Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball franchise based in Sacramento, California. The team competes in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference’s Pacific Division. Founded in 1923 as a semi-professional team in Rochester, New York, the franchise is the oldest continuously operating team in the NBA and has undergone more geographic relocations than any other team in league history, moving from Rochester (1923-1957) to Cincinnati (1957-1972) to Kansas City (1972-1985) before finally settling in Sacramento in 1985.

The Kings won their only NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals, defeating the New York Knicks in seven games. Since relocating to Sacramento, the franchise has never won a championship or appeared in an NBA Finals, though the early 2000s teams came agonizingly close. The organization endured the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports (16 seasons from 2007-2022) and holds the NBA record for most consecutive losing seasons (16 from 2007-2022).

Rochester Royals Era (1923–1957)

The franchise began in 1923 as the Rochester Seagrams, a semi-professional team sponsored by a local brewery. In 1945, the team joined the National Basketball League (NBL) as the Rochester Royals, immediately winning the NBL championship in their first season (1945-46).

In 1948, the Royals jumped to the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which merged with the NBL to form the NBA in 1949. The 1950-51 Rochester Royals, led by Hall of Famers Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, and Arnie Risen, won the franchise’s only NBA championship. After trailing 3-0 in the Finals against New York, the Royals narrowly avoided becoming the first team to blow such a lead, winning Game 4 before New York won Games 5 and 6. In the decisive Game 7, Risen scored 24 points with 13 rebounds and Davies added 20 points as Rochester won 79-75.

Despite the championship, Rochester struggled financially due to its small market size. The franchise relocated to Cincinnati in 1957.

Cincinnati Royals Era (1957–1972)

The Cincinnati Royals featured Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson, acquired as a territorial pick in 1960 from the University of Cincinnati. Robertson, known as “The Big O,” revolutionized the point guard position, averaging a triple-double for the 1961-62 season, a feat not matched until Russell Westbrook achieved it in 2017.

Despite Robertson’s brilliance and the addition of Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas in 1963, the Royals never advanced past the Eastern Division Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics dynasty multiple times. The franchise was sold to Kansas City businessmen in 1971, setting up another relocation.

Kansas City Kings Era (1972–1985)

The team moved to Kansas City in 1972, adopting the “Kings” name because the baseball Kansas City Royals already claimed that moniker. For the first three seasons, the team was known as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, splitting home games between two cities.

The Kansas City era featured guard Nate “Tiny” Archibald, who in 1972-73 became the only player in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring (34.0 ppg) and assists (11.4 apg) in the same season. Despite individual excellence, the Kings achieved limited team success, making the playoffs five times and advancing past the first round once (1981 Western Conference Finals).

Sacramento Era Begins (1985–2006)

After failing to find success in Kansas City, the franchise relocated to Sacramento in 1985. The early Sacramento years featured prolonged struggles, with the team posting losing records in its first 13 seasons and finishing in last or second-to-last place 10 times.

However, the late 1990s brought hope. Beginning in 1998-99, the Kings qualified for eight consecutive playoff appearances. The 2001-02 team, led by Chris Webber, Peja Stojaković, Mike Bibby, and Vlade Divac under coach Rick Adelman, posted the NBA’s best record at 61-21 (.744 winning percentage).

The 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers remain one of the NBA’s most controversial playoff series. Despite leading 3-2, the Kings lost Game 6 in Los Angeles amid widely criticized officiating that saw the Lakers attempt 27 fourth-quarter free throws. Sacramento lost Game 7 at home, ending their best championship opportunity. The series is still debated as potentially influenced by league bias favoring larger markets.

The Longest Drought (2007–2022)

Starting in 2006-07, the Kings entered the darkest period in franchise history. The team missed the playoffs 16 consecutive seasons (2007-2022), setting the NBA record for longest playoff drought. During this stretch, Sacramento never won more than 39 games in any season and cycled through 13 head coaches.

The franchise nearly relocated to Seattle in 2013 before a coalition led by tech entrepreneur Vivek Ranadivé purchased the team for $534 million, keeping the Kings in Sacramento. The sale included the construction of Golden 1 Center, which opened in 2016.

The De’Aaron Fox Era (2017–2025)

The Kings selected Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Fox developed into a three-time All-Star and the franchise’s best player since the early 2000s.

In 2022, Sacramento hired Mike Brown as head coach. Brown immediately transformed the franchise, leading the Kings to a 48-34 record and their first playoff appearance in 16 years. Brown won Coach of the Year unanimously, becoming the first coach to achieve that distinction.

The 2023 playoffs brought renewed hope, though Sacramento lost to Golden State in the first round. The franchise signed Brown to a three-year, $25.5 million extension in June 2024, with Fox’s explicit support.

The 2024-25 Season: Mike Brown’s Firing and Organizational Collapse

After acquiring six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan in the summer of 2024, the Kings entered 2024-25 with playoff expectations. However, the team started 13-18, including a five-game home losing streak.

On December 27, 2024, following an embarrassing loss to Detroit in which Brown publicly criticized Fox’s defensive mistake, General Manager Monte McNair fired Brown. The decision shocked the basketball world, given Brown’s Coach of the Year credentials and .549 career winning percentage with Sacramento, the best among any coach with 50+ games in franchise history.

Doug Christie, a former Kings player (2000-2005) and team assistant, was named interim head coach and later made permanent head coach on May 1, 2025. Fox, who was not consulted on the decision, told the organization he would not play for another coach in Sacramento

The De’Aaron Fox Trade (February 2025)

On February 3, 2025, the Kings traded Fox to San Antonio in a three-team deal. Sacramento received Zach LaVine from Chicago, Sidy Cissoko from San Antonio, three first-round picks (2025 Charlotte lottery-protected, 2027 San Antonio, 2031 Minnesota), and three second-round picks.

Fox, who averaged 26.6 points and 6.1 assists in his final Sacramento season, stated he “truly wanted to play for one team my whole career” but could no longer accept the organizational dysfunction and coaching instability.

In the 2025 NBA Draft, Sacramento selected Maxime Raynaud (42nd overall). The franchise had traded away its 2025 first and second-round picks in previous transactions.

Ownership and Front Office

Vivek Ranadivé has owned the Kings since 2013. His tenure has featured questionable basketball decisions, including hiring and firing multiple coaches and overseeing sustained mediocrity. However, Ranadivé’s purchase prevented the franchise’s relocation to Seattle.

Monte McNair has served as General Manager since 2020. Despite initial success hiring Mike Brown, McNair’s decision to fire Brown and trade Fox has devastated the franchise’s credibility.

Arena and Championship Record

The Kings play home games at Golden 1 Center, a state-of-the-art arena that opened in 2016 and seats 17,608 for basketball. The venue represents a significant upgrade from the outdated Sleep Train Arena (formerly ARCO Arena).

The franchise has won one NBA championship (1951 as Rochester Royals) and one NBL championship (1946). Sacramento has made 30 playoff appearances in 78 total seasons.