Sacramento might be known as the capital of California, home of the “Governator,“ or the city of tents, but many are not familiar with one of our local superstars. Though he might be known as the king of the jungle, he is certainly the king of Sacramento: Slamson, the Sacramento King’s mascot and entertainer extraordinaire.

I recently was able to go to a few Kings games and recognized Slamson as a great addition to the team. He was fun, entertaining, and had jungle cat reflexes that left me wondering if he did kickboxing or Pilates to keep in such good shape. It turns out he does cardio, weight training, and yoga, along with all of the games he performs at.

Slamson performs at all of the Kings’ home games and provides entertainment and comic relief. He has been the official mascot of the Sacramento Kings since 1997. In addition to the King’s home games, Slamson performs at 150-200 events per year. This includes charitable events, civic events, corporate events, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, and even weddings.

I requested an interview with Slamson however, I was referred to his spokesperson Jaime Morse Mills, who was able to translate the interview.

(Yeah, who knew mascots had spokespeople?! I told you, he is kind of a big deal.)

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to Slamson at a game?
“There are too many instances to count, but I would have to say a recent encounter I had with Shaquille O’Neal does stand out. I was attempting to dance with him and he denied my request. But when I turned around, he grabbed my gluteus maximus!”

What is the most embarrassing event Slamson has experienced at a game or event?
“The most embarrassing moment…...hmmmm……a couple of years ago I gave a woman a hug and my mane got caught on her zipper jacket. I was on the inactive list for about a quarter of the game.”

Does Slamson do a lot of flirting with the Sacramento Kings’ dancers?
“I am an equal opportunity flirter. Flirting is equally spread between the upper and lower bowls of the arena.”

Has Slamson ever traveled with them? If so, where to and how was the experience?
“I typically don’t travel with the team. However, prior to the 2004-05 season, I traveled to Shanghai and Beijing, China for two preseason games featuring the Kings and Houston Rockets. It was an amazing experience. Both games were packed with NBA fans!”

How did Slamson feel about having another king on the court…Lebron James?
Slamson and Lebron get along fine. We Kings fans know who the real king of the court is! Little known fact: Slamson was to be in Lebron’s first Nike commercial shot at ARCO Arena, but he didn’t make the final cut.”

As you can see Slamson is a pretty cool mascot and our own local Sacramento celebrity. Next time your at a King’s game remember to give him a wave or a thumbs up for all the great work he does as the King’s mascot.