It took less than five minutes for word to spread from the entrance to Casa Robles High School’s football field to the bleachers down the path that Kevin Martin was on the premises. In a surprise appearance, the Sacramento Kings shooting guard arrived at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 9 to meet with fans and watch some of the varsity football game between the home team and Folsom High School. Wearing nothing that showed his affiliation with the Kings, Martin finally was noticed by a few observant teens, who promptly asked for autographs and then told everybody within ear range who the incognito star was.

Clusters of high schoolers gathered around Martin, gazing up at the 6’7” athlete.

“You’re way taller than I am!” said one Casa Robles cheerleader.

“Only a little,” he joked.

It seems that just about every cheerleader on the field got a picture with Martin, their braces reflecting the flash from their friends’ camera phones, who then switched places so they could snap a shot with the 26-year-old.

The standard signature went on a pamphlet outlining the Kings' schedule, as well as on small footballs Martin occasionally tossed to kids willing to “go long” to catch them.

Soon the crowd was producing everything to be autographed, from shoes and hats to their arms. Desperation called for quick thinking, resulting in makeshift surfaces such as the backs of cell phones. One resourceful girl even gave Martin an empty Skittles wrapper, which she claimed would go on her “wall of really random stuff.”

When Martin was asked to name the strangest request for an autograph he had ever heard he said a precedent had been set that night.

“Actually, a kid just asked me a few minutes ago to sign his tooth. I’d say that takes it for the weirdest one. I didn’t do it for liability reasons."

Martin’s interaction with fans was lighthearted, and he made time to speak with anyone who wanted to talk sports.

“Did your team play last night?” Martin asked a younger football player in his jersey.

“Yeah," the boy responded nervously.

“How did you guys do?”

“We lost,” said the teen.

“That’s OK, so did we,” Martin responded, with a grin that visibly lifted the boy’s spirits.

While most of the fans were of high school age, some parents and families got in on the action.

Lifetime Sacramento resident Ian Webster was stopped by a Kings cameraman to record a sound bite to be posted on the team’s Web site.

“I’ve been a fan of the Kings since I started watching basketball,” said Webster. “Kevin Martin is my favorite player, and I didn’t even know he was coming.”

He seemed optimistic about the Kings' coming season.

“I can see them starting to pick it up after the last couple of years,” said Webster, who has been to 10 games in the last two seasons. alone.

All of this fan interaction comes natural to Martin, who enjoys not only local appearances, but traveling abroad.

“I went to Indonesia this summer, which was an unbelievable experience,” he said. “Throughout the year we do a lot of Paint the Town events. The Maloofs set a pretty high standard for us, so we have that expected of us.”

Though he played football in high school, Martin said he focused on basketball while at Western Carolina University.

“Football is still my sport, though, so I love coming out and watching a few games a year here."