New GM explains why Sacramento Kings hired Doug Christie as head coach
The Sacramento Kings on Thursday officially announced they have hired Doug Christie as their new head coach.
General manager Scott Perry and Christie will hold a joint press conference Friday at Golden 1 Center. When the hiring was announced, Perry issued a statement lauding Christie’s leadership.
“After careful consideration, I am excited to announce Doug Christie as the next head coach of the Sacramento Kings,” Perry said. “I’ve known Doug a long time and have been impressed with his leadership, presence, and ability to connect deeply with his players.
“He embodies the core values we believe in — toughness, discipline, professionalism, a defensive mindset, and a selfless, team-oriented approach on offense. Our goal is to support him fully and help set the stage for his long-term success. We’re excited to move forward with Doug as our leader.”
Christie, who played for the Kings from 2000-2005, left his television and radio broadcasting jobs to join Sacramento’s coaching staff in 2021. He served as an assistant for 3 ½ seasons under Luke Walton and Mike Brown before taking over as interim head coach when Brown was fired in late December.
Christie led the Kings to a 27-24 record over the final 51 games before suffering a season-ending loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA play-in tournament.
“I am deeply humbled to be named head coach of the Sacramento Kings,” Christie said. “This organization and city have been home for over 20 years. I want to thank the Kings organization and Scott for their support during this process. For me, this opportunity is all about service to the team, the organization, and the city of Sacramento. My family and I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM.
