The 2007-08 Sacramento Kings season featured a rookie head coach, a handful of injuries and a glimpse of a young nucleus with much promise. On June 19, 2007, the team hired Head Coach Reggie Theus away from New Mexico State to help elevate a Kings team that had struggled to a 33-win season in 2006-07.

“I think the biggest thing is that I want these guys to play hard,” Theus said prior to the press conference that introduced him as the franchise’s 21st head coach. Not only was it one of his first statements, it was the mantra the team maintained throughout the season, gaining the Kings respect from opposing coaches and teams.

Unfortunately, Sacramento began the season without its best defender, Ron Artest, who missed the team's first seven games due to a League suspension. The team also began without point guard Mike Bibby, who missed the first 36 games after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. No sympathy came from the schedule or the opponents as Sacramento opened the season on the road for the fourth straight season and dropped its first three games.

In the home opener against Seattle on November 6, 2007, the Kings defeated the Sonics 104-98, earning Theus his first NBA coaching victory. Sacramento went on to win four of the next five home contests, including a thrilling double-overtime win against New York and a victory over Eastern Conference power Detroit. With Bibby sidelined, the Kings signed Beno Udrih who had been released by Minnesota after being traded there from San Antonio. In another big win for the Kings, Udrih torched his former team for 27 points in a 112-99 win over the Spurs at ARCO Arena on November 26. Sacramento then spoiled former Kings Head Coach Rick Adelman’s return to ARCO on December 1 and continued its home winning with victories against the Jazz and Bucks. The strong showing at home gave the team an 8-4 record at ARCO Arena to begin the season. Despite the dominance in Sacramento, the team had yet to garner its first road victory, having lost its first nine away games. The road skid came to an end with a win in Philadelphia on December 14. The first road win sparked a winning road trip as the team finished 3-2 on its east coast swing.

Upon returning to Northern California, the Kings lost four consecutive games at home, three of which were decided by 12-plus points. Bibby made his season debut on January 16 in Toronto, marking the first time in the 2007-08 season the starting lineup featured Martin, Bibby and Artest. After the three-game road trip in which the Kings went 1-2, Sacramento won 10 of its next 14 games, including a season-best five-game home win streak. Brad Miller was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 30 – February 3 after posting back-to-back 20-point, 20-rebound double-doubles.

Five days before the trading deadline, the Kings sent Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright and a 2008 second-round draft pick. Bibby, who was in his seventh season with Sacramento and his 10th in the NBA, was an integral player for the Kings, especially when the team won back-to-back Pacific Division titles in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

At the All-Star Break Sacramento had a 23-28 record, ranking it fourth in the Pacific Division. The Kings opened the second half of the season with three straight wins before losing their next four to match their longest losing streak of the season. All four setbacks were on the road. The Kings returned home to face a struggling Miami squad on March 2 that was poised to beat the Kings for the second time in five days. Despite Miami's 23-point third quarter advantage, like they did in November 6th's win against the Sonics in which the Kings rallied from a 20-point deficit, the Kings fought their way back to win 120-109. Sacramento dropped the next three games, losing seven in a stretch of eight games. But the team turned things around with an exciting 114-113 win over the Lakers at STAPLES Center on March 9, marking the first of four wins in five games for the Kings. Following the resurgence, the Kings found themselves in the midst of a three-game losing streak. But once again, the Kings regrouped with wins in five of their next six games, including big wins over playoff-bound Houston and Denver. The 99-98 victory against the Rockets on April 1 marked the 34th win of the season, surpassing the team’s 2006-07 total of 33.

In the final month of the season, the Kings looked to play spoiler as seven of their last nine games were against teams fighting for playoff positioning. As injuries shelved Artest, Martin and Miller, the Kings youth movement was in full effect. Francisco Garcia stepped up to average 16.8 points per game in the final nine contests. Spencer Hawes started the team's final seven games and showed why he was selected 10th in the NBA Draft by the Kings last summer, averaging 11.3 points, seven rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Williams, acquired in the Bibby trade, also received a boost in playing time, averaging 8.2 points and 6.1 rebounds a contest in the last nine games. In the final game of the season against the Lakers, Quincy Douby tallied a career-high 32 points, displaying the scoring ability that made him the Kings 2006 first-round draft choice.

In his fourth season, Martin picked up where he left off after his breakout season a year ago. He led the team in scoring in eight of the first nine games of the season, tallying 20 or more points in each of those contests. For the second straight season, Martin led the Kings in scoring. As he did last season, when he established a new Sacramento-era single-season record for most free throws made (481), Martin continued to draw fouls and made opponents pay at the line. Despite missing 21 games due to injury, including a stretch of 17 games due to a sprained right groin, Martin shattered his record, making 502 free throws. His ability to get to the free throw line ranked him among the League’s elite, finishing the season leading the NBA in free throws made per game. With a career-best 23.7 scoring average, Martin finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NBA.

The summer of 2008 has a number of storylines that will shape next year’s team. The futures of Udrih -- a free agent this summer --, Artest -- who has the ability to opt out of his contract -- and the NBA Draft -- which the Kings have a lottery pick and two second-round selections -- will all be worth keeping an eye on. But with starters Martin, Moore and Miller returning next season, along with the developing games of Garcia, Hawes and Douby, a year of experience for the coaching staff led by Theus should add up to an encouraging 2008-09 season.