Kings v. Blazers 12.27.15

It's awesome to be back at the arena after what seemed to be a very long roadtrip and Christmas break. The SKD were carrying the stars and stripes during the national anthem today so I definitely had to get a shot of that. Here's Kelsey and Chelsea as they are about to head out onto the court.

It looks like Rudy Gay is excited and ready to hit the floor back here at home. The player introductions are always one of my favorite parts of the game, and I'm sure the same can be said for the players too.

It was pretty awesome to witness an amazing alleyoop orchestrated by Rajon Rondo to Rudy Gay. I had my camera on burst mode and caught a bunch of frames of the action. One of the photos in the sequence made the Bud Light frame of the game, which I thought was pretty cool.

Speaking of Rondo, here he is getting a pass to Omri Casspi. Rondo has been astounding this year passing the ball and finding his teammates. His talent is extremely apparent on the court - the Kings are very lucky to have him.

Omri has also been instrumental on the Kings. His consistency in his play has made him a solid contributor to the team. This guy plays with 110% effort each and every night on the court. I also love the passion he shows when he makes plays. It gets everyone pumped up.

Here's a picture of Sienna as she dances during a routine. The Kings Dancers were only on the court for one number tonight, but they made it count by capturing everyone's attention as they danced.

Sadly, the Kings dropped this game with a very tough 4th quarter as they just couldn't get their shots to fall. It was a frustrating loss for everyone. Let's hope for better results next time!

Kings v. Rockets 12.15.15

Tonight the Kings would be missing point guard Rajon Rondo due to league suspension. Rondo has been arguably the Kings best player so far. Though he would be out, the Kings still have Darren Collison and Seth Curry to fill in the gaps. I know a lot of people around Sacramento have been wanting to see Curry get more playing time. Well, tonight was his chance!

Well... look who's back... it's Drake! I was surprised to see Drake back again at the arena. Being such a huge superstar, I wonder why he'd come to visit our city. I'm sure he had a great time talking to Vivek though. 

DeMarcus Cousins started off the game with a big three point shot. That really set the tone as his defenders knew they couldn't leave him outside.

Omri Casspi has been really playing great for the Kings this year. I love seeing his intensity and passion on the court. The guy plays fearlessly!

The Kings held comfortable leads throughout most of the game and played with a lot of energy. It was great to see the Kings really get things going.

Rudy Gay had the highlight of the night as he threw down an absolutely monster jam in the later parts of the game. It really was that kind of night for Sacramento!

This was the third win in a row for Sacramento. The Kings have been playing some excellent basketball, and hopefully they will just keep getting better under George Karl's direction.

The Kings are off on a four game road trip and will not be back in town until after Christmas. I'll definitely miss going to the arena until then. See you all when the Kings get back home!

4th Annual Santa Cuz 12.14.15

Today was the 4th Annual Santa Cuz Shopping Spree hosted by DeMarcus Cousins. It's an event where Big Cuz invites children to come and purchase gifts for themselves or family members. It's a wonderful time for all who come and a very generous gesture by the Kings big man. I remember going to last year's event and seeing all the happy kids. I couldn't wait to experience that again this year at Arden Fair Mall.

The fine folks from the Kings partnered with DeMarcus for this event as part of their Do Good campaign. There were so many volunteers who came out for this... we could barely fit in the area that was designated for us in the mall. Huge props to everyone who organized this though - it couldn't have been easy! Everything went smoothly and seemingly without a hitch. 

Volunteers at the event had the chance to pair up with a child and take them shopping. Kings staff from all different departments of the organization were on hand to help the kids go shopping for gifts.

This was definitely an event to remember. A lot of the families were snapping photos and selfies of their experience. It was awesome seeing all the smiles around! 

Not to be left out, the Sacramento Kings Dance Team brought six representatives out to join in on the holiday fun! The dancers were greeting fans and taking photos with them as well as helping out with the shopping. The SKD did a little bit of everything... and of course did it with style!

When DeMarcus arrived a huge crowd formed around him. He was definitely the center of attention at the mall yesterday. But even though there were so many distractions, cameras, and things going on, DeMarcus had his focus completely on the kids he invited to the event. He took the time to talk to the kids and share some of his time with them.

It was awesome to see DeMarcus with the children. As intimidating and beastly as he is on the court, he's the exact opposite when talking with fans and the people around him off the court. It's a side of DeMarcus that many don't get to see because it's just not covered as much... which is too bad! DeMarcus has been an amazing part of the Sacramento community, and that's something that should be recognized more.

DeMarcus was signing shirts, taking photos, and checking out the gifts that the kids bought. That was actually my favorite part of the event - seeing the kids show DeMarcus what they got. DeMarcus really is Santa Cuz!!! Actually, now that I think about it, I've never seen Santa and DeMarcus together at the same time...

Huge thanks to DeMarcus Cousins and Kings Community for putting this event on. I was honored to have the chance to cover it and partake in the joy that it brought to Sacramento!

Ben McLemore Doing Good at Bel Air Market 12.11.15

Ben McLemore is on a tear when it comes to getting involved with the local community. Just a couple days ago I was with him as he held a toy drive and met fans at a Pizza Guys location. Today he was at Bel Air Market to shop with families.

This event was a part of the Sacramento Kings Season of Doing Good. It is an amazing community outreach that lasts for much of the holiday season. During this time all aspects of the Kings Organization go out and essentially 'do good' all over the Sacramento area. It's an incredible initiative that really shows the love and care the Kings have for the city and region.

So many gifts and provisions were brought in by the Kings. When the Kings do good, they do good the right way. Generosity? Check.

Scott Fresh was also on hand to help Ben pass out gifts. It was so exciting watching the kids receive unexpected gifts. Both Scott and Ben facilitated a perfect gift opening party. Those two were probably the two biggest kids in the building. Don't tell Scott, but I saw him eyeing some lightsaber toys.

It's one of the best feelings in the world to know that you've made someone else happy. They say it is more blessed to give than to receive. Thanks to Ben for blessing others so richly! Just look at the excitement and joy with this young girl!

What an amazing time for all the families who were a part of this Doing Good event. It was smiles all around! 

Moira and Kelsey from the Sacramento Kings Dancers were also on site to lend a hand. The SKD are definitely a huge part of the Doing Good campaign and you'll see dancers at just about every event helping out and making folks happy.

The people at Bel Air were super nice. They also provided food and facilities for this event to take place. Everybody is chipping in to help!

Here's Ben as he helps get the groceries out to the car. I really got to hand it to Ben! He does not hesitate when it comes to helping people out. He was helping with the cart, bagging groceries, and just making people feel great. Thanks Ben for all you do!

Well, that's it for me! I might stop by DeMarcus' event on Monday. He's doing something similar to what Ben did today next week. See ya then!

Kings v. Knicks 12.10.15

It was ugly sweater night at the arena. A lot of amazing things were happening at the arena tonight... including TNT coming into the building for a national broadcast... but I had a shoot at the Crocker Art museum and had to come late. Well, still glad I made it for some of the action!

There have some been some great guests at Sleep Train this season already. Tonight artist T.I was in Kings Row taking in the game. 

Rajon Rono had an absolutely incredible and unexpected slam dunk late in the game. Luckily, I had my camera on burst mode and was able to capture it in sequence. Here's the final frame of that burst shot.

The Kings were able to build a 20 point lead in this game, and it looked like they could go on cruise control and win the game easily. Well, that didn't happen. The Knicks didn't give up and came back in a big way. They even had a chance to win the game on a last shot. Thankfully, they missed!

It's that time once again! The Kings Dancers donned their Christmas themed outfits for their performance on the court tonight. They always look so great in them!

Last year's co-captain of the SKD visited the arena tonight. Brittany was a great dancer and an awesome person to work with. I totally miss seeing her on the court. It was a real treat to see her!

I've been slacking on my SKD selfies this year. I caught Dany as she was coming off the court and got a quick selfie with her. Hopefully I'll snag some more real soon.

Scott Moak gets to do an in-house interview with a King when the team wins. Tonight Darren Collison was at the scorers table talking about the victory. The Kings will get a nice few days off the court. Their next game will be on Tuesday against the Rockets, but in-between many of them will be busy with community help projects.

Ben McLemore at Pizza Guys in Roseville 12.9.15

Tonight Ben McLemore, your official Sacramento Kings Pizza Guy, went to the Pizza Guys location in Roseville to meet with fans. This event was free for anyone who wanted to come and meet him. Ben has been doing this since last year and has been a great spokesman for Pizza Guys - he's got to be one of the most down to earth and friendly professional athletes around! Fans who meet him instantly feel his warmth and good nature. 

It was great to see all his fans come out tonight. Besides just meeting Ben, fans had the chance to drop off toys for needy children at a collection box right outside the restaurant. As you can see, the fans came through in a huge way and filled the box to the brim. Sacramento fans ALWAYS come through when they are called upon to help.

Fans who brought toys were able to get this limited edition Ben McLemore signed print. These special prints were for tonight only so you won't be seeing these around in any sort of mass quantity. It was a very nice 'thank you' gift for those who contributed to the toy drive.

Besides getting an autograph, those who came out were able to take pics with Ben. Ben was engaging and fun with all in attendance. He even braved the cold weather outside as his meet and greet station was outside the restaurant. He's a trooper.

Yes, lots and lots of selfies were taken tonight. I'm sure Ben is really used to taking selfies with people as it is one of the most requested things to do. How cool is that, though, to have Ben McLemore in a selfie with you. That's just too awesome.

This was Mike's (far right) Pizza Guys location, and he was an excellent host. The event went smoothly and everyone who came out went home happy. Pizza Guys events featuring Kings players never disappoint, if you've never been to one, make sure you attend one this season! It's not too late as there are at least a couple more down the pipe.

As for me, it's great to see people I've met during the years as a photographer. I appreciate everyone who recognizes me and wants to get a photo! I'm always willing!

Huge props to Pizza Guys for making this event happen. Not only did they organize everything, they also donated over $1000 in free pizza cards and toys. Pizza Guys is such a class organization. We here in Sacramento are so lucky they are here. We're not just getting delicious pizza with them, we're getting a whole lot more. Keep up the good work Pizza Guys! And THANK YOU for going above and beyond!