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Today, as an amplification of the NBA’s FIT Week presented by Kaiser Permanente, the Sacramento Kings announced month-long activities to encourage community members to lead a healthy life through mind, body and spirit. The activities include fitness classes at Golden 1 Center, a health and wellness vendor expo, Jr. Kings clinics and more.

“The past few years have been accompanied by immense stress, making physical and mental wellbeing more important than ever,” said Sacramento Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. “We are proud to partner with Kaiser Permanente to provide an array of resources to our community, in motivating, fun and interactive ways, to assist them in prioritizing their wellness.”

“Kaiser Permanente and the NBA are continuing to share the important message of fostering total health – mind, body, and spirit. That’s why we are excited to partner with the Kings in expanding NBA Fit Week to Fit Month and encouraging the entire community to get up and get active,” said Kaiser Permanente Sports Medicine and Kings team physician Jason Brayley, MD,. “Encouraging everyone, especially kids, to be active, eat healthy and play together, combined with taking care of your mental health, benefits us all.”

The Kings will tip-off the month of health and wellness by hosting a guided meditation for female team members at Golden 1 Center on Tuesday, March 8. The guided meditation will be a space to promote relaxation, health and healing.

The organization will then host Wellness Amplified on Sunday, March 13, partnering with local fitness and health experts from AfroYoga and The Academy Training and Performance Center for a one-day fitness event. The day, starting at 8:15 a.m. will feature HIIT, yoga and resistance bands classes, allowing fans and fitness enthusiasts alike to try different types of exercise. To learn more and sign-up for Wellness Amplified, visit Kings.com/Wellness.

On Monday, March 21, the Kings will team up with ULTRA to host ULTRA Movement, an evening workout class accompanied by a premium swag bag and post-class happy hour at Golden 1 Center.

During NBA FIT Week, which runs from March 23 to March 30, the Kings will partner with UPLIFT Yoga Foundation to host Self-Love Flow: Teen Yoga Class, a unique two-hour yoga experience for 50 female teens from local non-profits, led by two UPLIFT certified teen instructors. The class, which will take place on Saturday, March 26, will focus on self-love and mindfulness, moving through yoga, guided meditation, mindfulness practice, journaling and having compassionate conversations.

Throughout the month, the Jr. Kings will host various clinics to encourage activity in youth. A Special Olympics Unified Clinic will be held on Wednesday, March 16, Shooting Clinic on Saturday, March 5 and an all-girls clinic with all female coaches on Saturday, March 19. To sign up for available clinics, visit Kings.com/JrKings.

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Sacramento Kings Launch Health and Wellness Activities Presented by Kaiser Permanente

Today, the Sacramento Kings announced the return of the seventh annual Capitalize, the league’s first crowdsourced startup contest, which offers local entrepreneurs a chance to gain publicity, receive mentorship and secure funding for their business. In addition, Capitalize extends the Kings commitment to providing opportunities for up-and-coming innovators, providing the platform to showcase new products and services on the NBA’s global stage. This year, the contest will be presented by Dialpad, the world’s most advanced business communications company, 3STEPS4WARD, a full-service marketing consultancy group and Sacramento Urban Technology Lab, a “living laboratory” for entrepreneurs, advanced technology businesses, and academic institutions to test, develop, and scale their ideas, products, and services.

“Each year we have seen tremendous participation in Capitalize and we are excited to see what innovative ideas and business models the seventh year of the competition will bring,” said Sacramento Kings Present of Business Operations John Rinehart. “Through this contest, talented entrepreneurs in our region are given the space to showcase their talents and receive valuable resources to grow their companies.”

Applications for this year’s contest are open now and close on Friday, February 25 at 11:59 p.m. Startups located within 75 miles of Sacramento are eligible to apply. On April 3, as the Kings take on the Golden State Warriors during Tech Night, the winner will be announced and awarded a $10,000 cash prize towards the development of their startup, 3 years of access to Dialpad communication services and six months of free marketing services from 3STEPS4WARD. In addition, a prize of $3,000 and $1,500 will be awarded to the second place and third place companies, respectively.

“The Capitalize contest further embodies the mission of our partnership with the Kings, to deeply invest in the Sacramento community and support groups that are committed to closing the digital divide and removing barriers,” said Dialpad Co-Founder and CEO Craig Walker. “Everyone at Dialpad is excited to witness the innovation brought to Capitalize by small businesses, and we are honored to be co-presenting this event.”

“Our entire team is honored to be a part of this groundbreaking contest once again,” said 3STEPS4WARD Founder and CEO Douglas Younger III. “Capitalize is crucial to further expansion for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We encourage all those eligible to enter, and we look forward to assisting in crowning the 2022 Capitalize grand prize winner.”

Applicants will be narrowed down to the “Sweet 16” on Monday, February 28. The Kings will then host a Pitch Workshop from Thursday, March 3 to Friday, March 4 to select the “Elite 8.” The Elite 8 will be announced on Saturday, March 5 and will receive additional coaching as they prepare for Capitalize Pitch Day on Monday, March 21. At Pitch Day, a panel of successful entrepreneurs, executives and investors will judge the eight semifinalists’ pitches and select the “Final Four” to move on to the Capitalize Finals.

The judging panel will consist of local business professionals, executives and entrepreneurs, including: 

The four finalists will create pitch videos that will be displayed on Kings.com/Capitalize and will be used for fan voting via Twitter. Fans will have the opportunity cast a vote by tweeting support for their favorite company starting on March 22 until halftime of the Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors game on April 3. The judges’ votes, along with fan votes, will be tallied and the Capitalize grand prize winner will be announced during the game.

Last year, Credder, the world’s largest news review platform, aggregating credibility reviews on articles, was crowned the winner of the 2021 Capitalize contest.

“Winning Capitalize 2021 was a game-changer for our business,” says Credder Co-Founder and CEO Chase Palmieri. “Just being part of the competition was valuable, but winning unlocked a flood of new investors, partnership opportunities, national press attention, and other resources that have been propelling Credder forward ever since. I can’t wait to see what innovative companies get discovered in this year's competition!”

The Kings are proud to highlight the ever-growing technology and innovation community within the Sacramento region. Since the inaugural launch of Capitalize in 2016, hundreds of applicants from around the area have submitted their business ideas to be considered in this contest, with many expressing how valuable the contest has been for the growth of their emerging businesses.

For more information and details on how to enter, visit Kings.com/Capitalize. 

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Sacramento Kings Launch Seventh Annual Capitalize Crowdsource Startup Contest

Today, the Sacramento Kings relaunched the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center mobile app with new and improved features, providing fans opportunities to get even closer to the team by earning rewards, ordering food, managing tickets, and more. Enhancing the innovative combination of team and venue app, the redesign enables a more personalized experience for fans, allowing individuals to enjoy content and experiences customized to their location, preferences, and engagement.

“We are committed to enhancing the guest experience by providing fans more personalized content,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “The app, which we fondly call a remote control for the arena, is designed to ensure an exceptional and seamless journey to, in and outside of Golden 1 Center.”

Through the app, the team is offering the all-new Royalty Pass, the Sacramento Kings loyalty program helping the organization further surprise, delight and reward fans based on their engagement. App users can compete in Fan Challenges, including attending games, watching broadcasts and engaging with the Kings through trivia and more. Fans that participate in Challenges can earn rewards on their Royalty Pass including free food and drinks, gear from the Team Store, custom Kings jerseys and autographed items. Kings Season Ticket Members can also use the Royalty Pass to enjoy their member-exclusive discounts on food, drinks and merchandise.

In addition, the app features new chat functionality that gives fans access to a variety of services and information, including curated content on their favorite player, in-depth arena support, way-finding, and seamless discovery of Kings merchandise and ticket offerings. Powered by GameOn Technology, the chat bot within the Kings app provides a virtual concierge service for those who are visiting or plan to visit Golden 1 Center.

“The Kings mobile app offers a truly comprehensive experience for fans and we’re excited to be a part of the user journey,” said GameOn Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Kalin Stanojev. “Whether a fan is in the arena, searching for tickets from home, or keeping up with the team while on the move, the Kings are providing all of the resources needed to deliver a great, unified experience for each and every fan.”

The app also continues to integrate mobile ordering, allowing fans to browse menus, skip lines and pick up food and beverages in designated locations. In addition, it features on-demand information regarding every aspect connected to their visit to create a seamless experience, including information about transportation and parking, access to advanced game metrics, opportunities to receive team updates and access to order merchandise from the Team Store. Moreover, fans and guests will be able to buy, manage and transfer tickets to Kings games and Golden 1 Center events via the app.

This redesign was completed in partnership with Raw Engineering who has collaborated with the Sacramento Kings since 2015 to give fans the best team and arena app in the league. The Raw Engineering Digital Fan Experience enables teams and leagues to energize their fans and drive ROI by leveraging dynamic, personalized content and actionable analytics.

“We are very excited to continue our work with the Kings on the app redesign,” said Raw Engineering VP, Strategy &amp; Solutions Paul Erlicht. “In addition to the app being a beautiful, clean, modern design, the redesigned UX helps deepen the Kings relationship with their fans by bringing its loyalty program to the forefront.”  

For more information and to download the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center mobile app, visit Kings.com/App.

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Sacramento Kings Relaunch App with Personalized Experiences for Fans

Today, the Sacramento Kings and Ankr, a leader in the digital-asset space as a software platform and decentralized infrastructure provider, announced an official multi-year partnership established from their mutual vision of the future of sports and blockchain as a technology.

“Sports can be a powerful platform to educate and embrace innovation,” said Sacramento Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “We are proud to partner with Ankr to further align our synergies around forward-thinking initiatives and provide fans educational opportunities about the crypto economy.”

“We have visited the Kings data center for crypto mining inside their facilities many times and I admire the openness of the owner, Vivek, to embrace new technologies,” said Ankr Founder Chandler Song. “We are aligned in this mission to promote applications of Web 3 technologies. Ankr’s partnership with the Sacramento Kings, one of the most innovative companies in sports and in the NBA, will open a lot of new doors for both sports fans and the crypto community.”

Through this partnership, the Kings and Ankr will produce educational content, host events and create innovative projects that showcase ways to support the growth of the blockchain industry. Utilizing the Kings existing charitable cryptocurrency mining program, MiningForGood, the first of its kind in a professional sports venue, both teams will partner to allocate mining proceeds to help train and steward a new workforce for the blockchain industry. As part of the partnership, the Kings home court will now carry Ankr’s branding on each baseline, prominently visible at every game in Golden 1 Center.

Launched in 2018, Ankr provides much-needed infrastructure and tooling that can streamline the development of blockchain-based solutions. As of 2021, Ankr’s protocol supports more than 50 Proof-Of-Stake chains through their network. Ankr aims to democratize access to the new internet economies for students, developers, fans and players alike. Ankr’s team is already delivering on their mission by providing accessible liquid staking solutions which eliminate barriers to entry for participants in top blockchain communities like Ethereum 2.0, Polkadot, Polygon and Avalanche. Developers can use their infrastructure, APIs and tooling and to build and scale decentralized applications or marketplaces for Decentralized Finance (DeFi), NFTs and any other Web3 implementations.

In 2019, the Kings announced the NBA’s first blockchain-powered reward program in collaboration with Blockparty – an enhancement to the NBA’s first predictive gaming application, “Call the Shot.” Also in 2019, the Kings announced a collaboration with CryptoKaiju, creator of the world’s first vinyl toys powered by Ethereum and fully traceable on a public blockchain, to launch the first physical crypto-collectible in professional sports.

The Kings then launched the NBA’s first Live blockchain-powered auction platform for authentic memorabilia with Consensys and Treum in 2020. The next year, the team launched a digital collection of 85 NFTs depicting the 1985 commemorative pin given out in the Kings inaugural season in Sacramento and featuring exclusive experiences including 2021-22 Opening Night tickets. In addition, the Kings piloted the first-ever Smart Ticket NFT Experience Pass for 100 lucky fans during California Classic, NBA Summer League Games.

The Kings were named the "most innovative company in sports" by Fast Company and “Most Tech Savvy Team of 2016” by Sport Techie and were a recipient of Sports Business Journal’s “Facility of the Year.”

Ankr is a leader in the digital-asset space as a software platform and decentralized infrastructure provider. Built to support the growth of Web3, Ankr provides scalable plug-and-play multichain solutions, and supports more than 50 proof-of-stake chains with an all-in-one portal for public RPC, APIs, and developer tools. The protocol’s utility token, ANKR, is tradeable on Coinbase and Gemini. Learn more at www.ankr.com and follow Ankr on Twitter.

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Sacramento Kings and Blockchain Company Ankr Launch Multi-Year Partnership

The Sacramento Kings announced today that the team has waived guards Matt Coleman III and DJ Steward.

Coleman III appeared in three preseason games for the Kings and Steward appeared in Monday night’s contest at Portland.

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Kings Waive Matt Coleman III and DJ Steward

Today, the Sacramento Kings, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento County Public Health and the National Guard, announced Golden 1 Center will serve as a COVID-19 vaccine clinic and launched the “Your Shot Counts: Help Sacramento Rebound” public awareness campaign.

“We are proud to partner with Kaiser Permanente to promote the importance of the vaccination and help with distributing to our community,” said Sacramento Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. “Health and wellness are an absolute priority and with the vaccine we are one step closer to stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

“Kaiser Permanente is increasing access to the COVID-19 vaccine through key partnerships in the community, and we are proud to partner with the Sacramento Kings on this important vaccination event,” said Dr. Roderick Vitangcol, physician-in-chief for Kaiser Permanente’s Sacramento medical center. “The vaccine is safe and effective, and as a leading health care provider in the community, we are working to ensure everyone has access to it so we can bring an end to the pandemic.”

The goal of the “Your Shot Counts: Help Sacramento Rebound” campaign is to expand awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine and encourage people to get vaccinated. This public awareness campaign will include messages from Kings players, coaches and legends including guard Tyrese Haliburton, Associate Head Coach Alvin Gentry and Color Analyst Doug Christie as well as Kaiser Permanente medical professionals to help dispel vaccine hesitancies and increase education on the benefits and importance of getting vaccinated.

The clinic will be hosted on Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide vaccines to qualified individuals aged 12 years and older. The event will include music provided by DJ Eddie Z and individuals who get vaccinated will receive a behind the scenes tour of Golden 1 Center including a special look into the Kings Locker Room and Esports Training Facility and Content Studio and an opportunity to take pictures on the arena floor. They can also enter a raffle for Kings tickets, Golden 1 Center concert tickets and Kings autographed merchandise. Additionally, they will receive Kings swag and gift cards to local DOCO merchants, Haagen-Daz Ice Cream and Pop Bar, while supplies last.

Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment, visit MyTurn.ca.gov input the zip code 95814 and choose the clinic titled “Sacramento Kings and Kaiser Permanente at Golden 1 Center.”

Free parking will be available in the Downtown West Garage and Kaiser Permanente DOCO Garage to individuals accessing the vaccine clinic. SacRT is also offering free transit rides to those with proof of scheduled COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

Second doses will be available on July 17 also at Golden 1 Center.

As the world works to combat COVID-19, the Kings are committed to using basketball as a platform for advancing social good by spreading awareness and support throughout the community. In March 2020, the organization launched “In This Together,” an initiative to educate, support, entertain and bring acts of kindness, or “Kings-ness,” to the Sacramento community during the COVID-19 health crisis.

To learn more about the clinic, visit Kings.com/vaccine.

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Sacramento Kings Partner with Kaiser Permanente and Sacramento County Public Health to Host COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at Golden 1 Center

The NBA today announced that Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes has been selected as one of five finalists for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award.  The new annual award, named after six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, recognizes a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged. The other four finalists are Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony, Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and Golden State Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson.

The finalists for the award were selected from an impressive pool of NBA team nominees who have upheld the league’s decades-long values of equality, respect and inclusion.  The finalists were determined by a selection committee composed of Abdul-Jabbar, and notable social justice leaders, including Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, student activist Teyonna Lofton, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

Over the last year, Barnes has provided meaningful support to youth, families and frontline workers in Sacramento, Dallas and Ames, IA, and has also been a vocal advocate for voter rights, addressing systemic racism and investing in Black youth.  Leading up to the 2020 election, he emphasized the importance of civic engagement and voting through speaking engagements, a collaboration with Be.Woke.Vote and casting a ballot himself on National Vote Early Day at Golden 1 Center. As part of the NBA restart, Barnes dedicated each Kings game to a different organization supporting racial justice – including the Trayvon Martin Foundation, the Botham Jean Foundation, The Atatiana Project, Mothers Against Police Brutality, the Michael Brown Foundation, Tamir Rice Foundation, Champion in the Making and the African American Policy Forum – and contributed $25,000 to those created by the families of victims of police brutality and gun violence.

In October, he was named to the NBA Foundation’s inaugural Board of Directors, helping to guide its effort to further economic empowerment in the Black community and in February, Barnes announced his partnership with Goalsetter, a Black-owned finance app that provides an education-first banking experience, to open saving accounts for 500 youth from Build.Black. in Sacramento and TL Marsalis Elementary in Dallas.  He also launched a series entitled “Conversations with Harrison,” in which he speaks with nonprofit and community leaders, educators, athletes, elected officials and business leaders to promote their work and bring attention to their causes. 

As previously announced, each finalist has selected an organization focused on advancing social justice that will receive a contribution on his behalf.  The winner will receive a $100,000 donation and the other four finalists will each receive a $25,000 contribution. Barnes has selected Center for Policing Equity as the recipient of his donation.

The winner will be announced prior to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on TNT.  Below is more information about the finalists, including their respective efforts and selected beneficiaries, and additional details regarding the selection committee.

About the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Selection Committee

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a six-time NBA champion and the league’s only six-time MVP.  He has a national platform as a regular contributing columnist for newspapers and magazines around the world, including The Washington Post, Time Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, where he shares his thoughts on some of the most socially relevant and politically controversial topics facing our nation today.  After 50 years as an athlete, activist, and a New York Times best-selling author, he offers his perspectives as a nationally recognized speaker who regularly appears on the lecture circuit.  Currently, Abdul-Jabbar serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to “Give Kids a Shot That Can’t be Blocked” by bringing educational STEM opportunities to under-served communities through innovative outdoor environmental learning.  Before leaving office, President Barack Obama awarded Abdul-Jabbar with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Richard E. Lapchick brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to University of Central Florida in August 2001, where he launched the DeVos Sports Business Management Program.  In 2015, it was named the number 2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.  He has spoken in Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican. He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.  Lapchick was inducted into the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.  He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world, a list that includes Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.  Lapchick was one of 200 guests invited by Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.  He has been married to Ann Pasnak since 1989.  They have three children, Joe, Chamy and Emily, and four granddaughters, Taylor, Emma, Molly and Lauren.

Teyonna Lofton is a first-year student at the University of New Orleans.  A native of the Auburn Gresham neighborhood in Chicago, Teyonna spent her high school years as an anti-violence organizer and racial justice activist.  In 2020, she served as a member of the NBA All-Star Youth Leadership Council, where she co-produced and was featured in a short film about the stories, challenges and resilience that define the Auburn Gresham community.  Sadly, Teyonna was affected by gun violence in her community, which slowed down her college transition but didn’t stop her.  Teyonna now continues her education and fight for better communities on the South Side of Chicago.  Teyonna is a graduate of the Perspectives Leadership Academy and a current student leader of St. Sabina’s B.R.A.V.E Youth Leaders violence intervention program.

Marc H. Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation's largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.  As Mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002, Morial led New Orleans’ renaissance, and left office with a 70% approval rating.  A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics and African American Studies, he also holds a law degree from Georgetown University.

Since 2005, Janet Murguía has served as President and CEO of UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization.  In that role, Murguía has sought to strengthen UnidosUS’s work and enhance its record of impact as a vital American institution.  Murguía has also worked to amplify the Latino voice on issues affecting the Hispanic community such as education, health care, immigration, civil rights and the economy.  Murguía began her career in Washington, D.C., as legislative counsel to former Congressman Jim Slattery from her home state, Kansas.  She worked with Congressman Slattery for seven years before joining the Clinton administration, where she served for six years as a deputy assistant to President Clinton, including deputy director of legislative affairs.  After serving in the Clinton administration, Murguía went on to serve as deputy campaign manager and director of constituency outreach for the Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign. She received three degrees from the University of Kansas: a B.S. degree in journalism, a B.A. degree in Spanish and a J.D. from the KU School of Law.

Amanda Nguyen is an internationally acclaimed social entrepreneur.  She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.  Amanda penned her own civil rights into existence by unanimously passing the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights.  She has trained hundreds of activists using her theory of organizing, “Hopeanomics,” to pass 35 laws protecting more than 87 million sexual violence survivors.  Recently, her viral video sparked national coverage on anti-Asian hate crimes.  Amanda is the CEO and founder of Rise, a social movement accelerator where she teaches grassroots organizing.  In recognition of her work, Amanda is a Heinz Laureate, Nelson Mandela Changemaker, Forbes 30 Under 30, Foreign Policy 100, Time 100 Next, Frederick Douglass 100 and Marie Claire Young Woman of the Year. Previously, Amanda served at NASA and the State Department under the Obama administration.  Amanda graduated from Harvard University.

Mark Tatum was appointed NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO on Feb. 1, 2014, following unanimous approval by the NBA Board of Governors.  Tatum, who joined the NBA in 1999, is responsible for the NBA’s business operations, including leading the NBA’s international efforts.  Prior to joining the NBA, Tatum worked for Major League Baseball in Corporate Sponsorship and Marketing, the Clorox Company as a Regional Sales Manager, Pepsi-Cola Company in its Sports Marketing department and Procter &amp; Gamble in sales management.  Tatum sits on numerous boards including USA Basketball, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, General Motors, LA 2028 Summer Olympics and Harvard Business School Board of Dean’s Advisors.  He is Chair of the Harvard Business School Club of New York and a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a national organization that empowers Black corporate leaders to make impactful contributions.  Tatum received a B.S. in Business Management from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard University.

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Harrison Barnes Selected as Finalist for Inaugural NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

NBC Sports California’s coverage of the Sacramento Kings versus the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 27 will feature its first-ever exclusively women and non-binary announcing and coverage team across the live-game telecast, pregame and postgame shows, and social content.

Krista Blunk, former TV voice of the Sacramento Monarchs, will serve as play-by-play announcer alongside Kings analyst and former WNBA player Kayte Hunter. NBC Sports California host Laura Britt will anchor Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live with WNBA All-Star and New York Liberty guard Layshia Clarendon serving up pregame and postgame analysis, as well as in-game commentary. Stockton Kings color analyst Morgan Ragan will round out the cross-platform coverage by taking over NBC Sports California’s @NBCSKings Twitter account for the day.

“Each of these individuals are such valuable contributors to sports broadcasting and we are excited to bring them together to showcase their talent,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “It is critically important to provide opportunities and pathways for more diverse voices to be included in the industry while also highlighting the incredible ones working in sports currently. As a father, I have seen firsthand the positive impact athletics can have on the next generation and it is my hope that all young people see themselves as having a place in sports.”

“We are incredibly proud to partner with the Kings to highlight the unique talent, expertise and passion that each of these professionals embody, and excited for the engaging coverage they’ll create for Kings fans and basketball fans throughout the region,” said NBC Sports California Senior Director of Live Events and Special Projects Devon Fox. “Advancing new and diverse perspectives is key to serving sports fans great content and in promoting opportunity and inclusivity in sports media and beyond.”

 Pregame coverage will also feature guest Sophia Jones, a freshman San Jose State Spartans guard majoring in radio, television and film. The daughter of Kings play-by-play announcer Mark Jones, Sophia is a 2020 graduate of Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Florida, where she was a two sport athlete competing in basketball and track and field and owns the school’s career scoring record.

March 27: Exclusively Women and Non-Binary Announcing &amp; Coverage Team