings head coach role was given to Doug Christie. But he is hired on an interim basis. Before Doug, Mike Brown was responsible for being a coach for the Sacramento Kings. His termination was bound to happen, considering the consistent downfall of the winning streak of the Kings. Before being appointed interim head coach, Doug worked with the Sacramento Kings coaching staff as an assistant coach for three years.
Christie played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 11.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game in 827 career games (708 starts) with seven teams. He was a 17th overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. During his time with the Kings from 2000-2005, he helped the team reach the postseason in each of his five seasons. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2002-03 and All-Defensive Second Team in 2000-01, 2001-02, and 2003-04.
Sacramento Kings Owner
The Sacramento Kings are currently under the ownership of Vivek Ranadivé. He bought the team in 2013 when the franchise was going for another relocation. However, the Kings were saved by Vivek this time, as he also constructed the Golden 1 Center during his early stint with the team.
Ranadivé caught the attention of basketball enthusiasts in 2014 when he proposed a style of play that included his team keeping one player on offense the entire time, creating a 4-on-5 defense on the other end.
Sacramento Kings Net Worth
According to Forbes data, the net worth of the Sacramento Kings is about $3.7 billion. The major part of the net worth of the King includes their revenue as a team of the NBA. The Kings generate about $320 million from the revenue. Also, they have a massive fanbase and earn $66 million from the gate receipts itself. Coming to the revenue per fan, the Sacramento Kings earn about $71.
The Kings announced a partnership with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management in September 2024 to highlight the school’s new master of management program. UC Davis GSM will be the official higher education partner of the Kings and Golden 1 Center and will be the presenting partner of the Kings’ Fastbreak Program, in which Davis MBA students will mentor high schoolers. Additionally, the Kings will hire two MBA interns to work for the team. Last season, Reviver became the primary sponsor of the franchise.
Also Read: Milwaukee Bucks Biography: Players, Net Worth, History, Stats
Sacramento Kings Stadium
The Sacramento Kings play their home games at the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento, United States. For the Kings fans, the arena has a stadium capacity of about 17,608. Initial cost estimates valued Golden 1 Center at $507 million dollars, including a $233 million contribution from the City of Sacramento through a public-private partnership. The City will finance its contribution through the sale of bonds ($212 million) and parking and economic development funds ($11 million). The Kings will cover all other costs, including additional investments, predevelopment, capital repairs, and development of City-owned parcels, at no cost to the taxpayer.
Sacramento Kings Championships
In their whole stint and rich history within the league, the Sacramento Kings have only won one championship in the NBA. They knocked off the New York Knicks in 1951 in a seven-game series.
Another opportunity popped up for the Kings when they were competing in the early 2000s. During the 2001-2002 season, the team reached the Western Conference Finals. However, they could not get past them in a tight seven-game series. It created a lot of controversy in the league regarding the free throws that had been distributed to the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter.
| Year | Championship Title | Opponents | Key Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | NBA Championship (as Rochester Royals) | New York Knicks | Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, Arnie Risen |
Sacramento Kings Records
The Sacramento Kings also have a massive loyal fanbase that is quite dedicated to the franchise. The franchise fanbase even broke the Guinness World Record for crowd noise in November 2013 while playing against the Detroit Pistons. On that night, the 17,317 Kings fans hit the 124.9 decibels mark to set the Loudest Crowd Road at an Indoor Sports Stadium. Later, before the second-half break, they hit the 126 decibels mark, which was greater than their own roar.
After maintaining their respect in the league for such a long time, the Sacramento Kings have earned the following records in the NBA as a franchise collectively:
| Record | Achievement | Year(s) Achieved |
| Most Wins in a Season | 61 Wins | 2001-02 Season |
| Longest Winning Streak | 15 Games | February 17- March 19(1950) |
| Most Points in a Game | 176 Points | February 24, 2023 vs. Los Angeles Clippers |
| Most Playoff Appearances | 33 | 1945-Present |
When was the Sacramento Kings founded?
Sacramento Kings was originally founded in 1923 as a semi-professional team. But they later debuted as Rochester Royals in the NBA in 1945.
How many championships have the Sacramento Kings won?
Sacramento Kings has won only one championship in the NBA despite being active for such a long time.
Who is the best player in Sacramento Kings history?
Sacramento Kings did not get any generational players in the league, but the ones that got greater recognition were Oscar Robertson, Chris Webber, and De’Aaron Fox.
What is the current net worth of the Sacramento Kings?
According to Forbes, As of October 2024, the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise was valued at $3.7 billion.
Who is the owner and head coach of the Sacramento Kings?
Vivek Ranadivé is the owner of the Sacramento Kings, and Doug Christie is the interim head coach of the franchise.