Every NBA team has something unique to them. The New York Knicks have Spike Lee. The Los Angeles Clippers have "The Wall." The Oklahoma City Thunder love to bark. The list goes on and on.
For the Sacramento Kings, their hallmark feature is their famous "Light The Beam" ritual. But what is this celebration/rallying call? Where does it come from? And how does it work?
The origin of Light The Beam
Light the Beam was established by the Los Angeles Angeles, who light up the “Big A” sign in the stadium whenever they win a game. The idea was originally conceived right before the Golden 1 Center debuted during the 2016-17 regular season.
However, The Purple Beam wasn't officially introduced to the basketball world until September 16, 2022. The date is celebrated as "916Day" in Sacramento (similar to how the Detroit Pistons acknowledge 313 Day).
The Beam didn't get used until the Kings won their first home game of the 2022-23 season against the Miami Heat on October 29, 2022.
How the Light The Beam ritual works?
Like the Angeles, any time the Kings win a home game, a key player in the game or some celebrity associated with the team will "Light The Beam" in the arena. For instance, 50 Cent (a renowned rapper, actor, and producer) has performed this act from time to time, sometimes even doing it with players like Malik Monk.
A few weeks ago, Zach LaVine, Jonas Valanciunas, and Jake LaRavia lit The Beam up together after securing their first victory with the team since being acquired in various trades during the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline.
“The new fellas light the beam.” - Scott Moak pic.twitter.com/0uLoBibsxv
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) February 9, 2025
Clearly, the Light The Beam slogan has been a massive success. In the Beam's first season of existence, the Kings were able to break their 16-year playoff drought, and the phrase "Light the Beam" became a popular chant among fans of the team. Kevin Huerter even nicknamed the Kings "The Beam Team."
Yes, things have been pretty rocky for the team since then. But the 2022-23 Kings had some of the best vibes we've seen from an NBA team in quite some time, and The Beam was a big reason why.