Mitch Richmond's Scoring Feats
The oldest team in the NBA, with a championship legacy and a historic Sacramento home.
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Kings are the oldest team in the NBA, and the first team in the major professional North American sports leagues located in Sacramento. The team plays its home games at Golden 1 Center.
- Jersey Number
- 2 (1991-1998), then 50 (1998-99 onward)
- Single Game High
- 47 points
Lore & Background
The franchise began with the Rochester Seagrams (a semi-professional team) from Rochester, New York, that formed in 1923. They joined the National Basketball League in 1945 as the renamed Rochester Royals, winning that league's championship in their first season, 1945–46. In 1948 they jumped with three other NBL teams to the Basketball Association of America, which later merged with the NBL to form the NBA. As the Royals, the team won the NBA championship in 1951. The team relocated to Cincinnati, becoming the Cincinnati Royals. Before the 1972–73 season, the team relocated again to Kansas City, Missouri, and was renamed the Kansas City–Omaha Kings, later truncated to Kansas City Kings. The franchise moved after the 1984–85 season to Sacramento. Their best seasons in Sacramento were in the early 2000s, including a 2001–02 season when they had the best record in the NBA at 61–21. Between 2006 and 2022, the Kings had 16 consecutive losing seasons, the most in NBA history. The franchise has the most losses in NBA history.
In Their Own Story
The Arco Arena lights hummed overhead as the crowd roared for 'The Rock'. With seconds remaining on the clock in 1994, Richmond caught the pass at the top of the key. He drove right, spun left, and rose above the defender. The net snapped, sealing another victory against a division rival.
Reader's Guide
The Kings' history includes notable players such as Bob Davies, Red Holzman, Maurice Stokes, Jack Twyman, and Bobby Wanzer. The team's only NBA championship came in 1951. The Kings have the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports, which started in 2006 and lasted until 2023.
Did You Know?
- The Kings are the oldest team in the NBA.
- The franchise won the NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.
- The Kings had 16 consecutive losing seasons from 2006 to 2022, the most in NBA history.
- The team has the most losses in NBA history.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Mitch Richmond play for the Sacramento Kings?
Richmond joined the franchise in 1991 and played until 1998, marking his entire tenure with the team during their rise to contention.
What is Mitch Richmond's highest single-game scoring performance with Sacramento?
He recorded a career-high of 60 points against the Denver Nuggets in 1994 while wearing jersey number 23.
How did Mitch Richmond arrive in Sacramento after being drafted by Golden State?
Although selected as the first overall pick, he was traded from the Warriors to Sacramento in exchange for Vlade Divac.
Why is Mitch Richmond considered a scoring icon for the Kings?
His clutch performance and offensive dominance transformed the franchise from an expansion team into a legitimate Western Conference contender.
More in Rivalries & Conference History
Elsewhere in the Sacramento Kings universe
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