Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA) were formerly known as the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and the Kansas City Kings. While the Kings were created first as a semiprofessional team in 1923 with the Rochester Seagrams, their professional roots began in 1945 with their arrival in the National Basketball League, where it won the title in their first season. They joined the Basketball Association of America in 1948, with the league soon rebranding itself as the NBA. The Royals won the NBA title in 1951. After reaching the postseason ten times in twelve professional seasons, they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957. After fifteen years of mediocrity, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1972, for which they played games in Kansas City and in Omaha, Nebraska. After thirteen years of mediocrity, they moved to Sacramento, California in 1986. An attempt to change ownership by way of selling the team and moving to Seattle failed in 2013. Vivek Ranadivé purchased the team later that year.
Starting in 2006–07 through the 2021–22 season the Kings set an NBA record in futility with 16 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, breaking old record of 15 playoff-less seasons that was compiled by the Los Angeles Clippers between 1976–77 and 1990–91. Every single one of those seasons saw them finish below .500, which is also a record. Since 1945, the team has reached the postseason just 33 times, with 11 in Sacramento and 10 in Rochester.
They have not reached the NBA Finals in 71 years (a record), have not reached a Conference finals in twenty seasons (tied for 5th for most seasons in history), and have not won a playoff series in eighteen seasons (tied for a record).
As one of the original eight NBA teams, they have the most losses in league history.
NBL champions | NBA champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Playoff berth | Play-in berth |
Season | League | Conference | Finish | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards | Head Coach | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rochester Royals | ||||||||||||||
1945–46 | NBL | — | — | Eastern | 2nd | 24 | 10 | .706 | 2 | Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 3–1 Won NBL Championship (Red Skins) 3–0 | Red Holzman (ROY) | Lester Harrison | ||
1946–47 | NBL | — | — | Eastern | 1st | 31 | 13 | .705 | — | Won Opening Round (Nationals) 3–1 Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1 Lost NBL Championship (American Gears) 3–1 | Bob Davies (MVP) | |||
1947–48 | NBL | — | — | Eastern | 1st | 44 | 16 | .733 | — | Won Opening Round (Pistons) 3–1 Won Division semifinals (Packers) 2–1 Lost NBL Championship (Lakers) 3–1 | ||||
1948–49 | BAA | — | — | Western | 1st | 45 | 15 | .750 | — | Won Division semifinals (Bombers) 2–0 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 2–0 | ||||
1949–50 | NBA | — | — | Central | 2nd | 51 | 17 | .750 | — | Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0 | ||||
1950–51 | NBA | — | — | Western | 2nd | 41 | 27 | .603 | 3 | Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1 Won Division finals (Lakers) 3–1 Won NBA Finals (Knicks) 4–3 | ||||
1951–52 | NBA | — | — | Western | 1st | 41 | 25 | .621 | — | Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 3–1 | ||||
1952–53 | NBA | — | — | Western | 2nd | 44 | 26 | .629 | 4 | Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1 | ||||
1953–54 | NBA | — | — | Western | 2nd | 44 | 28 | .611 | 2 | Advanced Divisional Semifinals 2–1 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 2–1 | ||||
1954–55 | NBA | — | — | Western | 3rd | 29 | 43 | .403 | 14 | Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 2–1 | ||||
1955–56 | NBA | — | — | Western | 4th | 31 | 41 | .431 | 6 | Maurice Stokes (ROY) | Bobby Wanzer | |||
1956–57 | NBA | — | — | Western | 4th | 31 | 41 | .431 | 3 | |||||
Cincinnati Royals | ||||||||||||||
1957–58 | NBA | — | — | Western | 3rd | 33 | 39 | .458 | 8 | Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0 | Bobby Wanzer | |||
1958–59 | NBA | — | — | Western | 4th | 19 | 53 | .264 | 30 | Bobby Wanzer Tom Marshall | ||||
1959–60 | NBA | — | — | Western | 4th | 19 | 56 | .253 | 27 | Tom Marshall | ||||
1960–61 | NBA | — | — | Western | 4th | 33 | 46 | .418 | 18 | Oscar Robertson (ROY, ASG MVP) | Charles Wolf | |||
1961–62 | NBA | — | — | Western | 2nd | 43 | 37 | .538 | 11 | Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 3–1 | ||||
1962–63 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 3rd | 42 | 38 | .525 | 16 | Won Division semifinals (Nationals) 3–2 Lost Division finals (Celtics) 4–3 | ||||
1963–64 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 2nd | 55 | 25 | .688 | 4 | Won Division semifinals (76ers) 3–2 Lost Division finals (Celtics) 4–1 | Oscar Robertson (MVP, ASG MVP) Jerry Lucas (ROY) | Jack McMahon | ||
1964–65 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 2nd | 48 | 32 | .600 | 14 | Lost Division semifinals (76ers) 3–1 | Jerry Lucas (ASG MVP) | |||
1965–66 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 3rd | 45 | 35 | .563 | 10 | Lost Division semifinals (Celtics) 3–2 | Adrian Smith (ASG MVP) | |||
1966–67 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 3rd | 39 | 42 | .481 | 29 | Lost Division semifinals (76ers) 3–1 | ||||
1967–68 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 5th | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23 | Ed Jucker | ||||
1968–69 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 5th | 41 | 41 | .500 | 16 | Oscar Robertson (ASG MVP) | ||||
1969–70 | NBA | — | — | Eastern | 5th | 36 | 46 | .439 | 24 | Bob Cousy | ||||
1970–71 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 3rd | 33 | 49 | .402 | 9 | |||||
1971–72 | NBA | Eastern | 6th | Central | 3rd | 30 | 52 | .366 | 8 | |||||
Kansas City–Omaha Kings | ||||||||||||||
1972–73 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 4th | 36 | 46 | .439 | 24 | Joe Axelson (EOY) | Bob Cousy | |||
1973–74 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 4th | 33 | 49 | .402 | 26 | Bob Cousy Draff Young Phil Johnson | ||||
1974–75 | NBA | Western | 3rd | Midwest | 2nd | 44 | 38 | .537 | 3 | Lost conference semifinals (Bulls) 4–2 | Phil Johnson (COY) | Phil Johnson | ||
Kansas City Kings | ||||||||||||||
1975–76 | NBA | Western | 8th | Midwest | 3rd | 31 | 51 | .378 | 7 | Phil Johnson | ||||
1976–77 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 4th | 40 | 42 | .488 | 10 | |||||
1977–78 | NBA | Western | 11th | Midwest | 5th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 17 | Phil Johnson Larry Staverman | ||||
1978–79 | NBA | Western | 2nd | Midwest | 1st | 48 | 34 | .585 | — | Lost conference semifinals (Suns) 4–1 | Phil Ford (ROY) Cotton Fitzsimmons (COY) | Cotton Fitzsimmons | ||
1979–80 | NBA | Western | 5th | Midwest | 2nd | 47 | 35 | .573 | 2 | Lost First round (Suns) 2–1 | ||||
1980–81 | NBA | Western | 5th | Midwest | 2nd | 40 | 42 | .488 | 12 | Won First round (Trail Blazers) 2–1 Won conference semifinals (Suns) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Rockets) 4–1 | ||||
1981–82 | NBA | Western | 9th | Midwest | 4th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | |||||
1982–83 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 2nd | 45 | 37 | .549 | 8 | |||||
1983–84 | NBA | Western | 8th | Midwest | 3rd | 38 | 44 | .463 | 7 | Lost First round (Lakers) 3–0 | ||||
1984–85 | NBA | Western | 11th | Midwest | 6th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 21 | Jack McKinney Phil Johnson | ||||
Sacramento Kings | ||||||||||||||
1985–86 | NBA | Western | 7th | Midwest | 5th | 37 | 45 | .451 | 14 | Lost First round (Rockets) 3–0 | Phil Johnson | |||
1986–87 | NBA | Western | 10th | Midwest | 5th | 29 | 53 | .354 | 26 | Phil Johnson Jerry Reynolds | ||||
1987–88 | NBA | Western | 10th | Midwest | 6th | 24 | 58 | .293 | 30 | Bill Russell Jerry Reynolds | ||||
1988–89 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 6th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 30 | Jerry Reynolds | ||||
1989–90 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 7th | 23 | 59 | .280 | 40 | Jerry Reynolds Dick Motta | ||||
1990–91 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 7th | 25 | 57 | .305 | 38 | Dick Motta | ||||
1991–92 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 7th | 29 | 53 | .354 | 28 | Dick Motta Rex Hughes | ||||
1992–93 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 7th | 25 | 57 | .305 | 37 | Garry St. Jean | ||||
1993–94 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 6th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 35 | |||||
1994–95 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 5th | 39 | 43 | .476 | 20 | Mitch Richmond (ASG MVP) | ||||
1995–96 | NBA | Western | 8th | Pacific | 5th | 39 | 43 | .476 | 25 | Lost First round (SuperSonics) 3–1 | ||||
1996–97 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 6th | 34 | 48 | .415 | 23 | Garry St. Jean Eddie Jordan | ||||
1997–98 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 5th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 | Eddie Jordan | ||||
1998–99 | NBA | Western | 6th | Pacific | 3rd | 27 | 23 | .540 | 8 | Lost First round (Jazz) 3–2 | Geoff Petrie (EOY) | Rick Adelman | ||
1999–00 | NBA | Western | 8th | Pacific | 5th | 44 | 38 | .537 | 23 | Lost First round (Lakers) 3–2 | Vlade Divac (JWKC) | |||
2000–01 | NBA | Western | 3rd | Pacific | 2nd | 55 | 27 | .672 | 1 | Won First round (Suns) 3–1 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–0 | Geoff Petrie (EOY) | |||
2001–02 | NBA | Western | 1st | Pacific | 1st | 61 | 21 | .744 | — | Won First round (Jazz) 3–1 Won conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–3 | ||||
2002–03 | NBA | Western | 2nd | Pacific | 1st | 59 | 23 | .720 | — | Won First round (Jazz) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–3 | Bobby Jackson (SMOY) | |||
2003–04 | NBA | Western | 4th | Pacific | 2nd | 55 | 27 | .672 | 1 | Won First round (Mavericks) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Timberwolves) 4–3 | ||||
2004–05 | NBA | Western | 6th | Pacific | 2nd | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 | Lost First round (SuperSonics) 4–1 | ||||
2005–06 | NBA | Western | 8th | Pacific | 4th | 44 | 38 | .537 | 10 | Lost First round (Spurs) 4–2 | ||||
2006–07 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 5th | 33 | 49 | .402 | 28 | Eric Musselman | ||||
2007–08 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 4th | 38 | 44 | .463 | 19 | Reggie Theus | ||||
2008–09 | NBA | Western | 15th | Pacific | 5th | 17 | 65 | .207 | 48 | Reggie Theus Kenny Natt | ||||
2009–10 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 5th | 25 | 57 | .305 | 32 | Tyreke Evans (ROY) | Paul Westphal | |||
2010–11 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 5th | 24 | 58 | .293 | 33 | |||||
2011–12 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 5th | 22 | 44 | .333 | 19 | Paul Westphal Keith Smart | ||||
2012–13 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 4th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 28 | Keith Smart | ||||
2013–14 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 4th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 | Michael Malone | ||||
2014–15 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 4th | 29 | 53 | .354 | 38 | Michael Malone Tyrone Corbin George Karl | ||||
2015–16 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 3rd | 33 | 49 | .402 | 40 | George Karl | ||||
2016–17 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 3rd | 32 | 50 | .390 | 35 | Dave Joerger | ||||
2017–18 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 4th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 31 | |||||
2018–19 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 3rd | 39 | 43 | .476 | 18 | |||||
2019–20 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 4th | 31 | 41 | .431 | 22 | Luke Walton | ||||
2020–21 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 5th | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21 | |||||
2021–22 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 5th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 34 | Luke Walton Alvin Gentry | ||||
2022–23 | NBA | Western | 3rd | Pacific | 1st | 48 | 34 | .585 | — | Lost First round (Warriors) 4–3 | Mike Brown (COY) Monte McNair (EOY) | Mike Brown | ||
2023–24 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 4th | 46 | 36 | .561 | 5 | |||||
Statistic | Wins | Losses | Win% |
---|---|---|---|
Regular season record (1948–present) | 2,748 | 3,257 | .458 |
Post-season record (1948–present) | 83 | 111 | .428 |
All-time regular and post-season record | 2,831 | 3,368 | .457 |
Statistic | Wins | Losses | Win% |
---|---|---|---|
Regular season record (1945–1948) | 99 | 39 | .717 |
Post-season record (1945–1948) | 18 | 11 | .621 |
All-time regular and post-season record | 117 | 50 | .701 |
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Kings are the oldest team in the NBA, and the first team in the major professional North American sports leagues located in Sacramento. The team plays its home games at Golden 1 Center. Their best seasons to date in the city were in the early 2000s, including a very successful 2001–02 season when they had the best record in the NBA at 61–21.
Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City–Omaha Kings and Boston Celtics. In 1991, he was enshrined into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.
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The Kansas City metropolitan area has a long history of sports, which has included national championship teams and championship title events.
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The 1963 NBA playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1962-63 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.
The 1958 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1957-58 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks defeating the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.
The 1954 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1953–54 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.
The 1951 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 1950–51 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Rochester Royals defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs is the annual elimination tournament held to determine the league champion. The four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held after the league's regular season and its preliminary postseason tournament, the NBA play-in tournament. Six teams from each of the two conferences automatically advance to the playoffs based on regular season winning percentage, while those teams finishing seven through 10 from each conference compete in the play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff seeds.
The 1971–72 season would be the Royals final season in Cincinnati. The franchise continued to struggle and missed the playoffs for the 5th year in a row. The Royals finished the season with a record of 30 wins and 52 losses. Prior to the season, the Royals were sold to a group of 10 businessmen from Kansas City. The new ownership group paid $5 million for the franchise and a decision was reached to move the team after the season. The franchise would relocate west where they would be reborn as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
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The 2022–23 Sacramento Kings season was the 78th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and 39th season in the city of Sacramento. On April 11, 2022, the Sacramento Kings relieved interim head coach Alvin Gentry of his duties. Gentry was named interim head coach after the team fired Luke Walton in November 2021. On May 9, 2022, the Sacramento Kings hired Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown to become the Kings' new head coach. After the Seattle Mariners of MLB qualified for the Playoffs for the first time since 2001, the Kings entered this season with the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports with their last playoff appearance in 2006. Despite starting 0–4, they improved on their 30–52 record from last year by winning their 31st game on February 8, and won their first Pacific Division title since 2003, after putting an end to an NBA-record 16 season-long playoff drought. The longest active playoff drought in the four major North American Sports now belongs to the Buffalo Sabres of NHL and the New York Jets of NFL with each team missing the playoffs 12 years straight. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets now owned the longest playoffs drought in NBA with their last appearance in 2016, followed by the Detroit Pistons in 2nd for NBA playoffs drought with their last playoffs appearance in 2019, then tied for 3rd for playoffs drought in NBA, the Orlando Magic, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs with each team last making the playoffs in 2020 at the NBA Bubble.
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