Kings immortalize Jerry Reynolds after 35 years as coach, executive, TV analyst
Year after year, NBA cities churn through players, coaches and front office executives. Most have to pack their bags after a few short seasons, uprooting families, lives and relationships in search of another opportunity.
Few are fortunate enough to last long in this league. Fewer get to stay in one place long enough to leave a lasting impression. Then there are guys like Jerry Reynolds, a beloved local fixture who was immortalized as a Sacramento legend Saturday night before the Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 106-103 in their home opener at Golden 1 Center.
The Kings paid tribute to Reynolds for his many years of service, naming the Golden 1 Center media entrance in his honor. The Jerry Reynolds Media Entrance, located near David J. Stern Walk between the team store and the grand entrance, commemorates Reynolds’ enduring impact on the organization and his personal connection with the Sacramento community.
“For 35 years, I have been blessed to be a part of this incredible organization, and while I have received other honors throughout my career, this ranks at the top as the most meaningful,” Reynolds said. “I want to express my deep appreciation to the Kings for their support over the years. I will always have a special place in my heart for Kings fans and all of the players, staff and media colleagues with whom I had the pleasure of working with over my tenure. Each person made the journey enjoyable and unforgettable.”
The media entrance display features a plaque, artwork, imagery and signage, inside and outside the entryway, representing Reynolds’ work with the team. Reynolds came to Sacramento for his first NBA coaching job in 1985 and never left, spending 35 years with the organization as a coach, general manager, player personnel director and television analyst before retiring in November.
Reynolds, 76, delighted generations of Kings fans with his homespun charm and self-deprecating sense of humor. Now future generations will see that friendly face as they make their way into the team’s downtown arena.
“There has always been and always will be, only one Jerry Reynolds,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said. “Jerry’s name is synonymous with the history of the Sacramento Kings and he will forever be a member of the franchise’s family. I stand with the entire organization in wishing Jerry and his family nothing but the best throughout his well-deserved retirement.”
Reynolds, a native of French Lick, Indiana, was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this year. He said he never dreamed of a career in the NBA while growing up.
“I was just hoping maybe to go to college and not have to work at the piano factory,” Reynolds said. “Things worked out a lot better for me than that and I’m very appreciative. This is absolutely an honor and I truly appreciate it beyond words.”
Reynolds began his coaching career in the college ranks at Oakland City University and Vincennes University in Indiana before serving as an assistant coach at West Georgia. He spent nine seasons as head coach at Rockhurst University and one season as head coach at Pittsburgh State before joining the Kings as an assistant before their inaugural season in Sacramento in 1985-86.
“That was really amazing for me just being an assistant coach when the team came here and we made the playoffs that first year,” Reynolds said. “I thought that would just happen every year. I found out different.”
Reynolds served as head coach from 1987-90, general manager from 1992-93 and director of player personnel from 1994-2013. He also had a six-year run as general manager of the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs from 1998-2003.
“I think going to different jobs probably helped a lot, moving from one spot to another,” Reynolds said. “Before whatever ownership group was in charge got tired of me, I was doing something else, so that helped.”
Reynolds started his broadcasting career in 1995. He worked alongside former Kings play-by-play man Grant Napear for more than 20 years before transitioning to pregame and postgame duties in 2018.
“My years on the broadcast were an absolute blast because getting to know the fans and spending time with the fans was the most fun,” Reynolds said. “I’ll certainly miss that part of it.”
The fans will miss Reynolds, too. Many will keep his family in their thoughts and prayers after Reynolds recently revealed he lost a sister to COVID-19 and his 52-year-old son, Jay, is battling Stage 4 cancer.
“The one thing that always struck me was you have just this warmth and joy about you,” Ranadivé told Reynolds. “It’s clear that you are so beloved by the city, by the fans and by the NBA at large.”
Every year, players, coaches and executives come and go in NBA cities across the country, but Reynolds is still in Sacramento after all these years. Generations of Kings fans have grown to love him. Generations to come will know his name and the legacy he leaves behind.
“That means a lot. It really does,” Reynolds said. “Obviously, in five or six years, a lot of people will forget. Probably young people won’t even remember me doing any of these things, but at least there will be a reminder and maybe their mother and father will say, ‘Yeah, he was here a long time, and he wasn’t that bad of a guy.’”
This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
