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!

Kings Season Ticket Holders Breakfast 2.28.15

This morning the Kings Season Ticket holders were all invited to the arena for a special breakfast with the team. Droves and droves of people came out to this event!

It was amazing as the season ticket holders had access to just about the entire arena! They could go down onto the court, see the locker rooms, and check out the media center.

An assortment of breakfast food was provided. There were muffins, scones, danishes, and of course... doughnut holes! Yum! Two different breakfast burritos were available as well as an assortment of beverages. Well done Kings! Thanks for the delicious food!

Every member of SKD were in the house today. Fans got special access into their locker room where they could get autographs. A lot of season ticket holders took advantage of this unique opportunity.

On the court Coach Karl and Kings players took the time to take photos and shoot some hoops with the fans. Yes! Fans got to go on the court and shoot a bit with the assistance of the Kings! It was an amazing opportunity.

All the Kings were out there... Reggie Evans brought his kids! I was just standing there when he asked me to take a photo of him with them! So sweet!

The end of the event featured a chance for fans to hear from the players and coaches. It was a lot of fun and unbelievable access. I've really got to hand it to the Kings organization for putting on such a special event for the season ticket holders. It was amazing, and I think it is something that everyone who went will remember for a long, long time.

Kings v. Grizzlies 2.25.15

Tonight the Kings were celebrating Chinese New Year at the arena. The actual new years date was last week, but it was cool that the Kings made this an event! This is the year of the sheep - my year!

The on-court festivities started very early. Many groups came out to perform special dances and music. It's always fun to see these special performances, definitely worth coming early to the game for.

One of the most traditional dances you'll see in Chinese culture is the lion dance. This is where dancers get into a lion (or dragon) get-up and perform. It used to scare me as a kid to have the lion come up to me. 

I could have sworn I saw some people waving mat me from section 118... and it was Yessenia! I met her last year at a McLemore signing. She was first in line. She's a huge Kings fan, and it was great seeing her at the game.

Scott Moak had a partner today as the introduction of the Kings happened... in Mandarin! David Cheng won the chance to introduce the players tonight. He did a great job!

The SKD were in full force tonight as they prepared a special Asian inspired dance. It fused both the traditional with the modern. The outfits the SKD wore tonight were absolutely stunning on them.

Here's Angela as she shows her athleticism on the court. No matter what they are wearing, the SKD are able to impress the fans with their dance moves.

This was a fun basketball game to be at. I loved seeing this break-away windmill jam by Ben McLemore. I was able to get the entire dunk frame-for-frame using my Sony a6000 in burst mode. 

This game got a bit chippy as the players played their hearts out on both sides. The physicality of this game was definitely up. There were a few times I thought it would come to blows!

Big Cuz tweaked something during the game and he was noticeably hobbling afterwards. He didn't let that stop him though as he continued to play through the pain.

The effort really payed off as the Kings won a hard fought game against a top tier team in the league. It was a great feeling to see this victory!

After the game Coach Karl talked with the media about the strong Kings effort. He's definitely putting his stamp on this team, and I'm excited for the things to come!

Rudy Gay Signing at Kaiser Point West 2.24.15

Rudy Gay was at Kaiser Point West in Sacramento this afternoon signing autographs for fans. There was quite a line waiting to meet Rudy and get his signature. Besides Rudy's autograph, Kaiser was also offering everyone (including non-Kaiser members) a free flu shot! Wow. That's pretty cool of them.

I've met Rudy Gay before and he's always awesome to the fans. He'll take the time to talk and take pictures. It's no wonder Kings fans love Rudy. Fans brought all sorts of things for him to sign - I saw jerseys, basketballs, shirts, posters, cards... you name it... he signed it!

As usual, SKD were out to greet fans alongside Rudy. Today Jenna and Roxy were on-site. It was cool to catch up with them and see how they were doing. Fans were able to get their picture taken with them as well!

Kings v. Celtics 2.20.15

There was a lot of excitement in the arena tonight with new Kings coach George Karl making his debut. Fans who came to the game received this special George Karl poster as they walked in the doors. Karl has been a proven winner, and fans are hoping that he can bring his winning ways to Sacramento.

My friend Aman came with her co-worker Sandeep tonight. Aman has been a Kings fan for a very long time, but this was Sandeep's first ever basketball game. It's always exciting when someone who's never been comes! I asked her later and she said she really had a lot of fun. Looks like the Kings have a new fan!

Here's Scott and Kayte doing a pre-game interview for Kings Vision. Kayte was feeling a bit under the weather so she was sporting a warm beverage to help her voice.

The NBA trade deadline just passed and the Kings made a minor deal. They dealt Ramon Sessions for veteran guard Andre Miller. Miller is the oldest player in the league, but he knows Coach Karl well and should be a great addition to the team.

David Stockton was called up from Reno recently. Does he look familiar? He should! He's the son of legendary Jazz guard John Stockton. It was remarkable to see the resemblance as he shot around during the pre-game.

There was probably a bit too much excitement in the building for Coach Karl. The Kings got into a very large deficit in the first quarter. After a few tweaks, the team came back and actually got the lead going into the second.

It was a close game, but the Kings pulled forward and took this one from the Celtics. DeMarcus Cousins had another very strong outing tonight. It was awesome to get this shot of this tremendous dunk he had. Coast to coast!

After the game there was a mob of the press trying to get some sound bites from the coach. I don't think I've ever seen a media scrum this big here! It was a very positive night for the Kings and I hope Coach Karl will continue to lead the Kings to more and more wins.

Meet & Greet with George Karl at Firestone Public House 2.17.15

Today I found out pretty last minute that George Karl was doing a meet and greet at Firestone Public House in downtown Sacramento. I hoped in my car after work and drove out to the venue. Firestone is a very nice hangout with a great ambiance and happy hour selection.

For those of you who like to quench your thirst, the bar at Firestone is pretty stocked up on whatever it is you could want. The bartenders were very attentive and friendly. Really, just a great atmosphere to relax and unwind.

What Kings event would be complete without the SKD? Answer: none. Today Mollie, Britney, Lynsi, and Moira came out to be with the fans as they welcomed George Karl.

Karl arrived at Firestone shortly after 5PM. There were all sorts of media around waiting for him to make his appearance. It was pretty awesome to be right there in the thick of it as he got to Firestone.

Firestone was packed with fans wanting to get a glimpse of Coach Karl! He was super friendly and engaged just about everyone who came up to him. I was impressed with the way he was able to interact with so many this evening.

Karl sat down with Dave 'Deuce' Mason, Carmichael Dave, and Kings owner Vivek Ranadive for a radio interview. The radio sound wasn't piped through Firestone so I didn't get to catch what was said.

There was a crazy mob of people around the booth. I'm glad I was able to get some nice shots of the event today. Yes, George Karl is definitely a big here in Sac!

Karl has done work with ESPN since he last coached so he is very used to the media. It's good to see a coach who can be relaxed and comfortable around all this hoopla.

I think everyone's excited to see what Karl can do with this Sacramento Kings team. He's won a lot of NBA games, and I hope that he can bring that winning culture here to this team.

After all was said and done I got the chance to get a selfie with Carmichael Dave. Karl held his first practice on Wednesday and will coach his first game on Friday. Can't wait!