Dan Lovi

The Sacramento Kings have signed forward Hollis Thompson, according to General Manager Vlade Divac. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Thompson was a member of Sacramento’s California Classic and MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2019 rosters. He averaged 12.7 points (13-28 FG, 4-12 3pt, 8-8 FT), 4.3 rebounds and 26.0 minutes per game in three appearances at the California Classic. In four contests in Las Vegas, Thompson averaged 10.8 points (.581 FG%, 5-10 3pt, 2-2 FT), 6.0 rebounds and 20.1 minutes per game for the Kings.

An early entrant out of Georgetown, Thompson went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft and has averaged 7.7 points (.413 FG%, .386 3pt%, .707 FT%), 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 24.2 minutes in 265 games (90 starts) in four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers (2013-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2016-17). During the 2018-19 season, Thompson accrued averages of 16.6 points (.433 FG%, .348 3pt%, .802 FT%), 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 34.0 minutes per game in 30 games (30 starts) with the Northern Arizona Suns, the NBA G League affiliate of the Phoenix Suns.

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Kings Sign Hollis Thompson

DeMarcus Cousins and Joel Embiid are two of the best big men in the NBA today. The two shared this hilarious exchange during the first half of play.

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Embiid Shows Boogie Love

Gamers past and present agree that Mario Kart on Nintendo 64 is one of the most iconic video games ever.  Ben McLemore certainly agrees with that sentiment, and recently laid out a challenge to anyone who thinks they can beat him in the classic game.

According to Ben, Toad is his favorite racer, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to Mario Kart fans. Toad is the quickest of the bunch, accelerating at high rates of speed, much like No. 23 in transition.

In addition to Mario Kart, the fourth-year guard has several other timeless games including: Donkey Kong, GoldenEye 007, Mario Party (1, 2 &amp; 3) and WWF No Mercy.

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Ben Gets Nostalgic Playing Video Games

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Gallery: Kings Kicks Through The Years

Kings shooting guard Ben McLemore took to Twitter on Monday evening, enlisting the help of Sacramentans after it was discovered his French Bulldog “Rolex” went missing.

Less than 48 hours later, McLemore was reunited with the 10-month-old canine thanks to the help of Twitter user Mat Davis.

Ecstatic following their reconnection, No. 23 shared a heartfelt Thank You message for his fans.

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B-Mac United with Puppy

For the second straight summer, Kings forward Omri Casspi led a trip to Israel, bringing fellow pro athletes and celebrities with him.

No. 18 was joined on the trip by Kings teammate Rudy Gay, along with NBA players past and present Chris Copeland, Shawn Marion, Beno Udrih, Donald Sloan and Amar’e Stoudemire. In addition, WNBA players Mistie Bass and Alysha Clark, UFC star Georges St-Pierre, poker pro Maria Ho and actor Jeremy Piven followed along, too.

The group embarked on a four-day excursion throughout the country, visiting several of Israel’s historical landmarks, while one of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Dead Sea – the earth’s lowest point of elevation. The saline content is so high that people actually float, but according to Marion, the saltwater can also be slightly uncomfortable.

“The salt is so potent in that water. Seriously, my eyes were burning,” Marion told Jared Zwerling, Senior Multimedia Writer for the NBPA. “There’s a reason why they call it the Dead Sea, because there are no living organisms in that water. “

Learn more about the group’s activities by reading Zwerling’s full article here and check out the video posted by the NBPA below:

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Casspi Leads International Visit

Around 60 eager players shuffle into the Kings Practice Facility early on a Sunday morning. There is a sense of excitement yet urgency in the air.

Reno Bighorns Head Coach Darrick Martin has been in their shoes. He knows firsthand the road to the NBA is not easy. That’s why he takes open tryouts like these seriously. That’s why he takes coaching seriously.

“The biggest thing is to be organized at all times,” said Martin. “Always have a first, second and third plan.”

Fortunately for the Bighorns leader, he’s been around influential coaches during his career. He played four years at UCLA under Coach Jim Harrick, who was named College Coach of the Year in 1995. In Sacramento, he learned from the franchise leader in wins, Rick Adelman.

Along with those for whom he played, one coach in particular has had a lasting impact on the former point guard.

“I think CBA coaches, with Coach (Dave) Joerger and Coach (Bryan) Gates’ experience, they understand,” said Martin, who began his professional career in 1994 with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. “That’s something I definitely learned from Flip Saunders by playing for him in the CBA and in the NBA.”

Similar to Joerger, the Bighorns coach doesn’t measure growth in just wins and losses. It’s about teaching the game, and doing the best to prepare players for what lies ahead.

The “D” in D-League doesn’t stand for development without good reason. Martin believes it’s a key component to the success of the players and franchise.

“Guys need time to develop, I think it’s what the D-League is for, “said the Reno coach. “It’s our first and foremost job, to develop, and winning is a byproduct of the guys developing in the right fashion.”

The D-League was founded in 2001 and started with just eight franchises. It has since expanded to 20 teams, with the possibility of further expansion down the road. Martin hopes one day each NBA team will have an exclusive affiliation with a single club.

“That’s the plan, that’s in progress,” he explained. “I’m definitely a proponent of each NBA team having its own affiliate.”

For now, the Bighorns skipper is focused on the day’s tryouts – he’s looking to add a few players to the roster. Momentum is starting to pick up as players move from dribbling and shooting drills to 5-on-5 scrimmages.

“What I like in these tryouts is the energy these guys are bringing,” he said. “The fact we’ve had great energy and they come out here and play hard, it’s a great sign.”

Coming from a coach who made a name for himself over the course of a 13-year NBA career exuding similar qualities, the D-League hopefuls are taking strides in the right direction.

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Chasing the D-League Dream

The NBA House Rio, coined “the ultimate NBA Brasil fan experience,” showcased a bevy of talented dunkers and entertainers throughout the Olympic competition.

Among the featured included the Miami Heat’s mascot, Burnie, Charlotte Hornets dancers, the Honey Bees, and NBA legends Gary Payton and Glen Rice.

It was the Sacramento Kings Dunkers, however, who really fired up the crowd in collaboration with professional dunker Jordan Kilganon.

Kilganon, whose nickname is “Mission Impossible,” made a series of impressive throwdowns with the help of the Kings Dunkers. In one sequence, Kilganon jumped over all four of the Sacramento slammers and threw down his signature “scorpion” jam.

Aside from helping with Kilganon’s routine, the high-flying crew, who perform at many Kings games during the season, showed off some of their signature slams as well.

Often invited to take their talents to cities around the country, the Kings Dunkers made sure to leave a jaw-dropping impression on their Olympic audience in Brazil.