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River City Kings
The Maloof family likes to brag about the unparalleled success that the Sacramento Kings and ARCO Arena have had under their stewardship.
To be fair, it's a solid argument. Under the family's leadership, the Kings have recorded 50-plus regular season victories five times, won back-to-back Pacific Division titles in 2001-02 and 2002-03, and advanced to the 2002 Western Conference Finals.
Of course all of that was in the distant past when players like Chris Webber, Mike Bibby and Peja Stojakovic called ARCO Arena home, and to borrow a phrase from the late great Gorilla Monsoon, people were literally hanging off the rafters in one of the NBA's toughest places to play.
Fast forward to the present and ARCO Arena is considered an antiquated building and the reason that the Kings may be on the way out of California's capital. Gone are the automatic sellouts replaced by pair of seasons where less than 14,000 fans showed up per night.
Every attempt to build a new arena in the city has been derailed, not a surprise considering the current economic downturn and the fact that California is awash in a sea of debt.
That said, sports is supposed to be an escape from the harrows of every day life, a place where you can forget about your problems for a few hours a night.
Make no mistake, the declining attendance figures in Sacramento have nothing to do with an aging building or the fact that the local fans have less disposable income -- the Kings just haven't been all that competitive.
The worm began to turn last year with the addition of the NBA's Rookie of the Year -- combo guard Tyreke Evans. This season, the Kings hope they added a rather significant piece to a promising foundation with former Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins.
Sacramento feels Cousins was the second most talented player in the 2010 draft behind Washington's John Wall, a prospect with amazing strength and passing skills that defy his age.
Some other NBA teams labeled Cousins lazy and out of shape, an immature player that loses focus easily and will never possess the intestinal fortitude to excel at this level.
Which side is right?
The very future of Sacramento basketball could hinge on the answer.
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