Look in the rafters of the Golden 1 Center and you will see a tribute to past Sacramento Kings greats. The jersey numbers from legendary players such as Nate “Tiny” Archibald to Mitch Richmond to Chris Webber hang in the rafters.
Currently, 11 numbers are retired at the Golden 1 Center. These players were key to the success of the franchise. As we head into the 2018-2019 season, there are five players who I think deserve to join that elite group.
Here are the next five Kings who deserve to have their jersey retired by the franchise.
Wayman Tisdale #23
Wayman Tisdale and Mitch Richmond were the glue that held the Sacramento Kings together in the early 1990s. Tisdale was with the Kings from 1989-1994.
Tisdale averaged a career high in points (22.3) during the 1989-1990 season and was a reliable asset every night during his tenure with the Kings. In six seasons, he started all but seven games for the franchise.
The Kings were not good when Tisdale was on the team, as they never won more than 29 games in a season. But that should not diminish the memory of his play. Sadly, Tisdale passed away in 2009 after his battle with cancer. He deserves to have his jersey retired alongside the greats in Sacramento Kings history.
Jason Williams #55
Jason Williams was one of the most exciting basketball players in Sacramento Kings history. He was with the team from 1998–2001 where he averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 assists per contest.
Williams’ contributions were pivotal to making Sacramento a must-see basketball destination on a nightly basis. His on-court style was something you could not take your eyes off of as a fan. He is remembered by a fan base that misses the era wherein every game Arco Arena was rocking with fan excitement. It would be a great touch to raise #55 in the rafters. To have him take his place with his teammates Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Peja Stojakovic is an excellent way to say thank you.
Rick Adelman
Coach Adelman is the winningest coach in the history of the franchise. He has 100 more wins as the head coach of the Kings than the next closest guy. He was also the last coach to take the Kings to the playoffs which happened back in 2006.
It is difficult to retire the jersey number of a coach. But if Jerry Reynolds can be retired as a General Manager, there is little reason to believe that the Kings cannot honor Rick Adelman. The celebration to place his name amongst the greatest players in team history is long overdue. Currently, three of Adelman’s players have their jersey numbers retired. Rick Adelman deserves to be honored as the great coach that he was with Sacramento.
Mike Bibby #10
Mike Bibby was the driving force during the glory years of the Sacramento Kings. Who does not remember his clutch jump shot at the end of Game 5 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals? His career spanned seven seasons with Sacramento where he started all but three games during that time. He also averaged 17.6 points and 5.4 assists a game.
Bibby was the last man standing from the franchise’s glory years. He and Chris Webber were the most successful duo in the history of the organization. Bibby deserves to be remembered for his fearless drive and leadership, so raising #10 to the rafters at Golden 1 is an excellent way to honor him.
DeMarcus Cousins #15
DeMarcus Cousins is polarizing. His tenure with the Kings was filled with controversy. However, it would be hard to argue his contribution to the team as he averaged 21.5 points and 10.8 rebounds a game in seven seasons.
The break up between Cousins and the Kings may have been a long time to come, but it was viewed as a PR disaster. Raising #15 in the rafters would be a great way to honor a player who gave everything he had to the franchise. It would go a long way to heal the wounds that are sure to still exist from the way that Cousins left the team.
DeMarcus Cousins was the most talented player the Kings had in the last 15 years. He deserves to be remembered for his positive contributions.