In the wake of the NBA being shut down by COVID-19, the Sacramento Kings organization and players have stepped up in a big way to support the Sacramento community and communities abroad. Many of these efforts happened in the gap when we were preparing to launch the Kings Herald, but we didn’t want these efforts to go unrecognized.
Last month the Kings announced a new initiative called “In This Together“, with the goal of supporting the community during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a joint effort between the Sacramento Kings, the Stockton Kings, Kings Guard Gaming, and Golden 1 Center.
Earlier this month the Kings announced that the old Arco Arena (officially now known as Natomas Arena but in our hearts it will always be Arco) would serve as a surge field hospital. The goal is to prevent hospital systems from being overwhelmed and running out of beds. Arco had capacity for up to 400 beds. It’s rather surreal seeing the old barn in this fashion.
All of this in just 3︣ weeks!
The @CAgovernor‘s Office, in collaboration w/ the Kings & other State Agencies, has turned the team’s former arena into a surge hospital to serve as an alternate care site to support COVID-19 patient overflow. ð#InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/z6vyAmud9x
Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 22, 2020
The organization also donated $250,000 from the Sacramento Kings Foundation, and 100,000 medical-grade masks.
On April 15th, when the Kings had originally been scheduled for their final regular season home game, Kings fans rang cowbells to show support for healthcare workers.
Harrison Barnes, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Aaron Fox, and Richaun Holmes joined together to donate more than 1,000 meals to families and children, while also supporting local restaurants.
Barnes and his wife, Brittany, also donated $40,000 to fund weekly groceries for vulnerable familiar and seniors for the next month, and Dutch bros coffee and pastries to physicians and staff working at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit.
Cory Joseph joined his teammates and announced last week that he was donating 250 meals from a locally owned and operated Chick-Fil-A location to families associated non-profits WEAVE and La Familia. CoJo and his family also made a donation of face shields through Operation Canadian Shield to protect frontline workers in Toronto.
Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica partnered with Vlade Divac’s foundation to fund the purchase of ventilators, masks and supplies to support healthcare workers in their native Serbia.
Remember the little girl in the crowd of the cancelled Pelicans game? She was crying because the game had been cancelled, heartbroken because it was going to be her first NBA game? Harry Giles remembered, and because Harry is awesome he tracked her down and invited her and her brother to a future Kings game.
Remember that girl @ESPN cameras caught crying at the last Kings game…@HGiiizzle found her and sent her a special message. #InThisTogether #NBATogether #ActsOfCaring ð pic.twitter.com/TEH0Tfvcrz
Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 9, 2020
The Kings and Legends Hospitality donated nearly 5,000 pounds of prepared and perishable food to the Sacramento Food Bank and the Sacramento County Office of Education to help feed individuals and families impacted by school closures.
The Kings have also used their platform for interactive and educational efforts to support, uplift and entertain, including playlists, online activities for youth, player Q&As, exercise videos, basketball skill drills, healthy tips and more.
It’s awesome to see the Kings step up and support impacted communities.
If you’d like to help, consider donating to our ongoing food drive.
As always, A+ for the Kings’ work off the court.
Man, how can I like the players on this team so much but not be nearly as enamored of the team?
Oh yeah. Carry on.
Oh how I didn’t miss that gif over the last month
“Heh heh – they’re back.”
“Vlade, no!”
“Go on…”
If even Rob has difficulty posting sometimes, I don’t feel so bad.
#PersonalityMatters #Sometimes
As usual the Kings remain a world-class organization off the court. Now for the on-court product to catch up…
Depends how you look at it. This stuff is great, for sure, as was the reaction to thd civil unrest after the shooting of Stephon Clark. Kudos.
But you like how they handled the accusations against Walton, the homophobe slur by Rondo, DMC intimidating a journalist, the tone-deafness to the Collison domestic violence issues and bringing in Matt Barnes etc?
That all happened under Vivek’s and Vlade’s watch.
In the meantime, the timing of the (lack of) info regarding Bagley’s injury status just around the time of season tickets renewal appears dodgy.
So these are certainly steps in the right direction by this organization, but to say they are or “remain” a world-class organization is certainly up for debate, IMO.
And one…
https://t.co/xGWHUp3AHl
I posted a twitter post from SacBee about the rent 45 minutes ago, but i’m not sure if anyone can see it because it says “comment awaiting moderation.”
We’re working on getting that resolved – just FYI
Cool. Thanks!
PS – I wasn’t complaining, just seeking clarification if anyone could see it in the meantime!
That is really not a good look.
Your point is valid, but almost all your examples are things a GM should handle. That is a different department than the business side of things that is doing the social outreach. For example, Vlade brought in Matt Barnes, that’s different than the business side
True to an extent, but often the owner signs off on things and Vivek has/had a rep for being meddlesome. Also, if GM decisions can have an impact on the organization’s reputation, I can see an owner getting involved.
And that Arco rent? If that is true, the Kings’ donation was basically a return of part of the taxpayer’s money, or a rent reduction if you will, but not really a donation, wouldn’t you say?
The Arco rent is absolutely disgusting. Only one word for it – greed
If we can’t have a winning team, I’m happy to root for a team full of caring people. These guys are awesome.
Story update (definitely adds some “hmmm” to their “charity”):
[Deleted because I fell for a parody that got picked up! Grrr! Stupid internet.]
Wait, New England did NOT get Aaron Rodgers? Phew.
🙂
Just saw the Kings are getting $500,000 a month in rent from CA for SleepTrain and they’ve only donated $250,000 and 100,000 masks. Something seems off here…Someone correct me if I’m wrong – I hope I am.
Yeah, I also referred to it, not sure if the link works.
It looks like this article won’t age well.
What? This headline wasn’t as catchy? “Kings Exploiting Pandemic And Siphoning Public Funds By Charging The City Half A Million Dollars A Month To Use A Building That Has No Other Current Market Value”
Yeah, exactly.
I loved the old StR because it was one of the few places critical of this FO and ownership, and rightfully so.
I hope that will stay the same here at TKH.
Will there be an article about “HowTo Get Kings Gear In Animal Crossing” soon? It seems like it would be an important topic for Sacramento Kings fans.
Do we hate the Lakers yet?
Badge Legend