The Sacramento Kings were one of the 17 teams involved in the inaugural NBA season. In the 1949-50 season, they were known as the Rochester Royals, before moving to Cincinnati, Kansas City, and eventually to the capital city of California. Despite only a few seasons of success since the move to the West Coast, selecting the Kings All-Time roster includes Hall of Famers, All-Stars, and one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Sacramento Kings All-Time Team
Starting 5
Point Guard – Nate Archibald
Nicknamed Tiny for his diminutive stature in a league full of giants, Nate Archibald played six seasons for the franchise. The speedy guard averaged 25 points and eight assists during that stretch. He played in both Cincinnati and Kansas City. In the team’s first season as the Kings after moving from Cincinnati, Archibald averaged 31 points and 11 assists a game while playing an outrageous 46 minutes a night. The lefty used his speed, vision, and finishing ability to overcome his small stature.
Shooting Guard – Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond, a prolific scorer from Fort Lauderdale, FL was a staple of the Kings franchise throughout the 90s. He arrived via trade after starting his career with the Golden State Warriors. Richmond was never able to find team success in Sacramento, but his individual abilities landed him multiple All-Star and All-NBA selections. He was an elite scorer at all three levels, with the size and skill to get to the basket, and one of the best jump shots in league history. Richmond is third in franchise history in points and steals. He could be looked at as the Kings All-Time best player since the move to the west coast in the mid-’80s.
Small Forward – Oscar Robertson
The Big O is still looked at as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He led the Cincinnati Royals for 10 seasons, putting up incredible numbers in the process. Over the first four seasons of his career, Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double. He is the King’s All-Time leader in points, assists, and minutes played while ranking third in rebounds and games played. The Big O set the standard for what a versatile stat-stuffing forward can produce. He averaged 29 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds in 10 seasons for Cincinnati.
Power Forward – Chris Webber
The Kings have struggled for sustained success since the move to Sacramento. The one stretch when they were legit contenders was while Chris Webber was manning the block. The former Fab Five star played eight seasons for the Kings leading them to their first playoff series victory since 1981 and reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2002. Webber put up 23 points a contest and is top ten for the Kings all-time in rebounds, steals, and blocks. He had this franchise one win away from the NBA Finals in 2002, before a devastating game seven loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers. Webber’s partnership with guard Jason Williams was must-see TV he first few years with the Kings.
Center – DeMarcus Cousins
The former Kentucky Wildcat was drafted in the lottery by the Kings and played his first seven seasons in Sacramento. He was often the center of controversy with his attitude and antics sometimes overshadowing his incredible talent level. DeMarcus Cousins had as complete a skill set as any center in the league’s history. His post scoring, rebounding, passing, and shooting touch was all of the highest levels. Unfortunately, team success was never achieved for the Kings while Cousins was putting up big numbers. In seven seasons, he scored almost 10,000 points and grabbed over 5,000 rebounds, but he also has the most turnovers in franchise history.
The Bench
Point Guard – Mike Bibby
When Webber and Williams were the inside-out duo for the Kings, the entertainment levels were extremely high. However, it wasn’t until Mike Bibby took over at point that the team began to reach its potential in terms of winning. A national champion in college, Bibby orchestrated the Kings fast-paced ball movement offense with extreme efficiency. He averaged over 17 points, five assists, and shot 38% from three in his seven seasons running the show in Sac-Town.
Shooting Guard – Jack Twyman
The 6’6” shooting guard played his entire career with the then Royals franchise. He played two seasons in Rochester before the move to Cincinnati where he spent his final nine campaigns. Jack Twyman is second in the Kings All-time rankings for points and field goals made. In the 1959-60 season, he averaged 31 points and nine rebounds a night.
Small Forward – Peja Stojakovic
The sharpshooting wing from Croatia was helped formed a devastating tandem with Webber during the Kings’ success in the early 2000s. Peja Stojakovic was one of the first in what has become a long line of big men with deep shooting range. The 6’10 forward could score from almost anywhere on the floor and shot 40% from beyond the arc while in Sacramento. He is 20th in NBA history with 1760 three-pointers made in his 16-year career.
Power Forward – Jerry Lucas
A teammate of the Big O, this 6’8” forward is one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history. Over the course of his second and third seasons, he averaged over 20 points and 20 rebounds a night. Jerry Lucas played seven seasons for the Cincinnati Royals. He is still in the top ten in points, rebounds, and minutes played for the franchise. His instincts for finding the ball and his toughness on the glass pushed him throughout his Hall of Fame career.
Center – Sam Lacey
The 6’10” center is the longest-tenured King of anyone on this list. While his nightly numbers may pale in comparison to some others here, his career totals are still atop much of the Kings All-Time record books. Sam Lacey was never the biggest scorer, but he averaged a double-double over his 12 seasons in Cincinnati and Kansas City. He was a very well rounded contributor. He is still the Kings’ career leader in rebounds, steals, blocks, and games played.
Main Photo
