Kayte Puts Young Kings Play In Perspective

Let’s be honest, being a professional athlete is a pretty amazing and enviable job to a lot of people. Read more

Kayte Breaks Down the Kings Six-Game Trip

You could say the Kings have had a favorable home schedule so far this season. Read more

Kayte’s Blog: The Psychology Of Free Throws

If you look at the Kings free throw percentage after 21 games, it’s really not too bad. Seventy-two percent (72.3) isn’t fantastic, but it’s by no means bad. However, if you took out the handful of games where the team shot poorly from the line, its average would be extremely respectable.

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Kayte’s Blog: Kings Extreme Makeover

I have to say, 10 games into the season, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

Coming into this season I didn’t know what to expect from this team and I don’t think I was alone. A new coach, many new players, then early injuries to two key players. Who knew after 10 games this young team would be 5-5?

There were a couple of rough games early on that made me think this was a typical youthful “rebuilding” team with an inability to close out games and inconsistency from one game to the next. Then the team earned a couple of wins and it snowballed into four straight, and I’ve reevaluated what this team is capable of.

I think Kevin Durant said it best in his tweet after the Kings beat the Thunder at ARCO 101-98, ‘This team is going to surprise a lot of teams this year!’

So far, I’m one person who has been surprised.

I knew from preseason this group of guys was going to give an all-out effort every night, but effort doesn’t always make up for inexperience when it comes to winning close games. In the loss in New Orleans, after being ahead for 46 minutes of the game, I saw youth and the mistakes that go hand-in-hand with it. Then came the game in Utah, and I saw growth in record time. I thought it could have been a fluke or a glimpse at the possibilities. Then the Kings came home the next night and took care of Golden State. Sure you can say, ‘But that’s Golden State,’ however, one thing young teams are susceptible to is relaxing after a big win instead of using it as a step in the right direction…and then they took another step and won again.
Usually with young teams, it can be one step forward, two steps back.

At 5-5 we’ve seen step after step moving forward. The best part about it is the team won games it wasn’t playing well. The Kings grinded teams out regardless of offensive flow and frequent turnover problems. It hasn’t been just one or two guys. It has been steady contributions from multiple players, night-in and night-out.

I don’t know how the rest of the season will turn out, but if the first 10 games are any indication, this team has a chance of surpassing everyone’s expectations. They’re not on the typical “rebuilding” timeline. This is the extreme makeover version! Who knows what can happen? It’s the great thing about sports. You can speculate and crunch numbers all you want, but the game has to be played. So far I think the Kings have surprised a lot of teams and I’m sure it won’t stop any time soon.

Kayte Sees Rockin’ Return for Kings

 

Last night’s opening game in Oklahoma City may not have been the outcome Kings fans hoped for, but there is no reason to worry after one game.

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Kayte Answers Tyreke Question

There has been a lot of speculation on the part of media and fans in regards to Tyreke Evans.

And why shouldn’t there be?

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Pre-Draft Circus

Hey Kings fans!

It’s been a great day here in New York City! I have to admit, the time change has been a little blip on my radar. I tried to get up at 8:30 a.m., and kept hitting snooze until 9 a.m., considering I was up at 4 a.m. West Coast time yesterday, I think I deserved to sleep in until 6 a.m. this morning! Read more

My First Pre-Draft Workout

The NBA Draft is quickly approaching. Teams around the League are bringing guys in and out of town with fury. Since the WNBA doesn’t have pre-Draft workouts, given the quick turnaround from the women’s college season to the start of WNBA training camp, I thought I’d go check out a Kings pre-Draft workout to see what all the fuss is about.

It was very much like I expected. On this day, six guys participated in a workout that is supposed to help the basketball operations staff get a better feel for the prospects’ individual and team skill. The interesting thing about it, especially from talking to some of the players after the workout, is most teams run them through the same series of drills, etc., and most teams don’t even let them play a full-court game. Some teams, according to these NBA hopefuls, even have players running line drills, as if their conditioning is of any concern during the couple hours they have them on their court.

The Kings, however, prove to be different from most teams on a couple of levels. Most shocking to these young guys, who are more than eager to impress whoever is working them out, in Sacramento, Geoff Petrie conducts the workouts himself! As Terrence Williams alluded to at the conclusion of the workout, it was very different to have the general manager, or in Petrie’s case the president, running up and down the court with them instead of, ‘Sitting on the sideline in a $10,000 suit twisting his wedding ring around his finger!’

Geoff, being out there, running the workout wasn’t the only major difference between Sacramento and other teams. The Kings let them PLAY, which makes complete sense. I would imagine, seeing guys get up and down the court, even if it’s only a three-on-three game, is more valuable than sitting on the sideline with a stop watch timing line drills. It seems to me, teams would have this all figured out by now. I remember playing, and it’s very easy to get into a groove when you do a couple shooting drills, then run a line drill, then go to the free throw line and make five free throws because, as the players admitted during media availability today, every team is doing the same drills. So I know players are getting used to the routine! Break it up. Throw a ball out there with those guys and turn them loose in the full court and see how their shooting drills transfer to live-play.

Now, I’m from the country so this metaphor may not make sense to some, but, if you’re not going to watch the guys play in a game situation, it’s kind of like buying a horse without ever climbing up on the saddle. The horse may move well and look nice but, maybe once you’re in the saddle, it just doesn’t feel right!

The Kings want to make sure it feels right.

Silver Lining

Since February, the Sacramento Kings, as an organization, have experienced a lot of change, and it began with the multiple trades that took place before the trade deadline. More recently, the dissolution of “House Party Live,” which, if you’ve been paying attention, was the pre, half and post-game show I participated in with Jim Kozimor, Fat Lever and Henry Turner.

I cannot tell you, in one simple blog, how saddened I am by this news on multiple levels. But speaking from my heart and ignoring the business side of things, I consider the last two years working with Kozimor to be a blessing. He is one of the most talented people I’ve ever come across, during both my sports career and my time in front of the camera. I mourn the loss of our show, which I was so lucky to have been a part of for two years. I wish everyone could have as much fun at work as we did during my stint on “HPL.” I haven’t quite put my head around the fact I won’t be working alongside my ‘Kozi’ anymore. He was more than a colleague in my mind — a close and cherished friend, who will be greatly missed.

My role with the Kings is also changing.

Many people have reached out to me over the past week to find out what the end of “HPL” spells for me. All I can say is that I will remain a member of Kings broadcasting, in some capacity. Until my new role is completely defined, all I can do is assure you, I’m still here and looking forward to whatever new challenge this change will bring my way.

The past week of change within the Kings organization has been difficult for everyone but I am anxious for Tuesday when we will finally find out what pick the Kings will have in the Draft. I try to focus on the good change this pick could bring to this young team that is dedicated to rebuilding and destined for more change in the near future. I could sit here and speculate like many people about who will be drafted and what coach will eventually be hired to take over the reigns of your Sacramento Kings, but I will pass. I will share my thoughts after the lottery and decisions are made.

In the meantime, I will try to find the silver lining in change.

Looking at the Future

The end of the Kings 2008-09 season closes out a year that featured two head coaches, 22 players and 17 wins. So after such a season, what can die hard Kings fans look forward to next year?

Let’s see…

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