I’ve had a few athletes clapback at me on Twitter, question my opinions and engage in friendly banter.
So it was nice to hear from one of my favorite former Kings, Doug Christie, when I tweeted out the idea of my All-Time Sacramento Kings team. It truly was a rough draft of a 12-man team from Sacramento’s 35 years in California after relocating from Kansas City.
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Many fans didn’t like that Christie wasn’t on the list and he reminded me defense matters — essentially making his case for his inclusion — the same reason many believe he is one of the best players of the Sacramento era.
So thanks for the reminder, Doug. I know defense matters.
🤦🏽♂I see you @mr_jasonjones more to hoop than scoring👍🏽
— Douglas Christie (@TheDougChristie) April 22, 2020
The easy thing to do would be to take most of the 2001-02 team, add Mitch Richmond and a couple others to it, and be done with it. It’s hard to argue with the most successful team in franchise history dominating the list, right?
But how is that fair to DeMarcus Cousins? He became one of the NBA’s most dominant big men amid chaotic conditions, so is he solely to blame for the lack of team success. Or Richmond, an All-NBA caliber guard stuck on below-average teams?
There’s no right way to figure this out, but I take a shot at it. NBA rosters have 15 players these days, and two guys on two-way contracts.
That would be 17 players, but I stuck with 15.
Let the debates begin.
All-Time Sacramento Kings Team
Starters
PG — Mike Bibby
SG — Mitch Richmond
SF — Peja Stojakovic
PF — Chris Webber
C — DeMarcus Cousins
Bench
Doug Christie
Vlade Divac
Rudy Gay
Bobby Jackson
Kevin Martin
Brad Miller
Metta World Peace (Ron Artest)
Lionel Simmons
Reggie Theus
Wayman Tisdale
Coach: Rick Adelman
Starters
Mike Bibby, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Seven seasons: 17.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 42.9 win shares
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in assists (2,580), third in 3s made (775), fourth in steals (476)
Why is he on the team?
Bibby’s arrival is when the Kings went from a good team to their ascension to a title contender. The Kings traded fan favorite Jason Williams to Vancouver for Bibby before the 2001-02 season, and Bibby was a key cog in helping the Kings reach the 2002 Western Conference Finals.
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Bibby had been a winner before, leading Arizona to the 1997 NCAA Championship and his addition to the Kings proved to be steadying on a team that had as many as three All-Stars at a given time.
He’s one of the most clutch players the Kings have had, most notably hitting the game-winning shot to beat the Lakers in Game 5 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals.
Mitch Richmond, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Seven seasons: 23.2 points, 4.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 50.4 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
First Sacramento-era player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; six-time All-Star (1993, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97, ’98); All-NBA Second Team (1994, ’95, ’97); All-NBA Third Team (1996, ’98); All-Star Game MVP (1995); Kings’ retired his No. 2 in Dec. 2003
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in points (12,070), free throws made (2,617), field goals made (4,230); second in assists (2,128); 3s made (993); steals (670)
Why is he on the team?
Richmond, known as “Rock,” was the pillar of the fledgling franchise most of the 1990s, becoming one of the NBA’s best shooting guards. The only reason Richmond isn’t more revered nationally is because he spent his best years in Sacramento.
Not many guards combined Richmond’s scoring punch with the ability to impact the game on defense, which is why he is one of the best to ever play the game. The Kings acquired Richmond from Golden State in a trade in Nov. 1991, becoming the first star of the Sacramento era, but many still associate him with his Run TMC days with the Warriors. Richmond eventually won a championship as a reserve with the 2002 Lakers.
The Kings made it to the playoffs just once (1995-’96) in Richmond’s time in Sacramento, facing the heavily-favored Seattle SuperSonics, led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. The Kings lost the first-round series, but Richmond put on a show in an upset in Game 2.
Peja Stojakovic, forward
Sacramento-era stats
Eight seasons: 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 59.8 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
Three-time All-Star (2002, ’03, ’04) ; All-NBA Second Team (2004); NBA 3-point champion (2002, ’03); Kings retired his No. 16 in Dec. 2014
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in 3s made (1,070), free throw percentage (.893), third in points (9,498)
Why is he on the team?
A lethal 3-point shooter who would have flourished in today’s game. Stojakovic was an ultimate floor spacer with the size (6-foot-10) to shoot over the defense and gave the Kings one of the most formidable frontcourts of the early 2000s. Stojakovic was a 39.8 percent 3-point shooter and was one of the keys in making Sacramento’s offense one of the most fun to watch in the NBA. Not bad for a guy who was met with a collective “Who is this guy?” when the Kings drafted him 14th overall in 1996. Stojakovic won a championship in 2011 with Dallas.
Chris Webber, forward
Sacramento-era stats
Seven seasons: 23.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 45.5 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
Four-time All-Star (2000, ’01, ’02, ’03); All-NBA First Team (2001); All-NBA Second Team (1999, 2002, ’03); All-NBA Third Team (2000); NBA rebounding leader (1999); Kings retired his No. 4 in Feb. 2009
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Fourth in points (8,843), second in rebounds (4,006), fifth in assists (1,791), third in blocks (553), most rebounds in a game in Sacramento era (26)
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Why is he on the team?
The Kings traded their first star, Richmond, to land their next star in Webber. He became the centerpiece of the best span of basketball in Sacramento history. Webber was a gifted scorer, rebounder and could set up his teammates, too.
Webber was in the conversation with Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett as the best power forward in the league during his time in Sacramento. A knee injury during the 2003 NBA Playoffs ended what might have been the Kings’ best chance to win a championship and cost him nearly a year on the court. Things were never the same and Webber was traded to Philadelphia in Feb. 2005.
That doesn’t diminish what Webber did to help change the fortunes of the franchise. He was a transcendent star, who brought name recognition to a franchise in need of it.
DeMarcus Cousins, center
Sacramento-era stats
Seven seasons: 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 35.3 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
Three-time All-Star (2015, ’16, ’17), All-Rookie First Team (2011), All-NBA Second Team (2015, ’16)
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in rebounds (5,056), second in points (9,894), second in blocks (558), third in steals (661), top two scoring games in Sacramento era (56 and 55)
Why is he on the team?
Like Richmond, Cousins became one of the best players in the NBA in a bad situation. There was coaching turnover, front office changes, multiple threats of relocation and eventually a change in ownership.
Still Cousins became one of the NBA’s most dominant big men and helped usher in an era of bigs with more well-rounded games. He was loved by many because of his community work, but some didn’t like the emotion he showed. Still, Cousins was one of the best players in the league. The Kings never figured out how to build a team around Cousins and he was traded during the 2017 NBA All-Star Game to New Orleans.
Still, by time Cousins is done, the argument can be made his jersey should be the next to be retired by the franchise. Being the face of a franchise that was constantly in turmoil was no easy task, yet Cousins still ascended to All-Star status.
Bench
Doug Christie, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Five seasons: 10.6 points, 4.2 assists, 2.0 steals, 32.8 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
All-Defense First Team (2003), All-Defense Second Team (2001, ’02, ’04)
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in steals (717), eighth in assists (1,505).
Why is he on the team?
On a team known for scoring a lot of points, Christie emerged as one of the NBA’s better perimeter defenders. That meant going up against the likes of Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley, or Manu Ginobili in a loaded Western Conference. Christie also played a critical role on offense on those early 2000s squads, keeping the flow going in the pass-happy offense.
Vlade Divac, center
Sacramento-era stats
Six seasons: 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 39.4 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, NBA All-Star (2001), J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2000), Kings retired No. 21 in March 2009
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Fourth in rebounds (3,538), in blocks (523), sixth in assists (1,693), eighth in steals (453), ninth in points (5,176)
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Why is he on the team?
Divac became the most impactful free agent to come to Sacramento when he signed in Jan. 1999. He became the glue of the early 2000 teams, bringing leadership and experience to the locker room. That also meant being the center at a time when Shaquille O’Neal dominated the league and taking the abuse that came with defending O’Neal. Divac is one of the best international players ever, and certainly one of the most revered Kings.
Rudy Gay, forward
Sacramento-era stats
Four seasons: 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 16.3 win shares
Why is he on the team?
Was the scoring complement to Cousins, Gay’s last season in Sacramento was cut short by a ruptured Achilles tendon. The Kings had struggled to fill the small forward position after Artest’s departure and Gay became the replacement and gave the squad a player at the position who commanded the attention of the defense.
Bobby Jackson, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Six seasons: 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 19.6 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
Sixth Man of the Year (2003)
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Eighth-most made 3s in Sacramento-era (381).
Why is he on the team?
If you needed offense, energy and toughness off the bench, Jackson was your man. He averaged a career-high 15.2 points in winning Sixth Man of the Year. One of the great “what ifs” in Kings history will always be would Game 7 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals turned out differently if Jackson played more.
Kevin Martin, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Six seasons: 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 30.8 win shares
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Third in free throws made (1,791), sixth in 3s made (459), eighth in points (5,560).
Why is he on the team?
Martin averaged 20-plus points in his last four seasons in Sacramento before being traded to Houston. A skilled scorer who was adept at getting to the free throw line. Martin, has four of the top-10 single scoring game records in Sacramento. That includes a career-high 50 points.
Brad Miller, center
Sacramento-era stats
Six seasons: 13.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 39.5 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
All-Star (2003-’04)
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Fifth in rebounds (3,305), seventh in assists (1,542), eighth in blocks (353), 10th in points (5,117)
Why is he on the team?
A big man with a shooting touch, Miller came to the Kings from Indiana as Divac’s time in Sacramento was coming to an end. He fit what the Kings did on offense and kept the center position stable.
Metta World Peace (Ron Artest), forward
Sacramento-era stats
Three seasons: 18.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 13.6 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
First Team All-Defense (2006)
Why is he on the team?
Acquired from Indiana for Stojakovic, Artest arrived in Jan. 2006, helping the Kings reach the playoffs, the last time the Kings have reached the postseason. There, Artest and the Kings helped put a scare into the favored San Antonio Spurs before losing the series, 4-2.
One of the best defenders of his generation, Artest would eventually win a championship with the Lakers in 2010.
Lionel Simmons, forward
Sacramento-era stats
Seven seasons: 12.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 16.9 win shares
Sacramento-era accolades/awards
All-Rookie First Team (1991)
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Seventh in points (5,833), rebounds (2,833), steals (514), blocks (361)
Why is he on the team?
“L-Train” averaged 18.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.0 rebounds in finishing second to Derrick Coleman in Rookie of the Year voting in 1991. Injuries derailed what looked to be promising career. Simmons averaged no fewer than 15.1 points in his first four seasons, but was forced to retire early because injuries.
One can only imagine what might have happened if Richmond was paired with a healthy Simmons for his entire stint in Sacramento.
Reggie Theus, guard
Sacramento-era stats
Three seasons: 20.0 points, 8.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 16.3 win shares
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Fourth in assists (1,943).
Theus is the only Kansas City King to make the team. He played five total seasons with the franchise, the first two being in Kansas City before the team relocated. He was one of the NBA’s better scorers during his playing career.
A former Kings coach, he averaged a career-high 9.6 assists in the team’s first season in Sacramento.
Wayman Tisdale, forward
Sacramento-era stats
Six seasons: 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds in six seasons, 24.9 win shares
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
Sixth in points (6,808), eighth in rebounds (2,676), 10th in blocks (280)
Why is he on the team?
The talented power forward was the running mate of Richmond, and Tisdale was also an accomplished jazz musician as a bass guitarist. Tisdale died in 2009 from a ruptured esophagus following radiation treatments for bone cancer in his right leg.
Rick Adelman, coach
Sacramento-era record: Eight seasons, 395-229
Where does he rank in Sacramento history?
First in regular-season wins (395), playoff wins (34), playoff appearances (eight)
Why is he on the team?
The Kings made the playoffs in every season during Adelman’s tenure, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2002. The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since, which pretty much explains why he’s the best coach Sacramento has seen.
Tough cuts
Tyreke Evans, guard
The 2010 Rookie of the Year, but nagging injuries led to a decline in production over his first four seasons with the Kings. He got healthy in New Orleans and was part of a playoff team.
Isaiah Thomas, guard
Spent three seasons with the Kings (2011-14) and was dealt in a sign-and-trade to Phoenix. He’d go on to become a two-time All-Star in Boston.
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Jason Williams, guard
Brought flashy play to Sacramento and remains a fan favorite, but there’s no denying that trading him for Bibby turned the Kings into title contenders.
Corliss Williamson, forward
Not many were tougher than “Big Nasty”, who averaged 17.7 points for the Kings in 1997-98. He played a total of eight seasons for the Kings and won Sixth Man of the Year with Detroit in 2001-02 and was part of the Pistons’ 2004 championship team.
(Photo: Rocky Widner / NBAE via Getty Images)
