The Sacramento Kings played their first game in their new city in 1985 and Sacramento Bee photographers were there. And they’ve been there for almost every game since. We have a lot of Kings photos.
Our digital photo archive — which didn’t really start in earnest until the late 1990s — currently returns 29,879 images when you search for the team. For almost all of them, we can tell you the exact date it was taken and the photographer’s name.
Most of them are photos of game action, but not all. They include fans, team owners past and present, newsmakers and guests. Major moments in the team’s history — intrinsically linked to the city’s history for the past 40 years — are preserved. And we have some of Slamson.
All of the photos have news-style captions that describe the moment. With our photographers filing about their best 25-ish photos per game to the archive (keep in mind that they actually take more than 2,000 pictures per outing), our collection will hit 30,000 next month.
With the 40th anniversary of the team’s first game just days away, we attempted the impossible task of compiling the 40 most important images. I doubt we succeeded, but you can be the judge. Please take a look.
— Nathaniel Levine, visuals editor
Members of the Sacramento Kings line up for the opening ceremonies for the first game for the franchise in Sacramento on Oct. 25, 1985. Players from left: Reggie Theus, LaSalle Thompson, Eddie Johnson, Larry Drew, Michael Adams, Carl Henry, Mike Woodson, David Cooke, Joe Kleine and Otis Thorpe. MITCH TOLL Sacramento Bee file
Gregg Lukenbill addresses the crowd at the opening ceremonies for the Sacramento Kings’ first arena on Oct. 26, 1985. RANDY PENCH Sacramento Bee file
“Joe Kleine is bigger than life on the scoreboard’s huge video screen” reads the original caption published with this photo from the Sacramento Kings’ first game at the second Arco Arena on Nov. 8, 1988. The team lost to Seattle 97-75 with NBA Commissioner David Stern on hand for the debut night. Another story in the paper reviewed the building: “If this building has any charm, … it’s because Sacramento architect Rann Haight was able to preserve much of the high-school-gym feel from the Kings’ old match-box arena.” JOHN TROTTER
Sacramento Kings owner Gregg Lukenbill unfurls a banner while standing on a beam in Arco Arena in an attempt to keep rain which had leaked through the roof from reaching the playing surface below on March 1, 1989. Rain on the playing surface caused a delay of more then 40 minutes. When the game was resumed, the Kings found themselves losing to the Philadelphia 76ers 114-111. OWEN BREWER Sacramento Bee file
The Sacramento Kings’ Bobby Hurley is wheeled out the door by nurse Allison Darwin at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento on Friday, Dec. 24, 1993, twelve days after being critically injured in an automobile accident. CAROLYN COLE Sacramento Bee file
Olden Polynice of the Sacramento Kings models a leather outfit with the new team logo at the logo unveiling at Downtown Plaza on Sunday, May 22, 1994. RANDY PENCH Sacramento Bee file
Predrag “Peja” Stojakovic leads PAOK to a comeback victory against Panathinaikos in Athens on March 21, 1998. The leading scorer for PAOK, he was considered by many to be the best player in Europe. The Kings drafted him in 1996 but he didn’t sign with the team until 1998. KIM D. JOHNSON Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman is mobbed by his players – including Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic, Chris Webber, Doug Christie and Jabari Smith – after the coach’s 500 career victory, against the Orlando Magic at Arco Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
With less than one second remaining on the clock, Robert Horry shoots a three-point shot over the reach of Chris Webber In Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on May 26, 2002. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
Chris Webber hangs from the rim after a first quarter dunk in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers at Arco Arena on May 28, 2002. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS Sacramento Bee file
Mike Bibby shoots, left photo, and then celebrates a clutch two pointer to give the Kings the lead in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers at Arco Arena on May 28, 2002. CHRIS CREWELL Sacramento Bee file
Gavin Maloof stands on the scorer’s table after the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Arco Arena on May 28, 2002. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS Sacramento Bee file
The Sacramento Kings' Chris Webber lies on the floor in the third quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 8, 2003. He underwent microfracture surgery to treat the serious injury to his knee. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS Sacramento Bee file
THE Sacramento Kings’ Peja Stojakovic drives against the Philadelphia 76ers’ Chris Webber at Arco Arena on March 28, 2005. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
The Sacramento Kings’ Ron Artest locks arms as he tries to drive past the Detroit Pistons’ Tayshaun Price at Arco Arena in Sacramento on Nov. 8, 2006. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
DeMarcus Cousins sits on the team bench in the final minute of Sacramento's 102-80 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento on March 18, 2011. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento KIngs fans cheer on their team during the final game of the 2011 season as the team’s future in the city seems in doubt. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
New Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive after signing a banner that says “1985-forever” at a rally promoting the team’s future in the city on May 23, 2013, at Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS Sacramento Bee file
The Sacramento Kings drive against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the last game at Sleep Train Arena on April 9, 2016. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé cuts down the net after the last game at Sleep Train Arena on April 9, 2016. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings wave their signs as they watch the team cut down the net after the last game at Sleep Train Arena on April 9, 2016. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Fans wave colored wristbands during the national anthem at the first game at Golden 1 Center on Oct. 27, 2016, when the Kings hosted the San Antonio Spurs. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive looks over the recently completed Downtown Commons pedestrian mall adjacent to Golden 1 Center on Oct. 17, 2017. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) scores against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Feb. 2, 2018. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
Broadcaster Jerry Reynolds, left, greets former Kings player Doug Christie on April 11, 2018, before their final game of the season at Golden 1 Center. Christie replaced Reynolds, a former Kings coach and general manager, as the team’s color analyst and joined play-by-play announcer Grant Napear, center, on NBC Sports California. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings fans sit in the stands at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, after the NBA postponed the Kings-Pelicans game and suspended the season. Earlier in the day, Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
The Sacramento Kings preview coronavirus safety features on Friday, April 16, 2021, including cardboard cutouts featuring former coach, GM and broadcaster Jerry Reynolds that will help enforce social distancing. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings center Chimezie Metu (7) raises his hand to swing down on a "button" to light the team's victory beam in the sky above the area after their 130-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 17, 2022, at Golden 1 Center. It’s the first time The Bee photographed the indoor beam ceremony, which has evolved over time. XAVER MASCAREÑAS Sacramento Bee file
A view of the beam lighting the downtown area after the Sacramento Kings defeated the Golden State Warriors during an NBA in-season tournament game at Golden 1 Center on Nov. 28, 2023. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown and assistant Doug Christie stand for the National Anthem during an NBA game against the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 7, 2024 at Golden 1 Center. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
Former Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber talks with fans before lighting the beam with owner Vivek Ranadivé after the Sacramento Kings beat the Portland Trail Blazers 121-82 at Golden 1 Center on Sunday, April 14, 2024. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) scores a basket in the first half of an NBA game against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at Golden 1 Center. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) helps his son Tiger light the beam after the team’s 109-98 win against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA game at Golden 1 Center on April 13, 2025 HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
Bee visuals editor Nathaniel Levine joined the staff in 2003. His work has received awards from the Society of News Design, the Best of the West journalism competition and the California News Publishers Association, among others. A native Californian, Levine grew up in Grass Valley and attended UC Davis.
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