The oldest team in the NBA has spent decades searching for a permanent home
In short: The Sacramento Kings hold a unique distinction as the oldest franchise in the NBA, yet their history is defined by constant movement. From their origins as a semi-professional team in Rochester to their current home in California, the franchise has navigated decades of financial struggle, tragedy, and historic postseason droughts.
The franchise traces its roots to the Rochester Seagrams, a semi-professional team formed in 1923. In 1945, Lester Harrison and his brother Jack paid a $25,000 entry fee to join the National Basketball League as the Rochester Royals. They found immediate success, winning the league championship in their debut season. When the team joined the Basketball Association of America in 1948—which later merged with the NBL to form the NBA—they continued to perform well, securing the franchise's only NBA championship in 1951 by defeating the New York Knicks.
Despite this early success, the team struggled to turn a profit in the small Rochester market. This began a pattern of relocation that saw the team move to Cincinnati in 1957, then to Kansas City in 1972, and finally to Sacramento in 1985. The Cincinnati years were marked by both brilliance and tragedy, most notably the 1958 injury of star Maurice Stokes, who suffered a seizure after an airplane flight and remained hospitalized until his death in 1970. Later, the Kansas City era saw the team reach the Western Conference finals in 1981, but poor attendance and competition from other sports eventually forced another move.
Since arriving in Sacramento, the team has experienced significant highs and lows. Their most successful period occurred in the early 2000s, highlighted by a 61–21 record during the 2001–02 season. However, the franchise also endured a difficult stretch between 2006 and 2022, recording 16 consecutive losing seasons—the most in NBA history. This period included a postseason drought that lasted from 2006 until 2023. Today, the Kings remain the first major professional sports team to call Sacramento home, playing at the Golden 1 Center.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Sacramento Kings
- Also: Wikidata — Sacramento Kings · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves, 14 November 2007 · CC0
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