Sacramento packed in to Golden 1 Center on Monday night hoping to catch a glimpse of the future and the Kings offered just that during their first contest in the inaugural California Classic.
Playing in their first game with the Kings, Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles ignited the crowd early on with an exciting sequence of back-to-back plays. It started with Giles blocking a shot before finishing an alley-oop layup on the other end, followed by Bagley III driving in and delivering a poster dunk on the next offensive possession.
Giles did not play in any games during his first year with the Kings, with a focus on strengthening his body to prevent the same injuries that have hampered him early in his basketball career. It was a year of anticipation and he expressed how excited he was to play in his first NBA contest.
“I can’t put it into words. I had a great time out there,” said Giles. “ I played hard and went through the battle. I got a cut lip, but that’s what I wanted to put myself back in the mix and feel like I’m part of the game again.”
No. 20 would finish the night with 13 points, three rebounds and a steal during his 25 minutes of action.
After being drafted by Sacramento less than two weeks ago, Bagley III also turned in a strong performance, racking up 18 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
“It was good to get out there finally after all the practices and everything that’s been going on,” said the Kings rookie after the game. “Most importantly we got the win and everybody played together. I felt good about this game moving forward.”
Both big men also acknowledged the electric atmosphere in Golden 1 Center during their big night.
“That was an amazing moment just hearing that building rock because of something good you did,” said Giles about getting his first bucket.
“As soon as we ran out of the tunnel, you could feel the energy in the building. When they introduced us, you could still feel the energy,” Bagley III added.
The Kings will look to continue to build chemistry in their second matchup of the California Classic as the home squad takes on the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. PT.