The Sacramento Kings’ final playoff roster of 2005-06: unlucky ones, thugs and legends!

First important to mention: Longtime Kings forward and interim franchise player Peja Stojakovic was traded to the Indiana Pacers in January of the season. He was replaced by then bad boy Ron Artest.

Under head coach Rick Adelman, the Kings won 44 games and reached the postseason. The following twelve players were used in the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs (2-4) then…

POINT GUARD – MIKE BIBBY

Statistics 2005/06: 21.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals at 45.0 percent FG and 38.6 percent three-point rate (82 games)

The one-man, who played a total of six and a half years for the Kings, had his best year ever in 05/06 (21.1 points per game). Was among the best non-All-Star players in the ’00s.

SHOOTING GUARD – RON ARTEST

2005/06 stats: 16.9 points, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals at 38.3 percent FG and 30.2 percent three-pointer rate (40 games for Kings)

The later Metta World Peace should become the new franchise player after he couldn’t find a connection in Indiana after “Malice in the Palace”. Lived up to his reputation in the playoffs when he was suspended for Game 2.

SHOOTING GUARD – KEVIN MARTIN

Statistics 2005/06: 10.8 points, 1.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds with 48.0 percent FG and 36.9 percent three-point rate (72 games)

In this game Martin was allowed to start as an exception, who usually acted as sixth man. The eventual elite scorer was only in his second season at the time.

SMALL FORWARD – BONZI WELLS

Statistics 2005/06: 13.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals at 46.3 percent FG and 22.2 percent three-pointer rate (52 games)

Formerly part of the “JailBlazers” in Portland, Wells showed his class against the Spurs: With 23.2 points and 12 rebounds on average he was Sacramento’s best in that series.

POWER FORWARD – KENNY THOMAS

2005–06 stats: 9.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists at 50.5 percent FG (82 games)

Was Sacramento’s embodiment of a hard worker who didn’t make many demands and did his job mostly defensively. Not that it would have been easy against Tim Duncan.

CENTER – BRAD MILLER

2005/06 stats: 15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists with 49.5 percent FG and 38.6 percent three-pointer rate (79 games)

The two-time All-Star and part-time hippie had his last really good season in 05/06. Had the highest individual offensive rating in the NBA a year earlier.

BANK – SHAREEF ABDUR RAHIM

2005/06 stats: 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals at 52.5 percent FG (72 games)

Next to Martin the most important bench player of the Kings. Abdur-Rahim posted 20+ points a game six times, but the forward actually only made the playoffs this season!

FRANCISCO GARCIA

2005/06 stats: 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists at 40.0 percent FG and 28.5 percent three-pointer rate (67 games)

The Dominican made it into Adelman’s playoff rotation as a rookie that year. His best season came three years later when he averaged 12.7 points per game.

JASON HART

2005–06 stats: 3.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists at 38.9 percent FG (66 games)

The former second-round pick played for a total of nine teams in ten NBA years. So the word journeyman fits him like a glove.

CORLISS WILLIAMSON

2005–06 stats: 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists at 41.7 percent FG (37 games)

The forward had a few strong years (career average 11.1 points), but in 05/06 his career was already coming to an end. Didn’t have a major role in the playoffs (only played 11 minutes).

VITALY POTAPENKO

2005-06 stats: 1.1 points and 0.2 rebounds at 71.4 percent FG (9 games for Kings)

The same could be said of the Ukrainian Potapenko, with him it was only nine minutes. Played just three NBA games after this postseason, spending a total of 11 years in the league.

RONNIE PRICE

2005–06 stats: 2.1 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.4 assists at 36.2 percent FG (29 games)

Price, then a rookie, only got nine minutes in the playoffs. The backup guard never topped 5.3 points on average, but still stayed in the league for twelve years.

General manager at the time was Geoff Petrie, who managed the team from 1994 to 2013. After a six-year professional career with the Blazers, which included two All-Star nominations in the ’70s, he joined Portland as a radio commentator in 1985 before moving to the business side. In 2015, Vlade Divac took over as GM of the Kings.

Divac worked with head coaches George Karl, Dave Joerger and Luke Walton. Only Joerger managed to come close to a positive balance once. With DeMarcus Cousins ​​there was even an exceptional talent in the squad until Boogie was traded to the Pelicans in 2017.

Together with his assistant Stojakovic, Divac resigned in 2020, the two legendary Kings players were replaced by Monte McNair. He immediately landed a direct hit in the draft with the choice of Tyrese Haliburton in twelfth place. The excitement among the fans in Sacramento was all the greater when the up-and-coming youngster was sent to the Pacers for Domantas Sabonis almost a year ago.

So far, however, the results speak for themselves. Head coach Mike Brown’s team is led by De’Aaron Fox and Sabonis and is on course to reach this year’s playoffs with a current 43 win and 27 loss. Anything else would be a miracle!