The Stockton Kings are the Sacramento Kings' NBA G League affiliate. Like other G League teams,…read morethey've been affiliates for a number of NBA teams since their inception (2008), but became exclusive to Sacramento in 2018, concurrent with the team's move to Stockton, California, roughly an hour's drive south of Sacramento. The Sacramento Kings purchased the franchise in 2016.
The Stockton Kings' first season was 2018-19. For the first ten years of the team's existence (2008-2018), they were known as the Reno Bighorns and were based in Reno, Nevada: https://www.yelp.com/biz/reno-bighorns-reno-2.
The Kings have qualified for the G League playoffs six times in their 12-year history. Not bad. In 2018, they finished 1st in the Pacific Division during the regular season and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals where they lost to the South Bay Lakers. They've since finished either in 1st or 2nd place in the Pacific.
When the NBA negotiated a deal with Gatorade to become the league sponsor beginning with the 2017-18 season, the Kings (then Bighorns) rebranded concurrently. They changed their colors from green, tan, and blue to purple, gray, and black, consistent with the Sacramento Kings' colors. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers affiliate) did the same thing that year.
The team plays in Stockton Arena in downtown Stockton next to McLeod Lake. With a seating capacity of 11,193 for Kings games, the Arena is one of the G League's bigger venues. Only a handful of G League sites can hold over 10k.
Notable players who've suited up for the Bighorns/Kings include Keyon Dooling, Sundiata Gaines, Harry Giles, 2014 and 2019 NBA champion and 2009 NCAA champion Danny Green, 2019 NCAA champion Kyle Guy, former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Gani Lawal, 2019 NBA champion Jeremy Lin, Gary Neal, Steve Novak, Bobby Simmons, DJ Strawberry, Garrett Temple, and Hassan Whiteside.
Coaching veteran Eric Musselman coached the team during the 2010-11 season.