The Sacramento Kings may just miss the playoffs, but they are back on track to NBA relevance. As the team finally turns a corner, it’s worth a look at the franchise’s best players of past. Who are the top five players in Sacramento Kings history?
Sacramento Kings: Top Five Players in Franchise History
For the first time in a while, Sacramento Kings fans have a promising future to look forward to. The Kings may miss the playoffs, but their future is bright with their young core as the foundation. De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley III amongst others are leading Sacramento back to relevance.
They are a promising young group, but they are not the only bright spots of this Kings franchise. Sacramento has had plenty of notable players and stars that have brought great memories.
Who exactly places amongst the top five players in franchise history? There are plenty of options dating back to the original Rochester Royals. Let’s take a look at some notable names in Sacramento Kings history.
5. DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins is no longer a Sacramento King, but that does not take away his accomplishments while donning the purple jersey. The former fifth overall pick became the Kings’ first All-Star selection since the 2003-2004 season. Cousins’ best Kings season came in 2016-2017, averaging 27.8 points per game alongside 10.6 rebounds.
A three-time all-star with Sacramento, Cousins was the Kings’ best player by far but was unable to lead them to a postseason berth. Though eventually traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, Cousins undoubtedly loved the Sacramento fanbase. Perhaps not top five for long, but he’ll always be one of the Kings best players.
4. Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond played seven seasons in Sacramento and finished with an average of 23.3 points per game for the Kings. After being traded to the Kings during the 1991 season, he immediately became their best scorer in years. Richmond tallied six all-star appearances during his Kings tenure.
After the franchise relocated to Sacramento in 1985 they longed for their first true superstar. Mitch Richmond filled that void for the newly relocated Kings. His number two jersey is retired and hangs in the rafters amongst the other Kings greats.
3. Peja Stojakovic
The best years of the Sacramento Kings came in the early 2000s, and among the most vital players back then was Peja Stojakovic. He spent eight seasons with Sacramento, averaging 18.3 points per game and close to 40 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Stojakovic is known to be one of the greatest three-point threats in NBA history.
The 14th pick back in the 1996 NBA Draft, Peja had a breakout year during the 2000 NBA season and finished second for the Most Improved Player award. His breakthrough season is among the reasons Geoff Petrie earned his second Executive of the Year award. Like Richmond, Stojakovic’s number 16 jersey also hangs in the rafters.
2. Chris Webber
Chris Webber and number four have become synonymous together and for good reason. A five-time all-star (four with Sacramento), Webber was the leader of the 2001-02 Kings team that boasted a 61-21 regular season record, best in the league. The 2001-02 Sacramento Kings are regarded as one of the best teams to have not won the NBA title.
Webber averaged 23.5 points per game, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks during his seven seasons in Sacramento. His number four jersey was retired by the Kings back in 2009. For the third-straight year, Webber is a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with the Class of 2019 will be revealed in early April.
1. Oscar Robertson
Webber might be the greatest King during the era of Sacramento, but the franchise has ties that span decades. They were once the Cincinnati Royals, and during that time they had a point guard by the name of Oscar Robertson. The “Big O” was drafted by the Royals and spent ten seasons in Cincinnati.
Robertson averaged 29.3 points per game, 9.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds while being named an all-star in each of those ten seasons with the Royals. Though he would go on to win a championship after his Royals tenure, Oscar Robertson still ranks as the all-time greatest to have played in the history of the Kings franchise.
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