Welcome back to “Wait ‘til Next Year!” If you enjoyed 1985, well, then you are a sick puppy, but you will also likely enjoy 1986. Let’s get that VW Passat up to 88mph (StR members will get the reference) and see what shakes out.
Coming off of a year that saw the inaugural Sacramento squad swept out of the first round, and with ARCO II being built just down the road, the Kings looked to make a splash in 1986.
But as we all know too well, turds splash, too.
In August of 1986, the Kings traded guards Larry Drew, Mike Woodson (you may have heard of him lately), their 1988 first round pick (there were no protections in those days, and the pick was eventually used by the Clippers to draft Hersey Hawkins), and a 1989 second round pick for Derek Smith, Franklin Edwards and Junior Bridgeman (Bridgeman was waived prior to the beginning of the season). Yes, Drew and Woodson were good NBA players. Yes, the draft pick was a risk. But Derek Smith was a talent that would pair wonderfully next to Reggie Theus, giving the Kings an upper-echelon backcourt. There was only one problem (insert a long record scratch sound here): Derek Smith arrived in Sacramento with knees that even Ralph Sampson would not have envied. Smith missed 30 games during the 1986-87 season, and that was the high water mark for him during his two and a half seasons in Sacramento. He was also very inefficient when he did play.
The trade was a disaster (on par with DeMarcus Cousins for Buddy Hield, Justin Jackson and Harry Giles / or the infamous 2015 trade with the Sixers / and I have some thoughts on the Fox trade that you might be familiar with…), and the Kings fell backward from their prior year 37-45 record to 29-53, missing the playoffs. Oh well. I mean, 7 of the 23 NBA teams were destined to miss the playoffs in 1986-87.
It would be selfish to think that we would make the playoffs every year.
Phil Johnson was shown the door after the team’s 14-32 start, and interim coach Jerry Reynolds (hey, you know that guy!) guided the Kings to a 15-21 finish. This represents a .417 winning percentage, which is better than 22 of the 40 Sacramento seasons. Get that man a four-year contract (which will ultimately come with a two-year severance package)!
What The Fan Experience Was Like
The memory has faded as to the date and the opponent, but my buddy Mike from Chicago came to town and we got tickets for a game. He was astonished at the noise and the passion of the fans, rooting for this team that was probably something like 16-33 at the time. We imagined that the energy from the 10,333 rabid fans was similar to what we had always heard about Midwest high school basketball championship tourney games. One of my other friends (Jay) noted to our Mike that this is what made Kings fans special. They rooted to the end, win or lose, never leaving early. Within seconds of him stating this and with a couple of minutes left in the game, Terry Tyler hit a baseline jumper, putting the Kings over 110 points and validating Burger King’s “110 or win” free Whopper coupon that was on the back of the tickets.
The crowd erupted with a unison cry of “WHOPPERS!!!” and people fled for the exits.
It was epic.
It was side-splitting.
It was Sacramento.
It was perfection.
Love you, Mikey. Miss you, Jay.
The Draft
The Kings selected Harold Pressley with the 17th pick of the 1986 draft. Pressley was part of the 1985 Villanova team that knocked off Georgetown for the NCAA title, and we thought we got a good one. Pressley wound up playing four years and 299 games for the Kings before leaving the NBA. Pressley eventually settled in the Sacramento area, and if you ever cross paths with him, a nicer gentleman you will not meet.
Not to harp on this 3-point thing, but the Kings of 1986-87 made 77 threes at a clip of 25.1%, while their opponents came in at 125 / 31.6%. If I keep picking at this, it will never heal.
Reynolds’ Wrap:
“Several thoughts on the season that resulted in my opportunity to become an Interim Head Coach. Truly did not want the job partly out of loyalty to Coach Johnson and feeling it was not in my best interest . Had a conversation with Phil and he quickly advised me to take the job since I had no savings. Also, he pointed out that he would be fine. Took the position and readied myself to coach against the same Show Time Lakers that cost Johnson his job with a 40-4 first quarter. My first game was on national TV and I had no assistant. Always recall my first time out: We were behind 10-6, so I pointed out how satisfied I was with the improvement. I got a $75,000 raise for the rest of the season. Living large!” – Jerry Reynolds
***
1986 was just a bump in the road. 1987 would bring the 6th pick in the draft, a new arena, and a new head coach with a HOF resumé. Things were looking up. We just needed to Wait ‘til Next Year.
For some reason I feel like Jack Lemmon looking at Walter Matthau and thinking, “Man, you’re so old.”
Get off my lawn!
I feel like Jack Klugman looking at Tony Randle and thinking you may be older than me!
I was living in Lawrence, Kansas at this time and was still pissed off that the Kings left Kansas City. The Kansas City Kings of the early 80s started out as a good team. They made the Western Conference finals in 1981 then gradually got worse and worse. They always just missed picking up the superstars in the NBA draft (sound familiar?). I basically stopped following the NBA for a few years, so I always wondered what happened to Kings’ draft picks and players like Lasalle Thompson and Reggie Theus.
As a kid growing up in a different part of the nation, I always was curious about the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. At that time, very few games were nationally televised. How many games did they actually play in Omaha? What was the fan base like?
This might as well be Vivek’s sales pitch to the fans every year from now on.
Hello. My first time on TKH. First time on a forum of any kind, actually. Please don’t hesitate with advice and pointers as I learn how and what to do and what not to do. Been reading TKH for bout a year. 1986, I was delivering The Sac Bee on my bike. Eddie Johnson was one of my customers. He would actually be out on his driveway, shooting jumpers, all the time. I can’t imagine players doing that nowadays. He tipped me $20 on Christmas. I was so happy.
Welcome!
Mostly, you just read and post. That’s about it.
Next addition to the Kings’ bench! Vivek, get it done!
I don’t think Vivs would know who Eddie Johnson is.
Thanks for the welcome,by the way.
Welcome!
Just agree with me when I’m joking and laugh at me when I’m serious and everything will be fine.
“There are only two things I can’t stand in this world: people who are intolerant of other people’s cultures, and the Dutch.”
Great first post. EJ is a legend.
Jokes. Make jokes. It’s the only thing left keeping us sane.
Great stuff, also in the comments (as usual).
I love reading these. Thanks very much for writing, Rob!
Great stuff!
I took a piss next to Pressley in a bar in Old Sac in his first couple years. Did not shake his hand. Small conversation as we finished up. Seemed like a nice guy. I remember that 40-4 game, ugh.
Ah, I remember the 110-point Whoppers. Thanks for the memories.
This is fun stuff!
Tickles the memory (short term goes first, they say) and gives some insight for those young whippersnappers who were not yet in the realm of Roy Al and Co.
Keep’em coming.
1986-87 had an interesting front court with Otis Thorpe (19/10) and Tank Thompson (11/8.4). In the backcourt you had Reggie Theus (pre-Hang Time) at 20 ppg, Drek (that’s not a typo for those who speak Yiddish) Smith at 16.6 and Eddie Johnson at a solid 18 ppg before he was headed to more fame and fortune as a Phoenix Sun and with his nickname as The Man who put the J in Jump shot) – EJ played 1199 NBA games through 17 seasons.
Jerry Reynolds had Joe Axelson as his GM. I am curious what The Great JR can mention about that.
It wasn’t the ’86 season but since we’re on a sentimental journey down North Market Blvd- remember when Jerry Reynolds passed out on the sideline. Home game vs. Portland, I think. It must have been during his second stint as coach, filling in for someone who was fired midseason, again I think.
Stay tuned…
Wow the Kings are just the most depressing hilarious franchise of all-time. What a great fan base and pretty consistently horrible product. That Webber era just feels more special with each year of misery. I’m glad we still have a team though.
Love hearing from JR, good stuff Rob.
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