DeRozan lured by the challenge of joining, helping the Kings ‘revolt’ originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO – For the past two seasons, DeMar DeRozan would sit in his Chicago home and turn on the TV to catch up on the latest NBA action.
A true fan of the game, DeRozan tries to keep up with the rest of the league and watch as many games as possible in his free time.
So when he flipped through the channels and the Kings were playing, he was intrigued by how loud and clear he could hear the Golden 1 Center crowd through the television, cheering and standing during a weekday regular-season game.
Then he heard singing. O corners.
“Light the beam! Light the beam! Screams could be heard from eager Kings fans, patiently waiting for the clock to reach zero. When it finally happened and Sacramento was victorious, DeRozan noticed some postgame extracurricular activities that kept him from changing the channel.
It was time to light the goalpost in Sacramento, symbolized by a player walking up to the scorer’s table and slamming his hand on a button that lit purple lasers fired from the G1C after each Kings win.
Fast forward to Tuesday, where DeRozan sat in the exact same building after joining the team he had always watched from afar, increasingly fascinated by the sensation this is the beam. But what attracted the highly sought-after free agent to Sacramento?
“How many times have I seen that beam lit when I was relaxing at home,” DeRozan said Tuesday during his introductory press conference in Sacramento. “Especially being on Central Time. I watch every NBA game. So you would always see something illuminated. It’s like, ‘What’s the meaning of pushing this button?’ But like I said, winning solves everything.
“And that’s one thing I always tell the guys I play with who want to be All-Stars, who want to get paid – winning solves everything. You want to be part of the victory. You want to be a winner. You want to be known as a winner. So that’s what’s most attractive to me, and you see that every night when his team plays. It’s all about winning.”
DeRozan spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Bulls. In the last two campaigns, it was a sub-.500 team. Meanwhile, 2,000 miles to the west, something special was happening in Sacramento.
The Kings introduced their new victory goal post during the 2022-23 season, the same year they overcame their uncomfortable 17-year playoff drought. Despite winning just two fewer games the following year, Sacramento went from 3rd in the West to 9th, respectively, and failed to make the playoffs last season.
While it’s safe to say things are moving in the right direction for the Kings, after nearly two decades of playoff-less basketball, business hasn’t always boomed for Sacramento basketball.
But that’s what motivated DeRozan to sign with the Kings in free agency this offseason. He took a storybook note of the 2022-23 season, the 2023-24 reality check, and then essentially said, “I want in.”
And not only does he believe he has what it takes to help the team overcome the obstacle, but he’s also genuinely excited about the challenge of making it happen.
“I loved it,” DeRozan said. “I love the challenge. I love the excitement that comes with it. When you’re a competitor, you want to be the best where the best is. The Western Conference is stacked. You are tested every night. You work for these moments so they can bring out the best in you.
“So I’m really looking forward to it. Can not wait. I’m excited. It’ll be fun.”
In addition to the desire to turn something good into something great, DeRozan said the feeling of being wanted helped influence his decision this summer.
Being a six-time NBA All-Star should make this a little easier, right?
Perhaps, but of the teams reported linked to DeRozan in free agency, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and others, it was the Kings whose interest seemed genuine, true and, ultimately, mutual.
“Just the expression of being desired. Necessary. To do something bigger than just me,” DeRozan said. “At the end of the day, I’m all for winning. I just want to win at the highest levels, and to be able to be a part of something that a team might be missing to help them get over that hurdle, that’s all I needed to see. And that’s what was expressed to me from day one. As a competitor, that’s all you need.
“It is more than an honor to be part of such a rebellious franchise. The desire they showed when working in free agency was incredible. I’m not going to lie, it’s always nice to be wanted somewhere. And from day one they showed it. Therefore, it is an honor to be able to represent this organization and build on what this organization has done in recent years. It’s something special. I definitely want to be a part of it. And I want to be one of those guys who hits the post and lights it up. I’m definitely looking forward to it. And I’m looking forward to playing with this young, exciting and talented team. Great technical team.
“In the last few days, that’s all I’ve been thinking about, wearing this shirt, representing the city, hearing the fans scream as loud as they can. So I’m definitely looking forward to it, man. It will be an exciting year. I will definitely work harder than ever to make sure the city gets what it deserves.”
When asked if he would believe it if someone told him a month ago that he would be a Sacramento King, DeRozan didn’t hesitate in his response: “No, I wouldn’t believe it.”
But that, for DeRozan, is the beauty of basketball and life. Sometimes, he said, the greatest things happen unexpectedly.
It may be unexpected, but Kings fans have been waiting. Patiently. For years.
So when DeRozan first walked into Golden 1 Center alongside Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé last Saturday before the Kings California Classic game, he was received with a standing ovation and arguably the loudest cheers from any crowd during a summer league game in July.
This reception only intensified what DeRozan was already feeling. He’s ready to get to work.
“To get the reception I got the other night was amazing,” DeRozan said. “The last few years of playing the Kings, it’s been hard to get into this building. You feel it. There aren’t many arenas in this league where when you walk in you feel the atmosphere. You feel the tension in the air. So to be able to have that reception that night was incredible.
“The respect, the love that has already been shown has left me hungry. I left there that night and went straight to the gym when I got home. The drive, the hunger, the passion that the fans show, you definitely just want to give back.”
