Ben McLemore at Jimboy's in Roseville 3.19.15

Tonight the winner of the Dinner with a King contest got to claim their prize! They got to go to Jimboy's Tacos in Roseville and have dinner with Ben McLemore. The dinner party had the entire back section of the restaurant to themselves.

It was pretty awesome seeing Ben sit down for a meal with some of his best fans. Ben has consistently showed the great ability to connect with the people around him in a positive way.

After taking a look at the menu, everyone had the chance to order what they wanted. Big thanks to Jimboy's Tacos for hooking up the dinner guests with food. 

Sign Lady and Mr. Sign Lady were present for this event as well. Sign Lady brought three of her McLemore signs with her tonight. She's an honored guest as much as Ben was!

The fans got to ask Ben questions and just converse with him about whatever they wanted to. This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

The food arrived hot and fresh. Everybody was able to get exactly what they wanted tonight. A variety of food was ordered - from tacos, to salads, to burritos!

Ben at one side of the table and Sign Lady at the other. It's quite the dinner table to be at! I'm sure a lot of Kings fans would have loved this unique opportunity.

I had a lot of fun seeing everybody interact with each other. I loved hearing the conversations and seeing how much of a good time everyone was having.

Before Ben left he took the time to take some photos with the dinner guests. Ben was total class tonight as he hung out with his fans. Thank you for making yourself available Ben!

This was a great night put on by the Kings and Jimboy's Tacos. I really hope Jimboy's runs this promotion again next year. It really does make for one of the most unique prizes anyone could hope for!

Kings v. Clippers 3.18.15

The Clippers came into town tonight, but we would be without our main superstar DeMarcus Cousins. The Clippers are a very good team high in the rankings. It would definitely be a huge challenge for the Kings to get a win this evening.

Before the game fans got to see some pre-game basketball on wheels action. It was cool see these competitors duke it out on the court in wheelchairs. They were intense! This was not the first time I saw them play, my first time was actually last year at the King's outdoor exhibition game. It was great to see them in action once again.

As usual, Grant and Jerry were on the court before the game preparing for the broadcast. It's amazing how Grant goes directly from his radio duties to his television ones. The guy just keeps on working!

I like this shot I caught of Slamson before the player introductions on the court. The presentation of the players is such a fun and exciting moment! The colors and the sounds make for a great spectacle. - I never want to miss it!

Since Big Cuz was out tonight, Ryan Hollins got the nod to begin the game at the center position. Hollins is a nice back-up player, but the Kings definitely missed the phenomenal skill and size that Cousins brings to the table.

It was as if Ryan and DeMarcus switched roles for this game. You could see Big Cuz cheering for his team from the bench. That was awesome to see, actually. DeMarcus is showing how much he cares his team and teammates.

Ray McCallum also was in the game as a starter. RayMac did a splendid job at running the team from the point guard position. Like Ben McLemore, this young King has stepped up his game this year. He and Andre Miller run a nice back court combo.

Tonight the Kings Dancers performed the two routines that I had the pleasure of seeing them practice the other week. It was so awesome to see how the whole thing came together. The outfits really set the mood nicely. Both performances were great fun!

Vlade Divac was again in attendance and sat in the front row of the court. He was given a t-shirt to toss but ended up giving it to a little boy sitting near him. What a lucky lad! You can see his hands reaching for the shirt in the photo above.

Even though the Kings fought hard, they ended up dropping this game. There were positives to be had here, especially since the team was without their main piece... but a loss is a loss. Let's hope for a better result on Friday!

Ben McLemore at Pizza Guys in Elk Grove 3.17.15

Why are all these people in line at the Pizza Guys in Elk Grove? Free pizza? Nope! Ben McLemore was scheduled to appear here yesterday. The loyal Kings fans came out to meet Ben and get an autograph from him.

This event was advertised through Pizza Guys and through Ben's social media outlets. I'm sure that Kings fans would be eager to see a rising star like Ben. His improvement in play over the last year is astounding.

The signing started with a special VIP meeting with fans who won Pizza Guys social media contests. They got on a very short VIP list and had the chance to hang out with Ben for a bit inside the Pizza Guys restaurant.

After the private session Ben went outside to a table set up for him and began meeting everyone else who was in the line. Everybody got the chance to say hi to Ben, get an autograph, and take a photo! Sweet.

Everybody who came out got the chance to meet Ben. Slamson was there too entertaining fans and making them laugh. Overall it was a very successful and fun event for all who attended.

Ben is a great spokesperson for Pizza Guys! He was definitely the right pick. Huge props to him for spending an evening with the fans and getting them something to remember for a very long time.

Also huge thanks to the fine people over at Pizza Guys. They are a class organization that serves up delicious pizza. Can't wait for the next event they throw!

Kings v. Hawks 3.16.15

It was the day before St. Patrick's Day so the Kings were selling this special green t-shirt at the Kings Store. They were just $15 each so I decided to pick one up. I don't have a whole lot of green clothing, so this was a nice pick up for me. Now I have something to wear for St. Patrick's Day! It's usually a tough holiday for me to be festive on. Thanks Kings! You've really helped me ou!

My friend Sasha just came back from her trip to Asia, so it was great to have her back out at the arena. She got to sit in my season ticket seats with a friend of hers. 

Vlade Divac's first day on the job for the Kings was today. He was recently hired to the front office. Vlade is an icon here in Sacramento, and I'm sure his input will be valuable to management.

It was pretty sweet to see Dominique Wilkins with Mayor Kevin Johnson on the court before the game. I remember Dominique as being a monster on the court. I'm sure KJ and 'Nique had a few battles against each other back in the day.

It was a special game for Jason Thompson today. In this game he became the longest tenured Kings player with 519 games with the team. It's been an amazing run for him as the team has changed so much and so often. He's been able to stick it through all of that!

The fans stood and cheered for him as he saluted them from the sidelines. Kings Community donated over 500 tickets to this game in honor of JT. So awesome!

SKD was in action for two performances tonight. This was my favorite shot of the night with a very up-close look at Cassie. 

The Kings liked this shot I got of Omri dunking the ball. In fact, they used this photo on their Facebook page! I like it too! Unfortunately, the Hawks ended up winning this hard fought game. The boys will face the Clippers coming into town on Wednesday. See you then!

SKD Practice 3.12.15

On Thursday I was back at the Kings Practice Facility to attend a regular Sacramento Kings Dancer practice. The SKD practices are usually about 4 hours long, and they are non-stop! I buckled down and got ready for a long evening of photographing.

I arrived at the practice just before the dancers started to warm up. It was cool to see how the SKD prepare themselves for a long night of activity. 

It was fun to see the dancers wearing all sorts of different Kings gear tonight. There were retro Kings logos, current ones, and player specific shirts like of DMC and Peja. All together the dancers mix of clothing choices made for a very nice blend of all things Kings.

After the warm up, the real work began. The dancers went through their first routine step-by-step. All aspects of the dance number was gone through carefully. Each dancer was responsible for making sure their part was precise and perfect.

It's a beautiful thing to see a routine come together. The hard work and tweaking really pays off in a satisfying way. These routines have to be perfect as the SKD are a professional dance team seen by thousands of people at each game.

Kudos to these amazing girls as they perform complex routines at every Kings home game. They work tirelessly to bring you something entertaining every time they step onto the court. For more from this practice, check out my photography blog HERE.

SKD Classics Practice 3.10.15

With the Kings out on a very long road trip, it was nice to head over to the arena again. Today the SKD Classics worked on a routine at the Practice Facility. The SKD Classics are a group of ladies that have performed during time-outs of games twice this season already. This routine would be their third.

Kings Dancers Danielle and Corina were on hand to assist the Classics in coming up with a killer routine. It was awesome to see both of them in action directing the ladies on what to do. Not only are Danielle and Corina great dancers, they are exceptional instructors as well.

Like a regular SKD dance routine, there are many parts within. The Classics had to memorize their part and get it in sync with everybody else. Putting together these dance routines is no easy task. They've got to know what they're doing and then be able to perform it - definitely hard work both mentally and physically.

I've seen the Classics on the court during the games a couple times now, and I've got to say that the Kings fans love them. It's so much fun to see the Classics come out and strut their stuff. They prove that anyone can dance at any age. And they look great doing it!

SKD Director Jenn Santich was also at the practice keeping an eye on things. Jenn has been instrumental in getting the SKD to the level that they are at. I know she expects the same quality of the SKD Classics. I think she likes what she sees here though. Jenn was all smiles!

The Classics will have another practice and also a video recording of their routine to study. They take the court during the game on Sunday, March 22nd. Be sure to get to that game to see YOUR SKD Classics do their thang on the court! It's a must see!

If you'd like to check out some more images from this practice, I've posted them on my main photography site. Click HERE to read that posting. If you follow me on Instagram, Flickr, or Facebook, I have images up on those sites as well. Tomorrow I will be at the regular SKD practice. Be on the lookout for pictures from that!

Kings v. Blazers 3.1.15

Today, before the game, season ticket holders had the opportunity to put their mark on the new arena. They got to sign this piece of the new arena before installation. I love it when the Kings open up opportunities like this for us fans. It really makes us feel connected to the organization.

I found a spot to put my mark on the new complex here. I wonder where this part will be... will it be located in a place that is easy to see? It'd be awesome to be able to walk past it every time I go to the new arena. 

Today was a very special day - it was Slamson's birthday! Just like last year, all the NBA mascots came to the arena to celebrate with him. Mascots came from the Raptors, Blazers, Grizzlies, Pistons, and other NBA teams. It was quite the sight to see all the mascots out there.

DeMarcus sat this game out, but could be seen taking shots on the court before the game. He worked on all sorts of shots, including threes! It'd be awesome if he could incorporate the three-ball into his game in a meaningful way. What a threat that would be!

David Stockton's 10-day contract is about up, so we might not be seeing him on the court very much after this. It was cool to see him get some playing time while he was a King though. I'm sure it was a great experience for him!

Without DeMarcus, the Kings would already be at a huge disadvantage. They would have to rely heavily on Rudy Gay to be the team leader. Under George Karl the Kings have played very well and have been able to stay in games. 

Also, with Darren Collison still out, young Ray McCallum has gotten a lot more minutes on the floor. He has taken on the responsibility with open arms and looks to be progressing very well.

At just about every break in the action the focus was turned to Slamson and the mascots. They did all sorts of silly antics on the court. It was great fun watching them dunk, interact with fans, mess with the players on the court!

At halftime, the SKD battled the mascots in an epic dance-off. No punches were pulled as both sides brought out all that they had. The SKD even brought out 2 sharks - similar to the Katy Perry sharks at the Super Bowl this year. It was an incredibly fun thing to watch.

In the end, the Kings dropped this game as the Blazers pulled away. Damian Lillard and LeMarcus Aldridge were just a bit too much in the 4th quarter. Though this was a loss, I am encouraged by the overall play by the team - it's on the up!