Tonight's contest between the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets marks the first-ever “Kings for the Community Night,” as over 600 tickets to the game were donated by Kings players and the team’s basketball operations staff for local youth and special groups to enjoy the NBA experience. Throughout the 2010-11 regular season, more than 6,000 tickets will be donated to deserving children and groups in the Sacramento region through the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community” program, made possible by the Kings along with presenting partners Wells Fargo and U.S. Army. Groups attending the 2010-11 “Kings for the Community Night” include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Sacramento Area, Fost

The Sacramento Kings have decided to promote from within and elevate Shareef Abdur-Rahim from the position of assistant coach, a role he’s held for the past two years, to the front office position of assistant general manager. Abdur-Rahim is now one of the few players ever to be a longtime player (12 years), a coach and now rounding it all out by becoming part of the management team alongside Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Abdur-Rahim, a soft-spoken man, said he was very grateful for the opportunity. “It’s a great opportunity from the organization,” Abdur-Rahim said. “The Maloof family, Geoff Petrie and Wayne Cooper have given me a great chance to part of this or

On the Sacramento Kings’ to-do list of creating interest in this year’s team, the first was a rip-roaring good time this past Saturday at Arco Arena. The “Box Office Party” was the opening salvo in a barrage of activities the Kings are planning for community outreach and awareness during the upcoming season. And with the Kings Dance Team, some players and a free hot dog on tap for anyone purchasing a ticket for a future game, the preseason optimism, compared to recent years, is sky high. The word of the day was “exciting,” and it seemed to be gushing out of everyone’s mouths: fans, players and Kings’ personnel alike. Joe Crawford, a second-year guard out of Kentucky who is trying to mak

It was like driving up to Mendocino County and getting out of the car only to find yourself standing in the Land of the Giants – big, strong redwoods that could be seen out of every corner of your eye. The evidence was clear. The new direction has been established. This year, the Kings will not go quietly into the night. The abundance of wingspans and altitude was on display as the Sacramento Kings opened their 26th annual media day at Arco Arena on Monday. With all the local news outlets and many national folks on-hand, the question of the day was clearly the acquisition of several new big men and how the team’s newfound height would impact the team. “I think we’ve changed our team rad

  The Sacramento Kings are looking to keep fans excited throughout the upcoming season by launching the season-long "Here We Rise" campaign Thursday afternoon. Recently, they hung up the largest banner in the history of the Sacramento area on the side of the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) building in West Sacramento that can be seen from Interstate-5. The 177-foot banner, which features last season's Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans and rookie DeMarcus Cousins, is part of the team's new campaign called. "'Here We Rise' is a tribute to the Kings and the Sacramento Kings community coming together," Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said in front of the CalSTRS building.

At this time last year many were mourning the loss of Michael Jackson and Billy Mays as well as digesting the draft pick of Tyreke Evans. Before last year's draft, many fans had their eyes on Ricky Rubio, who has yet to play a minute with an NBA team. This year was different. Kings President of Basketball Operations had his eyes on the same player as most Kings fans. That man was Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins. “I think in DeMarcus, we got an exceptional talent at the center position. He’s going to get us great size and skill in that post,” said Petrie. “He’s an outstanding passer, and we’re just really excited to add him into the frontcourt we have now with Samuel, Carl and Jason,”

Despite appearances by former Sacramento King Bobby Jackson, the team’s co-owner Gavin Maloof and the team’s new sideline reporter Jim Gray, the NBA’s Greatest Draft Lottery Party hit a sour note when the Kings received the No.5 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. The Kings had the third best chance of receiving the No.1 overall pick after finishing with a record of 25-57 last season and sent NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans to represent the team at the NBA Draft Lottery in Secaucus, N.J. The Washington Wizards received the first pick in the draft, followed by the Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves in that order. The disappointment rang from New Jersey to Sacramento

Tyreke Evans is the 2010 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year, a very different award than when Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and coach Paul Westphal played in the '70s. "It was the can and string Rookie of the Year when we played," Westphal said. Yes, the world is different. The basketball world is different, but the game remains very much the same.  Petrie actually won the award (sharing it in 1970 with Boston's Dave Cowens) when there was no marketing arm attached to such things. Both Petrie and Cowens progressed to have solid NBA careers, although Petrie's career was cut short by knee problems. The level of hype with winning the award then is nothing like i

Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings is the recipient of the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2009-10 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year. I attended the press conference and spoke with the Kings General Manager Geoff Petrie, Tyreke's Brother - Doc Evans, Tyreke Evans, Kings owners - Joe & Gavin Maloof, and Tyreke's childhood friend - Duane Davis. Joe & Gavin Maloof also said President Obama suggested they pick Tyreke during the draft and plan on getting more advice from Obama for the next draft! :) Tyreke was the fourth pick in the NBA Draft 2009 and averaged 20.1 points, as well as team-high 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds. Tyreke joins Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James as the on

After a historic season averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game, Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans will be named the 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year (ROY). The 20-year-old Chester, Pa. native became the first Kings player to win a postseason award since Bobby Jackson won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2003 and the fifth rookie in franchise history to win the ROY award. Maurice Stokes of the Rochester Royals, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas of the Cincinnati Royals and Phil Ford of the Kansas City Kings were the first four. Evans is the first of to win the award in the Sacramento era. He also became the fourth rookie to average 20 points, five rebound

At the end of every season, the NBA Rookie of the Year (ROY) Award is awarded to the best rookie of the season. Don Meineke was the first to win the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy in the 1952-53 season. Of the 56 ROYs, 21 basketball hall-of-famers, from Oscar Robertson to Michael Jordan, have emerged. More than 53 percent of retired ROYs were voted into the hall of fame. The next trophy could be coming to Sacramento as Kings guard Tyreke Evans tries to make history becoming the fourth rookie to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists for a season. The first three were Robertson, Jordan and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James. Portland Trail Blazers Television Analyst Mike Rice kn

 For a couple of years, the Kings have been making plans for major change entering the 2010-11 season. That change was anticipated to occur on the court via trades and free-agency. The Kings announced change in their management team Monday along with the resignation of president John Thomas, effective April 2.  Joe Maloof will become the Chief Executive Officer of Maloof Sports and Entertainment, while his brother, Gavin, will become the President. Matina Kolokotronis has been named President of Business Operations for the Kings, while Geoff Petrie remains Kings President of Basketball Operations. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the Kings release was the announcement that Kevi

John Thomas has resigned as President of the Sacramento Kings after ten years with the organization. His resignation is effective April 2, 2010. “We want to thank John for everything he has done for us since we came to Sacramento. He’s been an important leader on our team,” said Joe and Gavin Maloof, owners of the Kings, in a media release. Thomas is leaving the Kings for personal reasons. “Ten years is longer than most NBA Presidents get to serve. I want to thank the Maloof family and my extended Kings family of co-workers and fans for the privilege. I’m very excited about the future,” said Thomas. The King's new management structure has already been assembled. Joe Maloof will serve

At the very least, Kings President Geoff Petrie can see what the rest of us see. His squad needs help defending its basket. So when the New Orleans Hornets made their desire to discard salary a league-wide reality, it was time for Petrie to make a move for fourth-year forward-center Hilton Armstrong. Sacramento took a flyer on Armstrong by sacrificing just a 2016 second-round draft choice. They also received cash in the deal. Armstrong, 25, a 6-foot-11 post player out of the University of Connecticut, does what the Kings don't - defend. He is a shot-blocker and changer. Should he bring those qualities to the Kings, coach Paul Westphal will have another option in the frontcourt. Pet

Charles Garcia began the 2009-10 college basketball season relatively unknown while playing for Seattle University. With 2010 underway, it's clear Garcia is registered on the NBA radar. Some observers say the 6-foot-10, 230-pounder could be a first-round choice in the June NBA draft. Garcia was at Sac State during his freshman year, but could not keep his academic status stable enough to play or practice for the Hornets. Garcia made a return to the Hornet Gym with his Redhawks, Saturday afternoon. It was Sac State who displayed all of its wares during a closer-than-it-seemed 80-67 victory before a crowd of 783. Garcia scored 16 points, but made just five of 14 field-goal attempts and g