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Here at Off the Glass we’re taking on the arduous task of going through every NBA teams’ greatest possible starting five, using players that have played for that franchise. A player at each position (Point Guard through Center) will be selected, along with a 6th man who can be any position.
This is how it works:
Players selected must have played at least two full seasons for the franchise
The selection will be based on a combination of statistics, accomplishments/accolades and their significance to the franchise in question
Players had to have predominantly played at that particular position for at least one season to be eligible
Let’s get started.
Sacramento Kings
Point Guard - Nate (Tiny) Archibald: Despite how smooth White Chocolate ( Jason Williams) was and how good Bibby was, you can’t argue with Tiny’s career numbers of 18.8 points per game and 7.4 assists per game. His best season was the 1972-73 season with the Kings. That season he averaged 46 minutes per game, 34.0 points per game, and 11.4 assists per game. Those are just too good of numbers to pass up for an all-time list.
Shooting Guard - Oscar Robertson: Most people will remember the Big O’s Milwaukee days, and rightfully so, but check out the leader boards for Kings history. Go ahead…
Saw his name a lot didn’t you? Oscar is number one in: Points Per Game, Minutes Per Game, Assists Per Game, 2-pt Field Goals, 2-pt Field Goal Attempts, Minutes Played, Field Goals, Field Goal Attempts, Free Throws, Free Throw Attempts, and more (also came in third in personal fouls). If we ever do invent a time machine, I would love to see a game of 21 with Oscar, LeBron James, and Larry Bird.
Oscar is arguably the most complete player in NBA history and is challenged by few, but rivaled by none.
Small Forward - Peja Stojakovic: One of the purest strokes in the game, Peja was one of the main contributors who made the Kings interesting in the early 2000’s. Almost every top-10 list that includes shooting has Peja’s name on it. He is even top-10 in minutes played, games played, and defensive rebounds in Kings history.
Power Forward - Chris Webber: There is no surprise here. Member of the Fab Five in Michigan and like the other four players on this list, he is on almost every top-five for Sacramento King’s history. He should be in the Hall of Fame soon (should’ve been last year). I cannot stress enough how fun those Kings vs. Lakers were.
Center - Demarcus Cousins: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
If the Kings don’t follow my previous advice of trading Cousins, Boogie will be the greatest King that has ever played. He won’t have any playoff wins, he probably won’t have any MVPs, or DPOY awards, but Demarcus Cousins will be the greatest King of all-time. He is already the best center in the league (Big KAT a strong second), he is selling tickets just by his play, and his attitude. He is climbing to the top of most of the top-10 charts in Kings history. Plus who knows, if the organization can put real talent on the floor, and keep a coach, maybe they can get some playoff wins, and once they do that, the one responsible for those wins will be Boogie.
The 6th Man - Mitch Richmond: You could argue that he should take Tiny's starting position with his numbers, but you need a Ginobli off the bench even for All-Time Starting Fives. His numbers across the board are impressive. His best season with SacTown he averaged 25.9 ppg 4.2 apg 3.9 rpg 1.5 spg and played 81 games that season. For these reasons, he is my All-Time Kings 6th Man .
*Apologies to Bibby, White Chocolate Williams, Vlade Divac, Brad Miller, Kevin Martin, and Jimmer Fredette for not making the list.
Did I miss any of your favorite Kings? Let me know if you agree or disagree – @wordpressmike