- Oscar Robertson is the only player to win MVP in the history of the Sacramento Kings
- The Sacramento Kings won just one championship in their team’s history in 1951
- No player in Sacramento Kings history has ever won Defensive Player of the Year
We continue on with one of our most popular series today, the GOAT Pyramid series for every NBA franchise. Today’s team of choice is the Sacramento Kings, a constant in the NBA since the very beginning. The Kings were founded in the 1949 season as the Rochester Royals and have held many different names over the years, such as the Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Kansas City Kings, and finally, the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings have not won an NBA championship since the 1951 season and in 2022-23, broke a 17-season run without playing a single playoff game. Still, over the last seven and a half decades, the Kings have given NBA fans memorable moments provided by some of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Below, we have scoured the history of the Kings franchise in order to place its 25 best players into tiers based on what they provided for the franchise.
For those of you who need a reminder, here are the previous franchises we have covered:
– The Los Angeles Lakers All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Chicago Bulls All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Golden State Warriors All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Boston Celtics All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Detroit Pistons All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Miami Heat All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Houston Rockets All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Brooklyn Nets All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The New York Knicks All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Milwaukee Bucks All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Denver Nuggets All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Philadelphia 76ers All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The Dallas Mavericks All-Time GOAT Pyramid
– The San Antonio Spurs All-Time GOAT Pyramid
Now that you have a better idea of what our mission is here today, let’s get into the all-time GOAT Pyramid for the Sacramento Kings.
Tier 5
Metta World Peace, Tyreke Evans, Eddie Johnson, Buddy Hield, Lionel Simmons, Rudy Gay
Tier 5 is a tier full of players who may not have been in Sacramento long or are among the franchise elite but still played a small to intermediate role in franchise history. Metta World Peace played for the Kings for just two and a half seasons but this stretch was some of the best basketball of his career. In 167 games from 2006 through 2008, he averaged 18.9 points per game for the Kings along with 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game on 43.1% shooting overall.
Tyreke Evans looked like he was on his way to a great career as point guard of the Sacramento Kings. In 2010, Evans hit the ground running averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game to claim Rookie of the Year honors. Evans would play a total of four seasons with the Kings averaging 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game during that time but never reaching the NBA playoffs.
Eddie Johnson played for the Kings for six seasons from 1982 through 1987. During that stretch, he would help them reach the playoffs twice in 1984 and 1986 but never advanced past the first round. During his time with the Kings, he averaged 18.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 48.0% shooting. Johnson is credited with easing the transition from Kansas City to Sacramento along with another franchise star who would join him in 1986-87.
Buddy Hield was acquired by the Kings during his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Hield would spend the five and a half seasons in Sacramento, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. Over his time with the Kings, Hield would average 16.9 points per game on 43.2% shooting overall and 40.2% shooting from three. From 2018 through 2022 with the team, Hield recorded four straight seasons with at least 200 threes made.
Lionel Simmons was a small forward with the Kings from 1991 through 1997. Simmons’ entire career would span his time with the franchise. In his first four seasons with the team, Simmons averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. After injuries began to pile up for him, Simmons could no longer produce at a high level and was forced to retire in 1997 at the age of 28.
The final member of Tier 5 in Sacramento Kings history is Rudy Gay. In just three and a half seasons with the team, Gay inserted his name into this conversation with three of his most productive seasons ever. Gay averaged 19.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game in 223 games played with the Kings but failed to reach the playoffs all three full seasons he was there.
Tier 4
Bobby Jackson, Jason Williams, Brad Miller, Otis Birdsong, Domantas Sabonis
For many, Bobby Jackson is an unsung hero of the Kings franchise who gave six great seasons to the team from 2001 through 2005 and again in 2009. Mostly operating as a Sixth Man off the bench, Jackson averaged 11.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for the team from 2001 through 2005. In 2003, Jackson earned Sixth Man of the Year honors with 15.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 59 appearances for the Kings.
Jason “White Chocolate” Williams should almost be placed higher based on his highlight reel fast breaks and incredible handles alone. However, Williams played just three seasons for the Kings from 1999 through 2001. He averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game during this time and helped lead the Kings to the playoffs all three seasons he was there. Although he was an electric part of their early 2000s success, he didn’t quite do enough to justify being higher on their GOAT pyramid.
Brad Miller was a center with the Kings from 2004 through 2009. He is the first player on our list to be named an All-Star with the Kings, which he did in 2004 averaging 14.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Miller played a total of five and a half seasons with Sacramento, making three trips to the NBA playoffs including the Western Conference Second Round in 2004.
Otis Birdsong began his career as a member of the Kansas City Kings as their second overall draft pick in 1977. With the Kings, Birdsong would make three All-Star teams and an All-NBA Team in 1981. In these four seasons, Birdsong was a force to be reckoned with, averaging 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 51.3% from the field overall. The Kings made the playoffs in three out of his four seasons with the team but failed to make it past the second round.
The final member of Tier 4 is one of the newer members of the Kings, Domantas Sabonis. In just one and a half seasons with the team, Sabonis has helped turn the franchise around and inject some excitement into a city that had lost it for a very long time. In 2022-23, Sabonis had an All-Star season in which he led the NBA in rebounds and averaged 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. The incredible year helped the Kings advance to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years as they have built a team to be proud of for the future.
Tier 3
Mike Bibby, DeMarcus Cousins, Vlade Divac, De’Aaron Fox, Wayman Tisdale, Reggie Theus, Kevin Martin, Jack Twyman
Tier 3 is when we begin to experience the dream of the crop in Sacramento Kings history. The first of these players is point guard Mike Bibby who played six and a half seasons with the Kings from 2002 through 2008. During this time, Bobby was a borderline All-Star who helped the Kings reach the Conference Finals in 2002 and make deep playoff runs later in the decade. In his time with the team, Bobby averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
DeMarcus Cousins looked as if he was headed towards all-time great status during his early days with the Sacramento Kings. Cousins spent six and a half seasons with the team where he made two All-Star teams and two All-NBA Second Teams. Cousins was a bully in the low block as both a scorer and rebounder resulting in some dominant single-game performances. Overall, in six and a half seasons, he averaged 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game with the Kings during the 2010s.
Vlade Divac has a case to be named the greatest center in Kings’ history as well. Divac played six seasons with the Kings from 2000 through 2005 where helped the Kings battle Western Conference supremacy with the likes of the Shaq-led Lakers. Divac was named an All-Star for the only time in his career with the Kings in 2001 and averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.2 clocks per game in total from 2000 through 2005 with the team.
De’Aaron Fox will likely be much higher by the time his career is over in Sacramento. Fox has been with the Kings for the entirety of his six-year NBA career averaging 20.2 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. In 2022-23, Fox helped lead the Kings to their first playoff berth in 17 seasons while earning an All-Star appearance, an All-NBA Team selection, and winning the NBA’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award. Fox averaged 25.0 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for the team last season and is looking to lead them to even bigger heights moving forward.
Wayman Tisdale was a member of the Kings from 1989 through 1994 after being dealt over from the Indiana Pacers. Tisdale was incredible in his six seasons with the team, averaging 18.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on 50.9% shooting. Tisdale and the Kings would never make the NBA playoffs together but his time in the early 90s with the team was truly something special to watch.
Reggie Theus was a star for the Kings from 1984 through 1988. Although he never repeated his success with the Bulls in the early 80s, Theus helped the Kings make two playoff appearances during his time there. In those five and a half seasons, Theus would average 18.8 points, 8.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Although they never made it past the first round of the playoffs, Theus led them to some of the better seasons in team history.
Kevin Martin’s time with the Kings was short but sweet from 2005 through 2010. Martin was the best player on a team that tried to transition smoothly past the era of great teams during the early 2000s. Martin even helped the team earn a playoff spot in 2006 as a young player coming in off the bench. In his final three and a half seasons with the team, Martin would take over as the number-one option and averaged 22.1 points per game on 44.5% shooting overall and 38.6% from three.
The final member of Tier 3 will be Jack Twyman. He played the entirety of his career with the Kings franchise from 1956 through 1966 and accomplished as much as any other player with the team has. During his time with the Kings, Twyman averaged 19.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on 45.0% shooting He earned six All-Star selections and two All-NBA Team selections over that time as well and is easily one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Tier 2
Chris Webber, Mitch Richmond, Jerry Lucas, Peja Stojakovic, Tiny Archibald
Since there can only be one GOAT when we distribute our selections for a franchise’s GOAT pyramid, these next five players are among the best in franchise history and make up Tier 2. Chris Webber is undoubtedly the best power forward in team history averaging 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game with the team from 1999 through 2005. Other than nearly making the NBA Finals in 2002, Webber earned four All-Star selections and five All-NBA Team selections with the team as well.
Mitch Richmond was a scoring machine for the Kings during the 1990s who poured in the fourth-most points in the 1990s of any player in the NBA. Richmond played seven seasons with the Kings from 1992 through 1998 and made six All-Star teams as well as five All-NBA Teams in the process. Overall, he averaged 23.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 45.3% shooting overall in 517 games played with the Kings.
Jerry Lucas is the oldest member of Tier 2, playing with the Kings franchise from 1964 through 1970. He earned Rookie of the Year in 1964 averaging 17.7 points and 17.4 rebounds per game. In six and a half seasons with the team, Lucas averaged 19.6 points and 19.1 rebounds per game on 49.7% shooting. He earned six All-Star selections for his efforts as well as five All-NBA Team Selections including three selections to the First Team.
Peja Stojakovic is one of the NBA’s most decorated sharpshooters and is easily one of the greatest Kings players of all time. Peja played eight and a half seasons with the Kings from 1999 through 2006 where he averaged 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game during that stretch. Stojakovic shot 46.1% overall from the field and 39.8% from three on 5.2 attempts. He would earn three All-Star selections and the only All-NBA Team selection of his career with the Kings while helping them make the most noise they have ever made in the NBA playoffs.
The final member of Tier 2 before we reveal our franchise GOAT is Tiny Archibald. Tiny is the second-greatest point guard in team history who played with the Kings from 1971 through 1976. In 1973, Archibald made NBA history by winning the scoring title and assists title in the same season, averaging 34.0 points and 11.4 assists per game. Overall, he earned three All-Star selections and four All-NBA Team selections with the team during his six seasons there. He averaged 25.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 433 games played with the team.
Tier 1
Oscar Robertson
Finally, we can reveal to you our Sacramento Kings’ all-time franchise GOAT. To nobody’s surprise, that player is Oscar Robertson who rewrote the history books with the Cincinnati Royals from 1961 through 1970. First, Robertson won Rookie of the Year in 1961 averaging 30.5 points, and 10.1 rebounds, and winning the assists title with 9.7 assists per game. In 1962, he became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in a season with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game.
Robertson would go on to win all seven of his career assists titles with the Royals and led the NBA in free throw shooting twice. In 1964, Robertson became the only MVP in the history of the franchise when he averaged 31.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game. Overall, in a decade with the team, he averaged 29.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game in 48.9% shooting from the field. He would make 10 All-Star teams as well as nine All-NBA First Teams during those 10 seasons and is the only player who can be considered the GOAT of the Sacramento Kings’ franchise.
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