Sure, you see the Kings everywhere in the community donating either time, money or tickets to a future home game. But this time it was different. And, according to Kings President of Business Operations Matina Kolokotronis, it was one of the most important community-minded event the Kings have ever had the chance in which to participate. On Thursday, the Sacramento Kings, The California Endowment and the Sacramento City Unified School District gathered at Earl Warren Elementary School in South Sacramento to announce their partnership in creating the new “Get Fit with the Kings” program that is intended to boost the overall health of Sacramento-area youth. On-hand for the festivities wer

Mama said there’d be days like this. During the long NBA season, there are games where a team will come up short but still feel they’ve played a good game. Saturday’s Kings game against the Mavericks was one of those games. Close — oh so close — but no cigar. In a game where the Sacramento Kings led most of the way until the final moments, the home team couldn’t get off the game-tying shot in time as they let a nine-point lead with 5:24 left in the game slowly disappear, and the Dallas Mavericks pulled out the win 105-103 at Arco Arena. Tyreke Evans (25 points, five boards and eight assists) played possibly his best overall game of the young season by hitting open shots, including three

Working out is supposed to be rewarding. For some, even fun. On Oct. 9, 2009, for Sacramento Kings forward Francisco Garcia it was neither. Garcia was in training camp preparing his body for the rigorous NBA season. During a bench press exercise, while laying on his back on an exercise ball known as the Gymnic – “Burst Resistant” Plus Stability Ball, the ball suddenly burst open and sent Garcia crashing to the floor while still holding on to the weights. Garcia broke his right forearm and damaged ligaments in his wrist in the fall and missed all but 25 games of the 2009-10 season. Roger A. Dreyer of the law firm Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood, attorney for the Sacramento Kings Limited Partn

    ►►► GAME COVERAGE ►►► FOLLOWED BY GAME NOTES ►►► FOLLOWED BY COMMENTARY   ♦ THE GAME The ordeal is over. The Kings finally won a game. Avenging their lone loss in the 3-game road trip that opened their season, the Kings beat the New Jersey Nets at Arco Friday night, 86 - 81. The Kings had played New Jersey in the second game of the season. In that game, they had fallen behind by 18 points, but surged in the 3rd quarter and actually held an 8 point lead with less than 4 minutes to play. Sadly, New Jersey outscored the Kings 17 - 3 in the final 3:41, and won going away. Having started the season by taking 2 out of 3 road games, the Kings had returned to Sacramento feeling confiden

It seemed like a perfect opportunity for the Kings.  You know, take advantage of a tired, worn out Memphis team who were not only coming off a double-overtime loss the night before, but catch them on their fourth game in five nights. Even though Sacramento head coach Paul Westphal told his team before the game that he didn't believe in that mumbo jumbo, the team from Tennessee grabbed an early lead and rarely looked back as the Kings lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 100-91. “I never bought into that stuff,” Westphal said in the postgame press conference. “We won’t use that as an excuse if that happens to us, and it doesn’t mean we’re supposed to win because they played last night. This is

Could the Kings start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2000? That was the question on every Kings fan’s mind entering the game in New Jersey as the Kings took on the Nets (1-0). Unfortunately, the answer for those nonstop cheering Kings fans back home was no as the Kings faltered at the end by having too many big men in foul trouble and missing big shots. The Kings lost a close one 106-100. Even though the Kings scored the first bucket, a long jumper by DeMarcus Cousins, it was the Nets who started the quarter hot as Carl Landry missed several shots and seemed out of sorts until he was substituted halfway through the quarter. Brook Lopez, the young outstanding center for the Nets,

With two of last year’s promising rookies – Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn and last year’s Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans – not suited up, the first game of the season seemed to hinge on their replacements. Francisco Garcia handled the shooting guard duties for the missing Evans and Luke Ridnour the point guard responsibilities for Flynn, who is recovering from hip surgery. Even though both came through for their respective teams, it was the Kings who finished off the Timberwolves 117-116 to win a road game that went down to the wire. Garcia finished with 22 points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals and hit both of his three attempts. Garcia had 21 of his 22 by the end of the third,

The wait is over. The off-season is behind them. The up-and-coming Kings are primed and ready to pounce on opponents this season, giving weight to the slogan – Here We Rise. The Sacramento Kings take to the hardwood Wednesday in their season opener as they travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves, embarking on a three-game road trip. HERE – Sactown is their home Even following year after year of speculation that the team will somehow abandon our little town for the riches of Las Vegas or the South Bay or even back to the familiar Kansas/Missouri border has never materialized, the arena situation and the current economic crunch continues to put the topic back in the spotlight and det

With the Kings down Beno Udrih and Samuel Dalembert out and the small forward position up for grabs, Coach Paul Westphal is still searching for a winning starting lineup. The Golden State Warriors held it close for three quarters Tuesday, but it was the Kings who secured their second preseason win by pulling away in the final period to win 116-97 at Arco Arena. The Kings had six players scoring in double figures and a balanced rebounding effort making for a solid fourth quarter. A three-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned into a 22-point lead late in the game thanks to a strong defense and converting turnovers into points. Both teams had stretches of sloppiness, eac

As part of the NBA Cares campaign, “Paint the Town,” the Sacramento Kings will be greeting fans throughout the Sacramento region Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17 to thank them for their support in advance of the 2010-11 Kings season. The entire Kings training camp roster, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and the Kings Breakers will interact with the Sacramento community at various locations. Fans are encouraged to attend and players will be available to greet and interact with fans. Additionally, the Kings Karavan, a Kings-branded bus, will be on display at select locations and exciting Kings prizes will be awarded to Kings fans on-site. Following is the fu

It all began just like any other training camp gathering. The players hit the floor to do some stretching, jogging and even doing the “monster walk” to get flexible and be ready to bang some bodies. It was a day like any other day this past week. Except this time, there was a major difference. The practice had been moved out of the Kings’ practice facility and over to Arco Arena. Oh, and one more thing. There were people watching – lots of people. The Sacramento Kings raised the curtain on their new-look team on Sunday for all to see for the first time since making some major acquisitions and building their team with draft picks in the off season. It was the first scrimmage held this y

Kings training camp kicked off Monday, and when the day was over, it was all sweat and smiles at their facility in Natomas. The Court Jester was there, and here are some observations: Training camp – day one Lob Pass The Kings worked on defense and five-on-none offense as the guys were trying to find their spacing and where to be on the floor in certain sets . . . Head Coach Paul Westphal was seen checking notes from his back pocket making sure he was staying on-track . . . Samuel Dalembert was helping guys find the right spot on the floor during a certain set . . . Hassan Whiteside was setting some nice screens and really looking bulked up . . . Pooh Jeter was looking to get others in

In the second part of my two-part look at the Kings prior to training camp and preseason activities, I focus on the forward situation and possible lineups that Head Coach Paul Westphal could throw out there to start the season. Since going to print with part one, the Kings have added one more forward to the roster. Marcus Landry is a 6-foot 7-inch second-year forward out of Wisconsin who is also Carl Landry’s younger brother. Add to that the previously mentioned forwards – Conner Atchley, Darnell Jackson and six-year pro Antoine Wright – and you’ve got four players vying for maybe one spot. I think that this is so much easier to do than calculating what the staff will do with the guard s

On October 3 at 4 p.m, Kings fans will have their first opportunity to welcome the new group of Kings at ARCO Arena. It will be the first chance for you and your friends and or family to see the new talent in action. Coach Paul Westphal and his assistants will be leading the full practice, including a full-court scrimmage between teammates.  Unlike the Las Vegas Summer League, you will be able to see the 2010 Rookie of the Year play with his new teammate and potential 2011 Rookie of the Year, DeMarcus Cousins.  Admission is free and you won't have to worry about paying for parking.  If you are interested in attending you will need to R.S.V.P. If you haven't looked at the roster lately

A couple of Sacramento Kings players visited a West Sacramento youth gathering site the other day, and while it wasn’t a typical day at the office for Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih, it was, in some respects, much more rewarding. Garcia and Udrih were at the Collings West Sacramento Teen Center on Tuesday to announce a special gift to the kids at the center and youngsters like them across the area. Between the two of them, they have purchased 50 lower-level season tickets to give away to children considered at-risk in our community. For each of them, it was just another in a long line of gifts they’ve given the area that they hope will keep on giving. The setting was perfect for the gen

Every year at this time, a group of young NBA hopefuls gather at the Sacramento Kings’ training facility in an effort to impress the coaching staff enough to get a shot at their dream – making an NBA roster. Usually, prospective players are brought in only to give the main roster someone to scrimmage against or in case someone goes down with an injury. The difference this year is that it looks like two of them have a real chance of making the team and getting playing time. With 10 spots all but sealed-up, there should be some real competition going on during training camp and early in the preseason. In this two-part look at what the Kings’ options appear to be in searching for the ultim

This month’s Second Saturday ended on a bad note. Although the details are not known, as of this writing, a shooting took the life of 24 year old Victor Hugo Perez Zavala. Second Saturday has grown in popularity these past few months and crowds have also increased. Over 10,000 people show up to shop, admire art, eat, drink, listen to local bands and socialize during the Second Saturday event. The Second Saturday venue gives local artists a chance to show off their art where otherwise they would not get such an opportunity. This event has been so popular that similar events take place in Folsom, Roseville, Placerville and other areas surrounding Sacramento. September’s ending to Second Sa

What a difference one off-season makes. In a span of three months, the Sacramento Kings lost six players from last season’s roster and gained seven new players. It’s a welcome change for a team that’s trying to climb back into the NBA playoffs after being absent the last four years. Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie and the rest of the staff were busy this summer  what the team’s transactions looks like: Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Samuel Dalembert. Drafted DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside. Signed undrafted guard Donald Sloan. Signed-and-traded Jon Brockman to the Milwaukee Bucks for Darnell Jackson and a 2011 second

Early Friday the Sacramento Kings signed free agent guards Pooh Jeter and Antoine Wright. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed but Kings’ Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Wayne Cooper spoke about the most recent additions. “Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter are two solid players at their respective positions who will add to our roster’s depth,” said Cooper. “Wright has five years of NBA experience under his belt and Jeter is coming off a great summer league showing as he played for Cleveland’s team in Las Vegas.” Jeter may be a familiar name to some Kings fans as he played for the Kings Summer League in 2007 but was unable to find a spot on the roster. Jeter

The Sacramento Kings welcomed six college seniors hoping to make the jump into the NBA this summer. Jerome Randle from UC Berkeley (Cal), Houston's Aubrey Coleman, Kansas State's Denis Clemente, South Carolina's Devan Downey, Tasmin Mitchell from LSU and Michighan State's Raymar Morgan are preparing for the 2010 NBA Draft, competing for a spot on one of the league's 30 team rosters. Six other players, including the Kings' Jason Thompson's brother and Rider product Ryan and Seattle University's Charles Garcia, dropped by the practice facility on Tuesday. Out of the six players who participated in today's workout, Randle, who played about 80 miles away from Sacramento, is the only player