NBA · Pacific · Sacramento, California, US · Golden 1 Center
Sacramento Kings
The oldest franchise in NBA history, born in Rochester in 1923 and seasoned in Cincinnati and Kansas City before finding a home in California's capital, the Kings carry a century of basketball tradition and a fan base so loyal it once saved the team from relocation through sheer civic willpower.
1945–1985
The Nomadic Years
Four cities, one championship
The franchise was founded as the Rochester Royals in 1945 and won the 1951 NBA championship - the franchise's only title. The Royals featured Bob Davies and Arnie Risen in their championship years and later drafted Oscar Robertson, who became one of the greatest players in basketball history during the team's Cincinnati years (1957-1972). Robertson averaged a triple-double for an entire season in 1961-62, a feat that went unmatched for over 55 years.
The franchise moved to Kansas City in 1972, where it was known as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings and then simply the Kansas City Kings. The KC years featured some competitive teams - Nate Archibald led the league in scoring and assists in the same season (the only player ever to do so) - but the franchise never recaptured championship-level play.
By the mid-1980s, the Kings were searching for a new home once again, and Sacramento - a mid-sized California capital city hungry for professional sports - was ready to welcome them.
Key Facts
- Founded as the Rochester Royals in 1945, won the 1951 championship
- Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double in 1961-62 in Cincinnati
- Nate Archibald led the league in scoring and assists in the same season
- Moved to Sacramento in 1985
1985–1998
Sacramento's Team
Building a fanbase from the ground up
The Kings arrived in Sacramento in 1985 and were immediately embraced by a basketball-starved community. Despite mostly losing records, Sacramento fans packed ARCO Arena with a passion and volume that earned the building the nickname "The Loudest Arena in the NBA." The Kings' fanbase was the envy of the league - turning out in huge numbers regardless of the team's record.
Mitch Richmond, the sharpshooting guard who played for Sacramento from 1991 to 1998, was the franchise's best player during this era, making multiple All-Star teams. But the team could never assemble enough talent around him to become a genuine contender. The draft selection of Jason Williams and the trade for Chris Webber in 1998 would change that.
Key Facts
- Kings arrived in Sacramento in 1985, immediately embraced by fans
- ARCO Arena was known as 'The Loudest Arena in the NBA'
- Mitch Richmond was the franchise star of the 1990s
- Chris Webber acquired in 1998, transforming the franchise
1999–2006
The Chris Webber Era
The greatest Kings team - and the most controversial loss
Chris Webber's arrival in 1998 transformed the Kings into one of the most entertaining and talented teams in the NBA. Webber, the skilled power forward, combined with Peja Stojakovic's deadly shooting, Mike Bibby's steady point guard play, Vlade Divac's passing, and Doug Christie's defense to form a team that played beautiful, unselfish basketball.
The 2001-02 Kings won 61 games and are widely regarded as the best team to not win a championship. Their Western Conference Finals series against the Los Angeles Lakers is one of the most controversial in NBA history. Game 6, in which the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter while the Kings shot none, prompted widespread allegations of referee bias. The Kings lost Game 7 and the series, and the franchise was never the same.
The Webber era gradually wound down through injuries and roster turnover, and by 2006, the Kings had returned to the lottery. What followed was the longest playoff drought in NBA history.
Key Facts
- Chris Webber transformed the Kings into championship contenders
- Won 61 games in 2001-02 - widely considered the best team to not win a title
- 2002 WCF Game 6 vs. Lakers remains one of the most controversial games ever
- Kings never recovered after the 2002 loss, declined through the mid-2000s
2007–Present
The Drought & The Revival
Sixteen years without playoffs, then a breakthrough
The Kings endured a 16-year playoff drought from 2007 to 2022 - the longest in NBA history. The drought was compounded by relocation threats (the franchise nearly moved to Seattle in 2013 before a last-minute ownership change) and a revolving door of coaches and roster experiments. DeMarcus Cousins provided individual brilliance during the mid-2010s but couldn't elevate the team alone.
Everything changed with the arrival of De'Aaron Fox, drafted fifth overall in 2017. Fox's blistering speed and scoring ability, combined with Domantas Sabonis (acquired in a 2022 trade), gave the Kings a potent offensive pairing. Under coach Mike Brown, the 2022-23 Kings won 48 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2006 - the night they clinched, ARCO Arena's successor (now Golden 1 Center) erupted in one of the most emotional celebrations in NBA history.
The Kings have continued to build around Fox and Sabonis, establishing themselves as a playoff team in the Western Conference and proving that Sacramento's passion for basketball - sustained through 16 years of losing - was more than rewarded.
Key Facts
- 16-year playoff drought from 2007-2022 - longest in NBA history
- Nearly relocated to Seattle in 2013 before new ownership kept the team
- De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis ended the drought in 2023
- Golden 1 Center opened in 2016, giving the Kings a world-class arena