*Written: 10/15/2019, Published: 10/22/2019
Even though we’re right in the middle of football season, us Sacramento natives are ramping up for the 2019-20 NBA season with the Sacramento Kings. As the season kicks off on October 22, 2019 and runs through April 15, 2020, Hard Rock at Fire Mountain is here to be your source for all things SacTown sports. To help visitors and locals alike prepare for the 2019-20 NBA season, we’re going to talk through the history of the team, fun facts, and what last year’s season looked like for our Kings. No matter if you’re traveling to Sacramento for a weekend getaway or you were born and raised here, our mission is to embrace the season!
History of the Sacramento Kings
Founded in 1923, the Kings are one of the oldest professional American basketball team franchises that still exists today. As the only team in the major professional North American sports leagues located in Sacramento, the fans look to the Kings to deliver a team to be proud of and to route on. However, the Kings didn’t start off in Sacramento, and went through a few different states and a variety of different mascots before finding their home in SacTown. Orginiating in Rochester, New York, the team saw great success on the court and officially joined the NBL in 1946 as the Rochester Royals, followed by the BAA in 1948, and then officially became apart of the NBA the following year. In 1957, the team relocated to Cincinnati in an effort to gain and increase gameday profits. After 15 years of running the court in Cincinnati, the team then relocated again to Kansas City, Missouri and were renamed as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, where home games were split between Kansas City and Omaha, Nebraska. Only a few years later, the team would simply be known as the Kansas City Kings. As the team continued to look for success in its profitability markets, the King eventually found their home in Sacramento in 1985!
October 25, 1985 marketed the first regular season professional basketball game played as the Sacramento Kings on their new home court. Even though the Kings were defeated by the L.A. Clippers by 4 points, the ARCO Arena hosted a sold-out crowd of 10,333 fans, supporting the team move to Sacramento. Following this opening Sacramento season, the Kings did not see playoff success until the 1995-96 season, due to the loss of key teammates, bad management, and overall picks. As the franchise has only seen one championship title in 1951, the current owner, Vivek Ranadivé hopes to see success this year and years to come. Currently, the Sacramento Kings play at the Golden 1 Center located in Downtown Sacramento and is a partner of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, with Slamson the Lion as their mascot. Whether you’re a native or a visitor, make your way to their arena this NBA season, and root on the purple and black.
Sacramento Kings 2018-19 Season Recap
Last year’s NBA season for the Sacramento Kings started off with more hope for a team with one of the longest NBA postseason drought appearances, during the 2018 NBA draft. During last year’s draft, the Kings were granted second pick through the lottery where they selected Duke University’s Marvin Bagley III. As the team’s highest first round pick since the 1989 NBA draft, it proved to be a successful one as Bagley finished the season as the team’s leader in blocks.
Even though the Kings did not make it to the playoffs last season, they finished the season strong with 39 wins, finishing 9th in the NBA Western Conference. When taking a look at some of the additional team leaders that helped with last season’s success, we saw a few stand out from the rest. When it came to gameday points, Buddy Hield rose to the top with an average of 20.7 points per game. Predictions for Hield’s 2019-20 season performance is high as he enters his fourth season in the league. Not only can we expect some of the same performance stats from Hield, but it’s very likely that we will see his point average increase, his three-pointer game reach all-star level, and possibly his next level performance lead his team to the playoffs.
Additional team leaders for the Sacramento Kings during the 2018-19 season were as follows:
- Rebounds: Willie Cauley-Stein
- Assists and Steals: De’Aaron Fox
However, Willie Cauley-Stein has signed with the Golden State Warriors for the 2019-20 NBA season for the Kings to replace with Dewayne Dedmon. Does Sacramento have what it takes to go head-to-head this season with one of their top performers from last year? Will Dedmon be able to embrace his role with the Kings? Only time and practice will tell, but we can say that with Fox and Hield ranked as one of the NBA’s best backcourt duos, the Kings have a shot at a great upcoming season.
Sacramento Kings 2019-20 Season Expectations
As we’ve taken a look at the history of the Sacramento Kings as well as the success that came from the 2018-19 season, can Kings fans expect another year of mediocre performance or is the 2019-20 season the year that the team will break out? When taking a look at Sacramento’s two past draft lottery picks in a row, Fox and Bagley, it seems that the Kings are now on the right track toward success. This season, the team and it’s leaders are dedicated to changing the losing culture that has become a norm in Sacramento. Only time will tell, but we can expect even more growth from this team of shining stars.
The Sacramento Kings is a team filled with young talent accompanied by leaders who are finally showing progress when it comes to their lottery and free-agent signings and picks. With a mixture of young talent and verteran experience, this team is hungry for some playoff success. With the 2019-20 Sacramento Kings projected starting lineup looking like the following, it’s safe to say that it is time for some Sacramento basketball success.
- Point Guard: De’Aaron Fox
- Shooting Guard: Buddy Hield
- Small Forward: Harrison Barnes
- Power Forward: Marvin Bagley III
- Center: Dewayne Dedmon
If you’re visiting Sacramento this NBA season or are a local looking to support your hometown team, make your way to the Golden 1 Center and cheer on the Kings this year! Check out the Sacramento Kings 2019-20 schedule and buy your tickets today for your chance to witness history in the making! In addition to the Kings, Sacramento also boasts other sports for all to enjoy. Experience a minor league baseball game with the Sacramento River Cats or cheer on the Sacramento Republic FC soccer team with friends and family. Find the best accommodations at Hard Rock Sacramento for their grand opening on November 2, 2019, and enjoy this city to the fullest!