9. Arnie Risen
Playing in the NBA between 1948 and 1958, Arnie Risen was a Rochester Royal rather than a Sacramento King. Ten years in the league is not necessarily a long time anymore, but Risen had a successful career. He scored over 7000 points, made four All-Star teams, and won two championships—one with the Royals and one with the Celtics. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Over his seven seasons with the Royals, the 6’9” center averaged 13.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Considering the time during which he played, Risen might not be remembered by many Sacramento Kings fans nowadays, but, with a Player Efficiency Rating of 18.8, he ranks ninth in franchise history in this category.
He is one of only two players on this list to play for the franchise in its earliest days as the Rochester Royals and one of seven bigs. Risen also ranks tenth in win shares, seventh in defensive win shares, tenth in offensive win shares, ninth in total rebounds, and eighth in total free throws in franchise history.
So, even though this might not be one of the first names coming to mind when thinking about the greatest players in Kings’ history, his case to be included in the conversation is backed up by statistics.