ESPN ranks the Sacramento Kings as the number one team in the league in this category

ESPN may not view the Sacramento Kings as the best team in the league (Basketball Power Index – ESPN's win projection model – has them ranked as the 15th-best team in the association). But they do have them ranked as number one in a category that is near and dear to the hearts of Kings' fans.

On Wednesday, ESPN released their annual rankings of NBA arenas, and guess who finished number one in the league. None other than our precious Kings and our illustrious Golden 1 Center. Here is what the ESPN staff had to say about it:

""Small market, elite arena. There might not be a more underrated arena in the league than the Golden 1 Center. It doesn't have the nostalgia of Arco Arena, which closed in 2022, but it makes up for it with top-notch food, amenities and fan experience. This arena claims the No. 1 spot in our rankings after scoring in the top 5 in all four categories and No. 1 in accessibility and location. In the heart of downtown, the arena is surrounded by restaurants, and the food options inside the arena are worth writing home about as well. The local restaurants and breweries inside source 90% of their ingredients within a 150-mile radius of the arena, and there's even a dedicated coffee bar to sustain fans during those late-night games. With a fan base nicknamed "Cowbell Kingdom," the crowd is one of the loudest in the league -- a reason it ranked fifth in fan experience. Let's not forget the arena's most defining characteristic: the iconic purple beam that's lit from the top of the building after every Kings win.""

- ESPN staff

For hometown fans, this has got to feel great. I live in Detroit (Little Caesar's Arena was ranked sixth), and I still get chills when the Kings make a run, the opposing team is forced to call timeout, and Mark Jones announces, "Golden 1 Center, the microphone is yours!" So, it is good to know that I'm not the only one who feels euphoria when interacting with the arena and its fans.

It is kind of crazy to think that the Kings have such a great home turf, especially when you consider how long they were so bad. Before the 2022-23 season, the team went 16 years without making the playoffs. They also haven't won a playoff series since 2006 and haven't been to the conference finals since 2002. To make matters even worse, the Kings have gone 21 years without posting a top 10 defense.

The more you think about it, it's actually amazing the team has such a devout fanbase. Hopefully, they reward those fateful folks with a classic season this year.

According to the ESPN article, Golden 1 Center was opened in 2016 and holds up to 17,608 people. The Kings will play their first game of the season there on October 24 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.