Hannah Taheri

For this installment, we spoke with Kings Groups and Hospitality Account Manager, Brian Graves. Brian is famous around the Kings offices for his contagious energy, unwavering positivity, and larger than life passion for the work he does.

How would you describe your role with the Sacramento Kings?

I really like my role. I would say it is definitely more of a mentorship at this time. I've been doing this for 27 years working in professional sports sales.

So, a lot of the younger [sales] reps in my department and even in other departments are able to listen to me on the phone and my approach to selling and hopefully they're able to take some of what I say and use my experience and communication skills to help them sell as well.

Who have been your biggest role models in life?

I'd have to save Martin Luther King Jr. Growing up and reading about him and being a Christian man myself, I admired his approach that love and non-violence is the way to get things accomplished in this country. Some of the racial tensions that we have and things that are going on in this world, the way to defeat them is with love. So, I'd have to say that he is definitely a big hero of mine.

Also, my mother is very successful. She's retired now, but she was the vice president and Senior Creative Director for the largest African American advertising agency in the world. She was also the vice president of Motown records for a while. She’s definitely one of my heroes as well for sure.

Being a female in the corporate world, she was successful back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s when a lot of wonderful women hadn’t made the progress that we've made now in the new millennium, so I'm proud of her for that. She was a big contributor. She worked with Bill Clinton on the Bill Clinton campaign in 1992. And she was voted one of the Top 50 African American Business Women of All Time by Essence Magazine. I'm extremely proud of her.

In what ways do you celebrate your African American heritage?

On Martin Luther King Jr. day, we generally do a walk through Sacramento. Also, my lady and I watch a lot of African American history programs, just not to forget that we've come a long way in this country as an African Americans.

Even though, obviously, there's some still some issues, if you look at where we were from slavery all the way up to civil rights to where we are now…God has been good.

What advice would you give to fellow African Americans who are striving to succeed in the Entertainment/Sports industry?

This is so cliché, but the first thing is to get your education. Education is always key. You obviously want to graduate high school, but then after that, pursue an education at a four-year university. If your route has to be junior college and then to move on to a four-year university, that's fine.

Also, find some good mentors. My grandmother told me a long time ago, and I'll never forget it, “Brian, if you want to do something, you need to get with the people that are doing it.”

My mother always taught me that if you go for your passion, the money will follow. Don't just get a job because you want to get paid a lot of money. Think about it what it is that you really want to do, what you have a passion for, and the money will follow.

Why is it important to you to continue to encourage diversity in the workplace?

I believe the more diverse we are, the better we are as an organization. Not just at the Sacramento Kings, but across the board in the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball, and so on. I feel like each culture brings a certain skill set. We're all different, our cultures are different, and we all have different talents. So, it’s important that you're not just getting talent from one culture or one demographic.

[Diversity] makes you better because you're able to get fresh new ideas. You can look at someone else's culture or the way they do things and find a way that you can bring that to the table of what we do. You just learn more.

I think I speak for everyone at the office when I say that you are one of the most positive people here. Where did you get such a passionate zest for life?

First of all, I just want to say thank you and God bless you. I get that simply from my faith and my belief in God. He teaches me that you're going to come up against opposition. There's going to be things that don't go your way. But, don't let that steal your joy. Believe it or not, no matter what you're going through, there's always millions of people that would love to take your place and would think that your life is great.

Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to continue to have a great attitude and love people even when they don't reciprocate or give it back to you. But, the Lord tells me that I'm blessed regardless as long as I proactively do it. You can't control somebody else's response or what they will say or do, but it's my job to stay positive. That's what I was put on this Earth for.

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Black History Month Spotlight: Brian Graves

More than 20,000 people gathered at Staples Center to attend Monday’s Celebration of Life honoring those lost in the helicopter crash that took the lives of seven people, including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gigi. Among those attendees were Kings players, former and new, as well as front office members from the organization.

The team played the Clippers on Saturday afternoon and made a point of staying in L.A. through the weekend to return to Staples Center for the historic memorial.

Kings Forward Harrison Barnes described the service as, “a beautiful celebration of Kobe and Gigi and all the victims of the crash.”

Barnes continued, “It definitely puts in perspective the platform that we have and the blessing it is every single day to come out here and play…but also the opportunity we have to inspire people. You look around that arena, you see all the people that he touched in a very personal way.”

Another aspect of the memorial that stunned attendees and viewers alike was the sheer strength of Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant. She delivered two beautiful eulogies to honor her late husband and daughter and kept remarkable composure for the duration of her twenty minutes on the stage.

“Vanessa being strong enough to be able to do that [speech] was great,” De’Aaron Fox commented. “Obviously, it was emotional being there. It was great that we were able to be there to support. I mean, Kobe was one of our own. [The NBA] is a fraternity. Not a lot of guys can really say that they were able to play in the NBA. He touched a lot of people.”

Bogdan Bogdanovic, a particularly huge fan of the Black Mamba, was also in awe of the vast number of people the basketball legend impacted in his lifetime.

“All the people there, they were from different areas. Not just basketball. It's unbelievable that Kobe touched all these people. There will never be a man like that again.”

Kings newcomer Kent Bazemore had similar sentiments to share. When asked about how it felt to be in attendance, he replied, “It was amazing to see so much talent in one place from numerous decades from different walks of life.”

In addition to Michael Jordan, Shaq, Dwyane Wayde, and more, also included on the talented guest list were Hollywood A-listers such as J-Lo and A-Rod, Beyonce, and Jimmy Kimmel to name a few. Bazemore expressed a special appreciation for the number of women's basketball players in attendance, saying, “The way that the women's basketball game was represented there really meant a lot. I attend a lot of women's basketball games. To see Diana Taurasi and [Sabrina Ionescu] speaking on how Kobe impacted them was really motivating to see.”

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Kings Share Sentiments on Attending Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant

You are the Entertainment Manager for 916 Crew. 916 Crew is very diverse and one of the first of its kind amongst the NBA. Why do you feel it is important for groups like this to exist amongst global organizations? Also, why is it important to continue to encourage diversity in the workplace?

I think that one of the best things a person can do in their lifetime, is put themselves in the middle of as many different situations, with as many different people as they can. Being able to adapt is the key to relationships, and life is based on relationships. Any success that anyone has ever achieved stems from the ability to perceive and understand people and I instill this into my teams.

Diversity constantly challenges you to think about the way you think. Then you are able to evolve as an individual by adapting new practices and concepts, while omitting the ones that don’t suit you. You basically become the best, most informed version of yourself that you might not have achieved alone.

This is why it is so important for groups like 916 Crew to exist amongst global organizations like this one. The things we achieve as a team by including the best of each individual and their experiences is absolutely insane! We are achieving so much creatively, and walking away with knowledge and experiences that will change our lives and the way we see the world.

As a former NBA dancer and a current leader in the workplace, what does being an African American woman in your position mean to you?

It is no secret that being a woman in the workplace comes with its own challenges. Add that to being a minority, and it really shifts the odds. I hope that being in the position that I am in is a testament to others that the odds can be beaten with hard work and preparation, but mostly being okay with resistance and knowing that you just have to push back harder.

Have you ever encountered any adversity in your professional career as a result of your race? If so, how did you overcome it?

My 10 years in the NBA have been nothing short of amazing. This organization has poured into me, and I have been able to pour into others as a result. As a dancer of eight years, the presence of black women was typically limited to two to three girls per season.

In the NBA, you audition every year to earn your spot back, so not only were the teams limited to only 18-20 girls with over 100 auditionees. I believe that the way you think about yourself and your situations determines your quality of life. These odds ignited fire in me to be the best, to be such an asset that I was not easily replaced.

This adversity taught me grit that I needed to be where I am today. In my last two years of managing, I have made it a point to cast solely based on talent, with an emphasis on inclusivity. I believe in making change from the inside out. Success is only achieved when you can share your journey and lessons with others, so that they too can be successful.

Do you have any African American role models? If so, why do you look up to this person/these people?

My dad is my role model without a doubt. I look up to him because he takes risks, started his own successful business, and never let anyone or anything discourage him. My dad is the most selfless person I know. He is constantly telling me to learn people, and to use what I have learned to love them the way they need to be loved because the world needs more people like that.

He has sacrificed so much in his lifetime for my sisters and myself to be successful. My favorite thing he has ever said is, “If you never leave the basics, you never have to revisit them. Life isn’t hard, we make it that way.” I strive to be the kind of person my dad is.

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Black History Month Spotlight: Kings Entertainment Manager, Sasha Cole

Unsurprisingly, captivating Kings Forward Richaun Holmes has been publicly recognized once again for his stellar start in Sactown.

Bleacher Report has listed the 6’10“ force of nature on its list of ”Every NBA Team's Most Surprising Breakthrough Player This Season.” This title came at the same time Holmes also earned a spot on The Athletic’s All-Surprise Team this season.

“Holmes stepped into the starting lineup and has been one of the best centers in the league,” wrote Namaste.“He's recording a 66.8 effective field goal percentage, which ranks fourth in the NBA, and runs a mean pick-and-roll game with Sacramento's ball-handlers that often ends in ferocious dunks.”

#22 has remained constant in putting up a strong fight on the hardwood. He’s enjoyed multiple career-high nights in recent weeks, including posting 28 points versus Portland and securing 18 rebounds against Minnesota.

As the Illinois native loves to say, Kings fans will have to “Stay 22uned” to keep up with the additional excitement he’s bound to bring to the 916 in the new year.

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Richaun Holmes Named One of NBA’s Most Surprising Breakthrough Players

As the Kings took off to Mumbai, India to make history by taking part in the first ever NBA India Games, Fox shared his thoughts and experiences exclusively with The Undefeated.

See what the Sactown speedster has been up to since the team touched down in India below:

Sept. 30 – ‘Through a long trip like this, it can only help us grow:”

The night before the team took off for Mumbai on Drake’s private plane, “Air Drake,” which he graciously lent the team, Fox shared his emotions going into one of his first International trips. “I am excited to see a different culture,” he said.

“I hope everyone can just enjoy being around each other on this trip. Learn new things together. We’re going out there to play basketball games and discover who we are as a team."

The team was in the air for almost the entirety of the first of the month. But, flying on Air Drake is much different than flying coach, as one can imagine.

“Flying on Drake’s plane, man, it was dope. It was 20 hours, but…even when we were staying up I didn’t feel like I was tired or like struggling to stay up because it felt like you was sitting in your living room.”

After arriving to the country, the Kings paid a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. De’Aaron mentioned that seeing the famous Marble Mausoleum was one of the things her was most looking forward to about the trip.

“I think being [at the Taj Mahal] in person, it’s simply amazing. I know it means the world to Vivek [Ranadive]. For him to bring his organization here, I know he’s definitely having a blast.”

After a busy few days, the guys took a much needed day of rest ahead of their first game on Friday morning. Aside from relaxing and playing foosball with one another at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai, they also enjoyed some additional sightseeing as a group.

“You know how we talk about Southern hospitality? It’s different over here. The hospitality that they show is simply amazing, and people from the streets to the hotel — I mean everybody — everybody’s going to say hello.”

Oct. 4 – “Making Basketball History”

On Friday morning, it was finally time for India’s first ever NBA match-up to take place. Though the squad fell one point short of a victory in an exhilarating game against the Pacers, Fox shared, “The atmosphere was great…I think both teams had a hell of a performance.”

Despite the loss, the guys are still eager to celebrate their historic game at a Bollywood-themed party thrown by Kings Chairman and Governor Vivek Ranadive. Above all else, No. 5. seems to be most excited to rock his new traditional Indian party attire.

“The pants fit crazy good, so I might buy more of them,” he said. Fox admitted that jet lag caused him to sleep through the NBA Welcome party on Thursday night, but he has no plans to miss this party. “I can’t miss the thing tonight, because I want to wear the suit.”

The following day, the team geared up to play their second and final NBA India game against the Pacers. Indiana went home with the win, but De’Aaron used the loss as a learning opportunity.

“We gave up way too many uncontested layups, way too many uncontested 3’s, so that’s what we pulled away from these first two games,” he reflected.

On the subject of takeaways, the National Sports Club of India’s crowd’s love for Swipa was made especially apparent during this particular game. Fox remarked, “I heard fans chanting, ‘MVP,’ MVP,’ when I was shooting free throws. I appreciate the chants, but I got a lot of work to do to get there.”

And the love was mutual, according to De’Aaron. Fox said goodbye to Mumbai with a special message to those same fans, reminding us all that experiences like these are bigger than basketball.

“Thank you,” he gushed. “I just hope that they enjoyed this and we left them with a great first impression. For those of you that probably never touched a basketball before, especially for the kids, I hope we were able to make it fun enough so that they’d want to play it themselves.”

To read the full diary entries on The Undefeated: Click here.

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De’Aaron Pens Daily Diary from India

Following Justin James’ four-day stay at the Rookie Training Program (RTP), the University of Wyoming grad was recognized with an RTP Leadership Award. 

According to the NBA, the award is given to five RTP attendees each year, and recognizes “players who demonstrate outstanding team leadership, engagement, and commitment to the personal growth and development of themselves and others.”

We caught up with the rising star to discuss the award, his overall RTP experience, excitement ahead of training camp, and more.

What does it mean to you earn the Rookie Transition Leadership Award?

The Rookie Transition Leadership Award meant a lot just because I pride myself on being a leader and trying to get involved in any way I can to help my team at the time do the best that we can. But, I was just making friends, gaining relationships, and building trust with other people.

What was the experience like at the program as a whole?

It was great—really great. The best part about it was just being able to talk to retired NBA players. They weren’t just people who were telling us stuff, they were people who have been through it and who have gone through the things that we are going to go through.

So, it was a very helpful situation just because there were a lot of people who are in the situation that we are in now and they made a success out of it. They were giving us some tips to become successful.

How excited are you to head into your first training camp as a rookie in the NBA and your first NBA season?

What I’m most looking forward to about Training Camp is just to get the whole team together. To have us finally practicing as a team, going hard, sweating, and just putting those hours into the gym as a team. 

I’m super excited. I waited for this my whole life—to finally say I’m an NBA player. So, I’m working hard just to get ready for Training Camp and I’m super excited. 

What have you been working on most since Summer League wrapped up?

I’ve mostly been continuing to try to be more consistent with the three-ball. I’ve been putting on more weight and always continuing to defend. Being able to play defense is another reason to keep me on the floor so I’m just working on that as much as I can.

Stay tuned to Kings.com as Media Day coverage tips-off the 2019-20 season on September 27 at Golden 1 Center!

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Justin James Earns RTP Leadership Award

As Senior Director of Entertainment for the Sacramento Kings, what do your day-to-day responsibilities include?

I oversee all aspects of the in-game entertainment at Sacramento Kings games. I direct the show from courtside, calling cues for music, lighting, video, entertainment groups, mascot, hosts, on-court promotions, halftime entertainment.

Prior to landing this position, you worked as a referee, a stage manager, a center court lead, and more. How did these different roles help prepare you for the position you hold today?

I actually started officiating shortly after starting with the Kings. As a game-night coordinator back in 2000-01, I would be stationed close to courtside. I remember watching the referees work and saying to myself that I could do this.

So, I started in high school and then made it into the junior college level and for the past 12 years, I’ve officiated at Division II college basketball games. At one point, I had ambitions of working at the NBA level, but the process is so tough and time consuming. I’m content at the college level. 

I’ve worked with the NBA since 2005, working the NBA All-Star weekends. I started as a Stage Manager, working the celebrity games, and other events leading up to the All-Star Sunday. I had the chance to co-direct the 2017 and 2018 NBA All-Star games in New Orleans and Los Angeles. That was a very cool experience! It was challenging and intense, but fun.

As a Sacramento native, did you grow up a Kings fan? If so, how does it feel to be working for the team you’ve been rooting for your whole life?

Yes, I have always been a fan. Although I didn’t attend many games as a fan growing up, I remember collecting pins and memorabilia since I was a kid!

What are you most looking forward to this upcoming season?  

I’m looking forward to the development of our entertainment teams. Not only did we add a new group — our new co-ed performance team, 916 Crew — we had a makeover of our street team and drumline, adding talented members to both groups.

As for the 916 Crew, I think this new crew will be very entertaining. Their level of dance is very good, the team is inclusive of all body types, about half the team is male dancers, and overall the team represents the very diverse community we live in.  

Lastly, if you could pick ONE word to describe the energy of the arena at a Kings game to try to convince someone to come out to a game, what would that word be?

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Offseason Sit-Down: Maurice Brazelton

Walk us through a typical work day in the life of Scott Freshour here at the Sacramento Kings.

What a lot of people don’t know is that not only am I the Emcee, but I’m also the Director of Entertainment here. So, I work with a very talented team that helps produce all the entertainment that takes place during a game day. On a typical day for me, I am sitting in creative sessions and production meetings, working with talent groups to help put the show together, and so on.

How does your work differ in the offseason from that of the regular season?

The offseason is a lot more planning for the upcoming season while during the season it's a lot of getting things done for what’s happening right now. I could say, “Oh, I want to have a Star Wars theme night.” But as we get closer to the game, that's when I actually create the content that goes into it.

How did you get into the entertainment business?

I never thought I would get into announcing. I got an internship with the Kings when I was 18-years-old. It was always my goal to work for the Kings. So, I got the internship and it was more so on the live event, production side.

Then, there was a point where they needed an Emcee and they just asked me if I could do it because they thought I had a big personality – and I just ran with it ever since. There were multiple Emcees throughout the season and the next season they decided on which ones they wanted to keep. So, it was kind of a tryout, but not really. I never had any formal training or anything, so I just went out there and tried to be myself.

How much of your interaction with fans during crowd moments is you being your spontaneous self and how much of it is scripted?

Everything I do is 100% spontaneous on a game night. I know my guidelines and I know bullet points of what I'm about to say, but I don't memorize. I just go out there and I act like me. It's always been my choice to just be Scott Freshour on the microphone versus pretending or playing an ‘Emcee role’.

So, every time you see me on the court, it really is just me. If you see me interacting with a fan, that's how I am. It's pretty authentic to who I am and I like that because I really enjoy interacting with those people and having fun. Because people can tell if you're faking it. So, I've always said I'm just going to be 100% authentic.

Over the years, you’ve gotten to have a lot of crowd moments with Kings fans. Do you have a favorite crowd moment in particular?

So, one of my favorite moments was back at Sleep Train Arena when we broke the Guinness World Record for the World’s Loudest In-Arena Crowd. That was pretty rad. They put it LIVE on ESPN and measured it with a decibel meter. We couldn't play other music underneath it — it had to be genuine crowd noise. You can find it on YouTube, it's pretty awesome.

Do you have a secret for getting hyped up before a game? Any pregame rituals?

I mean caffeine always helps. It’s a lot of natural adrenaline from being on a court in front of 17,000 people. What I've been doing the last year or so is finding time to meditate around 5 o'clock or so. It helps me to forget the stress of the day and just focus on emceeing. When I come out of a meditation, I'm pretty focused and ready to put on that new hat that I have to wear.

You’re a father of two little boys. If your sons grew up and wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps, what kind of advice would you give them?

Oh, jeez. I would say to them that to work in something this special, you need to be prepared to work hard for it. You need to make sure it's your passion because you will spend a lot of hours and time here at the arena or the office. 

But, most importantly, I would say that if you want to get into this line of work or any line of work—treat people with respect and kindness. No matter who they are or what their job title is, every single person deserves respect, kindness, and compassion.

You recently had a hand in helping assemble the new 916 Crew. Can you talk about what Kings fans can expect from these dancers this year?

I think fans are going to really enjoy the 916 Crew. So far, from what I've seen, their energy is infectious. The physicality and the explosiveness of their routines is going to leave people genuinely entertained.

I would use the word “experience,” because it is more than just a basketball game. Our goal as creative professionals is to turn sport into an experience that has multiple layers of entertainment and engagement throughout the evening.

You could stay at home and watch the game, or you could come to the arena and have an experience and see some entertainment, have some laughs, get really excited, and have the camaraderie of sharing that event with your family or friends.

It's truly an experience like going to Disneyland. You don't go to Disneyland just to go on Splash Mountain. You go there for the cotton candy, you go there for the music, you go there for the photo opportunities. That's what we've tried to do here. Obviously, the basketball is the main event, but we like to create all the fun that happens around it.