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Countless hours of rehearsal and dedication are put into each and every week by the Sacramento Kings Dancers to perform in front of thousands during an NBA season. Let's look back at how their hard work paid off with some of their best routines from this 2016-17 season!
 "Kiss" by Prince &amp; the Revolution

The Kings Dancers channeled their inner 80's groove with their take on a Prince classic.

The dancers brought the energy with their mashup of Beyonce's empowering hit.

The Kings Dancers show off some classic funk moves with their rendition of this disco favorite.

"Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches &amp; Herb

The ladies got groovy for Disco Night with this funky classic.

Tapping into their inner Iggy Azalea, the Kings Dancers showcased a youthful, uplifting routine.

"Somethin' Bad" by Miranda Lambert feat. Carrie Underwood

The ladies went country with this one, channeling their inner girl power with two of the queens of country.

We all went gaga over the final Kings Dancers routine of the season.

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Kings Dancers Top Routines of the 2016-17 Season

Garrett Temple and Langston Galloway might be new teammates in Sacramento, but they’ve been lifelong friends.

Both born and raised in Baton Rouge, La., the Sacramento Kings guards companionship goes back years. First officially meeting through basketball, Galloway and Temple’s parents had worked together and been friends for decades. Thanks to their families and love of the game, there was an early bond from the start.

“I remember seeing him playing basketball at a young age and our parents have known each other since before either of us were born, so that bond definitely is strong,” Temple said.

Five years older than his fellow Louisiana native, this is the first time Temple has ever teamed up with longtime friend. Since his arrival, Galloway has showcased a particularly strong work ethic and competitive spirit according to Temple.

“He’s a bulldog,” Temple said. “He’s a competitor. You never have to worry about him or his heart.”

Aside from their lifelong friendship, Temple and Galloway also share a special sense of determination and pride that comes with fulfilling dreams the hard way. Both being undrafted and working their way up through the D-League, these two Kings guards have achieved NBA success from the bottom.

“I’m glad I gave him the advice to go to the D-League rather than going overseas because it definitely paid off for him,” Temple said. “We have that bond of being underrated guys that had to work the hard way. He’s undersized, but he’s a bulldog out there.”

In addition to his game, the veteran guard also has high praise for the man Galloway is off the court. According to Temple, his fellow Baton Rouge native is one of the kindest players in the entire League.

“He has a great personality,” Temple said of his teammate. “Easily the nicest guy you will meet in the NBA, bar none and that type of guy you always root for.”

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Temple Talks Longtime Friendship With Galloway

In college basketball, excitement and heartbreak are the name of the game during this time of year. For Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore, his memories come in a bit of a different package.

“Making the tournament, finishing my time being there, and just being able to play on that circuit, it’s just unbelievable,” McLemore said. “The atmosphere, the fans there. Playing in Kansas is a big atmosphere and it’s a great feeling.

“A lot of guys in this (locker) room have been to the tournament, had that experience and will always be excited for the month of March...” McLemore continued.

Redshirting his freshman year, McLemore didn’t see a lot of playing time when he first joined the Jayhawks. Despite limited minutes, he still found a way to contribute, providing moral support and encouragement to his fellow teammates.

“My favorite memory (was) my freshman year when we made it to the championship game,” the fourth-year Kings guard said. “Even though I wasn’t playing, it was the greatest experience just to see my teammates go out there and compete, make it all the way to the Final Four and then to the championship game to play against Kentucky. It was a great memory and a fun moment.”

Reminiscing on his past, McLemore acknowledges that one doesn’t have to be on the court to be swept away by the experience of the tournament.

“I wasn’t playing, but it felt like I was,” he said. “Being there, making the Final Four, beating Ohio State and making it to the championship game, that there itself was fun and exciting. I thought, ‘I can’t wait to get there again next year’.

“It pushed me even more (the following season),” he added. “The energy, excitement, fire and thrill just to be like ‘Hey, I’m gonna have it. I’m gonna go through the experience again.’ It definitely is fun.”

Looking back on his college experience, McLemore acknowledges that his time at Kansas has an impact on him to this day. Even though it’s been more than four years since he last rocked chalk as a Jayhawk, the Kings guard still fondly recalls the many moments he enjoyed as part of the KU family.

“As a player, just playing the game of basketball you like to think about what you did in college, the atmosphere and the (motivation) you had,” McLemore said. “You probably watch some film from back in the day, just to get that (inspiration) to go out here and perform on a daily basis.”

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Ben McLemore Recalls Thrilling March Memories

First meeting as teammates of the 2012 Oklahoma University Men’s Basketball team, the now Reno Bighorn and Sacramento Kings guards have been through it all.

Both leaving a mark early on in their Oklahoma University careers, they created a great friendship and support system.

“We’re just like best friends. Went through a lot at OU. We were roommates, been in the gym together, and done a lot of stuff together. He’s like a brother to me”, explains Cousins.

This past Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs marked Hield’s sixth performance this season with 18-plus points in addition to tying his career record for assists with five. Since coming to Sacramento, Hield has continued displaying a strong presence on the court, averaging 13.7 points per game including 50% from the field and 85% from the free throw line.

In his own right, Cousins is shooting 44.2% from the field and 79.9% at the free throw line averaging 16.2 points with 5.4 rebounds and 4 assists per game with the Bighorns.

Despite no longer playing on the same team together, the two still keep up with each other and share support for one another whenever possible.

Cousins gladly expressed, “I’m happy for him that he’s in Sac. I think Sacramento is a good fit for him. He can just come here, play and just show how good of a player he is.”

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'He's like a brother to me.'

The Kings are hoping to end a seven-game slide as they face the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have won three of their last five matchups and have seemed to find a rhythm late in the regular season.

Denver is coming off a 119-99 win over the Celtics following a big night from center Nikola Jokic. Finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, this marked the Jokic’s first game back after sitting out the last two due to illness. Thanks to Wilson Chandler’s 23 points and Danilo Gallinari’s 20, the Nuggets led throughout all four quarters as they secured the win.

The Kings head into tonight’s matchup after a tough OT loss to the Washington Wizards. Willie Cauley-Stein led the Kings in scoring finishing with 20 points while both Buddy Hield and Arron Afflalo finished with 18 points.

The Kings found an early lead which they carried into halftime. But the Wizards found their momentum halfway through the fourth, outscoring the Kings 34-19 to force overtime. Struggling to find their barrings, the Kings were outscored 14-6 in the extra period as the Wizards locked up the comeback victory.

Cauley-Stein will line up against Jokic, who led his team in scoring in his last matchup. The second-year big man will look to capitalize on his double-double performance from the night before and maximize on stops.

Nuggets mascot Rocky is a member of the Mascot Hall of Fame.

The game will be streamed online on CSN California. Fans can also tune into the action on Sports 1140 KHTK Radio and the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center App. Follow Kings.com with live updates and postgame content on Twitter Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

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Preview: Kings (25-40) vs Nuggets (30-35)

Tonight is a battle of Playoff hopefuls as the Sacramento Kings visit the Denver Nuggets.

In their previous matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, the Nuggets came out flat after two impressive road wins. Power forward Nikola Jokic led the team with a double-double, 31 points and 14 rebounds, while Danilo Gallinari stepped up as well, adding 22 points of his own. The Hornets proved they were too much for the Nuggets, however, with six players finishing in double digits in a 112-102 victory. The Nuggets have lost two of their last five matchups, adding to the trend of back and forth inconsistency they’ve shown all season long.

Losers of four of their last five matchups, the Kings head to Denver with their own share of struggles. Heading on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, the Kings look to regroup after a heartbreaking 110-109 loss to the Utah Jazz. The Kings found their momentum early in the first half behind the leadership of Darren Collison, Ty Lawson, and Arron Afflalo. The trio finished the night with 18, 19, and 17 points, respectively. Kosta Koufos also played a major role, ending the game with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Despite seven players scoring in double digits, the Kings couldn’t secure the win, losing on a buzzer-beating tip-in by Rudy Gobert in overtime.

Willie Cauley-Stein has been adjusting to his new presence in the Kings rotation and will match up against Jokic, the Nuggets rising star in the middle.  During their last outing, Cauley-Stein successfully held Jokic to four points on the night.

Kings newcomer Buddy Hield has finished in double-digits four out of his first five games in Sacramento.

The game will be streamed online on CSN California. Fans can also tune into the action on Sports 1140 KHTK Radio and the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center App. Follow Kings.com with live updates and postgame content on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Preview: Kings (25-37) at Nuggets (28-34)

Across the nation, Feb 3 marked the start of NBA’s Black History Month celebration. The Sacramento Kings have done their part to honor pioneers past, present, and future by incorporating educational elements from various African-American groups and displays from American River College.

The Kings have also invited historic figures who’ve played landmark roles in black history to be part of their celebration. As the first African-American to play basketball at LSU, Collis Temple Jr., father of Kings guard Garrett Temple, has been one of the Kings recent honorees.

Temple Jr., father of the Kings very own Garrett Temple, played collegiately for the Tigers from 1971-74. Though it’s been more than four decades since his playing career at LSU, Temple still remembers what it was like to be at the forefront of change.

“I went to LSU shortly after Martin Luther King was killed in Memphis and we were in quite a bit of a turbulent time,” Temple Jr. said. “Particularly in the south so it was quite a challenge, but we did fairly well. And it was interesting and at the same time, a really challenging time.”

The Temple family has a long legacy of paving the way for African Americans. Garrett’s grandfather, Collis Sr. was originally turned down to attend school for his Master’s at LSU. But seven years after the Civil Rights Act passed and segregation ended, he was approached by the Governor of Louisiana to help integrate the school. By offering his blessing for his son to become the first African-American basketball player at LSU, Garrett’s grandfather opened the door for future generations.

His grandfather paved the way, his father broke the barrier and a generation later Garrett followed in his father’s footsteps to become a star at LSU.

“There’s been a lot of other players that have been able to get there and he was the first one,” Garrett said of his father. “It’s very interesting and I’m very proud of the fact that he was the first.”

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Temple Family Paves Way for African-American Athletes

The Sacramento Kings begin their first of a five-game homestand against the Denver Nuggets.

The Kings get ready to start the second half of the season with a new look.  Following a major trade Monday, Sacramento now is in the process of welcoming three new players into their system. All eyes will be on Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway and Tyreke Evans as they suit up for the Kings for the very first time tonight.

In their previous matchup before the All-Star break, the Nuggets struggled across the board squaring off against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Unable to find their pace, they fell 122-99 to the Timberwolves. This back and forth inconsistency has been a trend in most recent games, with the Nuggets losing three of their last five.

Willie Cauley-Stein has been adjusting well to his new-found presence in the Kings rotation. Matching up against the Nuggets talented young big man Nikola Jokic, he will look to capitalize against the Kings new lineup.

Evans spent the first four seasons of his career with the Kings wearing the No. 13. This time around, he has chosen the No. 32 in honor of former teammate and King Francisco Garcia.

The game will be streamed online on CSN California. Fans can also tune into the action on Sports 1140 KHTK Radio and the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center App. Follow Kings.com with live updates and postgame content on Twitter Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.