All-Star Weekend

Nikki Nicholson

2023 All-Star weekend has arrived!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sitting near the top of the Western Conference with a top-3 seed, the Sacramento Kings are very well represented in this year’s festivities.&nbsp;

Friday, Feb.17, Jordan Rising Stars&nbsp;

The Kings will once again be represented in the Rising Stars challenge, with rookie forward Keegan Murray being named to the roster.&nbsp;

The Jordan Rising Stars is comprised of a four-team tournament with the most promising sophomore and rookie players in the league. Each team will be coached by former NBA players, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams, and Jason Terry.&nbsp;

Murray received back-to-back Rookie of the Month honors for December and January and is a top-20 three-point shooter in just his first season.&nbsp;

Jordan Rising Stars will be televised on TNT at 5pm PT.&nbsp;

Saturday, Feb. 18, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 2023 NBA Starry 3-Point Contest will take place Saturday following the ending of the KIA Skills Challenge. This year’s shootout will feature one of the league’s best sharpshooters in veteran guard Kevin Huerter, who is shooting a career-high 39% from three, and is set to participate for the first time in his career.&nbsp;

Despite it being the first time, Huerter has already started getting his reps in ahead of Saturday's contest.&nbsp;

The other participants in the three-point contest include Jayson Tatum, Tyler Herro, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Damian Lillard, Julius Randle, and Lauri Markkanen.&nbsp;

All-Star Saturday Night will be televised on TNT beginning at 5pm PT.&nbsp;

Kings two-way player Neemias Queta will be making an appearance in the G-League Next Up game, which features the best players from the G-League&nbsp;this season.&nbsp;While playing for the Stockton Kings this season, Queta has been averaging 17 points and eight&nbsp;rebounds as the Kings have earned the second seed in the Western Conference going into the All-Star break.&nbsp;

The NBA G League Next Up Game will be televised on NBATV at 12pm PT.&nbsp;

All-Star weekend's biggest event, the 2023 NBA All-Star game, features two Sacramento Kings. Making his return to the game this Sunday, Sabonis is making his third appearance as one of the conference's best big men.&nbsp;

Making his first appearance, guard De’Aaron Fox will be making his All-Star debut this Sunday after displaying himself as a leading scorer of one of the top teams in the Western Conference.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This year will mark the first time that the All-Star Draft will take place right before the game, at 4:30pm PT on TNT.&nbsp;

The NBA All-Star Game will be televised on TNT at 5:30pm PT.&nbsp;

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2023 All-Star Weekend Primer 

Official Release

The NBA announced today that it has selected Sacramento Kings guard-forward Kevin Huerter in the 2023 Starry 3-Point Contest as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night in Utah. Huerter becomes the fifth player in franchise history to compete in the 3-Point Contest.

In his fifth season, Huerter is averaging a career-high 14.8 points (47.8 FG%, 39.0 3pt%), 3.4 rebounds. 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 30.4 minutes per game in 53 games (53 starts). Huerter ranks 22nd in the NBA this season in 3-point field goals made (137) while shooting the best 3-point percentage of his career. Among players to attempt at least 250 3-pointers, he ranks 20th in shooting percentage from beyond the arc. In seven games this season, Huerter knocked down five or more 3s on 50.0% shooting or better from 3-point range, tying for 13th in the NBA.&nbsp;

Joining Huerter in the Starry 3-Point Contest is Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers), Anfernee Simons (Portland Trail Blazers) and Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers).

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Kevin Huerter To Participate In 2023 Starry 3-Point Contest At All-Star Saturday Night

Kyle Ramos

On the heels of an exciting All-Star Weekend for Buddy Hield, it’s back to business for him and his squad.

Buddy Buckets took home the 3-Point Contest crown on Saturday following a thrilling finish.

“It was one of those things you have on your bucket list as a shooter - growing up as a kid, watching the three-point shootout and getting to hoist that trophy up in the air,” said Hield.

No. 24 also received high praise from the Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis following his achievement.

“For my country, it was big for them,” said the Bahamas native. “Me dedicating the trophy to them and all the people it was fun and I really loved it.”

Now that All-Star Weekend is in the books, the Kings returned to the practice court on Wednesday ahead of a Thursday night matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies to tip off the second part of the 2019-20 campaign.

Buddy and the squad are well aware that this is a prime opportunity to regain some positive momentum in a crucial stretch of games.

“We had a rough start to the season hopefully we can finish strong and make a good push at the end,” he said. “We have a tough Memphis squad…it starts with them.”

Sacramento squares off with Memphis at home on Thursday night before hitting the road for the following four contests.

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Buddy and the Squad Looking to Lock In for Second Half

The 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend is here and Buddy Hield is ready to shine once again.

For the second consecutive year, Buddy Buckets will be representing the Kings during the 3-Point Contest in Chicago.

In his first go at the event last year, No. 24 made a run to the finals of the shootout, falling just short of taking home the gold.

Hield will be taking on a plethora of talented sharpshooters once again this time around, including Davis Bertans, Devin Booker, Decontae' Graham, Joe Harris, Zach Lavine, Duncan Robinson, and Trae Young.

Tune in on Saturday, February 15 at 5 P.M. PT on TNT to see if Buddy Buckets can come out on top with the trophy!

Fans are encouraged to follow along on the team's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts for complete coverage!

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2020 All-Star Weekend Primer

Alex Kramers

2019 Kings All-Star presented by Nor Cal Honda Dealers

The phrase “future All-Star candidate” gets thrown around loosely in NBA circles – ascribed to dozens of young prospects brimming with upside – but with the surprising Sacramento Kings sitting squarely in the tightly-packed Western Conference Playoff picture, the time has come to officially recognize the thriving backcourt duo that has largely been responsible for the unexpected surge.

What up-and-comers De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield – in their second and third seasons, respectively – may lack in NBA pedigree, they make up for in stellar production that measures up to their closest peers. And with the team’s over-.500 record no longer a deterrent, the reasons to keep either player on the outside of the All-Star bubble have dwindled.

Of course, cracking the guard rotation in the loaded West is no small feat, considering the impressive résumés of the competition. Among the near-locks to make the cut are three recent MVP winners – Stephen Curry (Warriors), James Harden (Rockets) and Russell Westbrook (Thunder) – as well as perennial staples from postseason contenders such as Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) and DeMar DeRozan (Spurs).

But with a handful of roster spots still up for grabs, Nos. 5 and 24 have made resounding cases to join Mitch Richmond, Chris Webber, DeMarcus Cousins, Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller and Vlade Divac as All-Stars in the Sacramento era.

Anyone who’s tuned in to a Kings game this season – or simply caught a five-second highlight on social media – doesn’t need advanced metrics to explain how Fox has been the revitalizing catalyst for Sacramento’s high-powered offense and remarkable turnaround.

But if the eye test isn’t enough, No. 5, not surprisingly, places in the upper-echelon in average speed (4.48), according to NBA.com, routinely creating fastbreak opportunities after skying for defensive rebounds or even finding ways to score in transition following made baskets; overall, Fox ranks second in points off turnovers (203) and third in fastbreak points (199).

That blazing quickness, combined with an improved jump shot and the reins to command the offensive, have allowed the Kentucky product – who didn’t make the initial roster of the 2017 Rising Stars game – to make a tremendous leap in his sophomore campaign.

Just how vital has the 6-foot-3 guard been to Sacramento’s success? When he’s been on the floor, the team has outscored opponents by 59 points in 1,388 minutes; when he’s taken a breather, Sacramento has been outscored by a staggering 92 points in 729 minutes, according to NBA.com. Fox’s 7.7 net on-off court rating – which measures the team’s point differential per 100 possessions with and without him in the lineup – puts him in the close company of Westbrook (8.8) and Harden (4.1).

Among all qualified West point guards, Fox joins Curry and Harden as the only players to rank in the top-10 in points (17.9 per game), assists (7.3), steals (1.8), field goal percentage (47.1) and three-point accuracy (37.6 percent) at the position. His assist-to-turnover ratio is also the fifth-highest among regulars with a usage rate over 20.

Across the League, Fox is one of seven players who is currently averaging over 17 points and seven assists per game, per basketball-reference.com, and at age 21, is seven years younger than any other guard on the list. In Kings annals, “Swipa” is on pace to become the first player to accomplish the feat since Kenny Smith did so 30 years ago.

On Nov. 11, 2018, Fox became the youngest player in League history to notch a triple-double with at least 30 points (31), 15 assists and 10 rebounds, a stat line matched by just eight players in the last decade. His nine double-doubles in 2018-19 are also the fourth-most among West guards.

After establishing himself as one of the most clutch players in the League as a rookie, the Louisiana native has picked up right where he left off, connecting on 50 percent from the field with the game on the line (last five minutes with the score within five points), while pacing the Kings in points (53) and assists (11) in crunch time, via NBA.com.

Perhaps most importantly, the Sacramento draftee has lead the team to a 15-9 record in such situations, good for the second-best mark in the West, behind only the top-seeded Nuggets’ Jamal Murray.

Not bad for a player who started his 100th career NBA game this month.

Hield’s promising All-Star bid lies in his nearly-unmatched efficiency and enhanced all-around contributions as a rebounder and playmaker. While ardent NBA fans are certainly aware of the Bahama native’s ascent, the All-Star Game would serve as a coming-out party for those who continue to undervalue his place among the game’s top-tier shooting guards.

Developing into one of the most effective scorers with the ball in his hands, among the 18 guards averaging over 20 points per game this season, Hield ranks in the top-five in field-goal percentage (third), three-point shooting (second), true-shooting percentage (third) and free-throw accuracy (fifth).

Even more impressive is the fact that the 26-year-old is one of four players at his position to tally over 800 points, 200 rebounds and 100 triples – along with All-Stars Harden, Lillard and Bradley Beal (Wizards) – while his 22 games with at least 20 points and three made triples puts him behind just Harden (34) and Curry (25), per basketball-reference.com.

Hield has twice hit the 30-point plateau over the last month, pouring in a career-high 37 points against the Thunder on Dec. 19, 2018, and drilling a career-best eight three-pointers en route to 32 points in a back-and-forth contest against the defending champions on Jan. 5.

With No. 24 on the court, Sacramento’s high-scoring offense has been 2.6 points per 100 possessions better – 108.1 points compared to 105.5 when he’s been on the bench, according to NBA.com. Further validating his value to the team, the Oklahoma product ranks sixth in offensive real plus-minus among West guards (1.42), while contributing the sixth-most wins at the position (2.39), per ESPN.com.

Even if Hield doesn’t earn an All-Star Game invite, the Kings guard will almost surely still book a ticket to Charlotte, N.C. next month. After barely missing the cut for the Three-Point Contest last season – despite spectacular numbers that made him one of the most qualified candidates – “Buddy Buckets” is unlikely to be snubbed again after taking his long-range shooting to another level.

This year, Hield’s three-point shot chart is greener than a field of fresh-cut grass. No matter if he’s pulling up from the top of the key (44 percent) or spotting up in the right corner (56.3), No. 24 is scorching nets across the country by shooting nearly 10 points above the League average from virtually every spot on the floor.

Not only does Hield currently rank third in total three-pointers made (143), but among 53 players who’ve attempted at least 200 shots from behind the arc, a mere two have been more accurate. Over his last 15 games, he has drained 61-of-129 tries (47.3 percent), almost four percentage points ahead of the next-closest high-volume shooter.

The Sacramento standout has routinely made defenses pay for their mistakes by knocking down 50.8 percent of his League-leading 197 wide-open looks (no defender within six feet, per NBA.com) – ahead of sharpshooters Curry (50.0) , Lillard (46.4) and Utah’s Kyle Kover (42.6).

Similarly, in catch-and-shoot opportunities – which have accounted for a third of his long-distance field goals – Hield is hitting at a 47.4 percent clip, fourth-best among players with at least 100 tries. More confident than ever in his outside stroke, he has fired away with zero hesitation when given even the slightest amount of room by his defender, and has created space with nifty step-back jumpers.

In five January games, Hield has nailed 33-of-62 from downtown (53.2 percent), carrying scorching-hot momentum to the big stage if he becomes the fourth Kings player – the first since Peja Stojakovic in 2003-04 – selected to participate in the All-Star Saturday Night signature event.

“If it doesn’t happen now, it will happen sometime in my career,” Hield said last year. “You go there to win, right? I’m not going there to lose.”

Help send Fox and Hield to the All-Star Game by visiting Kings.com/vote through Monday, Jan. 21 at 8:59 p.m. PT.

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The All-Star Case for Fox & Hield

DJ Ramirez

After a Valentine’s Day matchup in Houston, the Sacramento Kings returned home three young standouts boarded a quick flight to Los Angeles to participate in this season’s NBA All-Star Weekend.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox were all selected to participate in the Rising Stars Game. Buddy representing the Bahamas and Bogi representing Serbia; both playing on the World Team to take on teammate De’Aaron Fox, who was representing the United States.

Once touching down, the young Kings hit the media circuit, sharing what it meant to be selected as some of the league’s brightest youngsters as well as starting friendly banter between the three teammates who were about to play against each other on the national stage.

Throughout the weekend festivities, the team participated in opportunities to give back to the youth in Los Angeles. Before the Rising-Stars matchup, players shared their basketball knowledge during the Jr. NBA skills event. On Thursday, Buddy participated in the NBA Fit celebration, where a new court was installed at a local middle school and on Saturday, joined Larry Nance Jr., Jason Tatum, Kyle Kuzma and Andre Drummond as one of the coaches for the NBA Cares Special Olympics.

Then there was the big game - The World vs. the US.

Rising Stars from both teams shined and put on a show. Members of the Kings had an especially big night with Buddy dropping a team-high 29 points to Bogi connecting on a game-high 7 threes and finishing with 26 points. Their talent and chemistry to the court helped lead the World Team to a W. Fox finished with four points, two rebounds and two assists in the loss.  Ultimately, the Serbian sharpshooter was named the MVP and Kings Legend Chris Webber presented the rookie with the hardware.

Following an exciting Friday night, Buddy appeared in the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday Night. Matching up in the first round with Spencer Dinwiddie from the Brooklyn Nets, No. 24 was narrowly defeated. The Nets young point guard would go on to win the entire event.

It was a fun and exciting weekend for the Kings and following the weekend’s festivities the team returns home to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday evening.

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Kings show out at All-Star Weekend

Lights, camera, action! Ever wonder who runs the show at All-Star Weekend?

This year, the Sacramento Kings are proud to announce that four members of the team’s Entertainment Department will join Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic to take part in the events of the weekend.

Director of Entertainment Mo Brazelton will be heading into his 13th All-Star weekend and will be co-producing and directing Sunday’s All-Star game for the second time. Brazelton shared his excitement to be joined by three members of his team at this year’s festivities prior to the team’s home tilt against the Chicago Bulls. “I’m very honored to be representing the Sacramento Kings and I’m excited to make a memorable experience for the fans in Los Angeles.”

“We get a chance to show the rest of the world and the League how we do our entertainment here in Sacramento and it’s nice to be recognized as one of the elite teams”, says Senior Manager of Audio Department and Music Producer, Dan Spackman.

Brian Hilton, Video Control Room Director, will be heading into his first year at All-Star Weekend, “It’s an unbelievable an honor to be able to do my job at All-Star weekend. It’s great knowing that our whole team will be handling the show... I get to direct cameras for the All-Star game, it’s amazing.”

Scott Freshour, Producer of Live Entertainment but more widely known as the Kings energetic emcee, will be making his 6th appearance at NBA All-Star Weekend. Handling emcee duties at Friday’s Rising Stars game and at Sunday’s NBA All-Star game.

“It means a lot because I grew up loving this team and being able to represent the team that you love on the biggest stage at NBA All-Star weekend is a thrill, it’s a blessing and an honor,” said Freshour. “There’s so much that happens, you have all the best players in the world there, every celebrity on Earth and then there’s me at center court rocking Sacramento Kings gear, it means a lot.”

“Our team puts in a lot of hours building the in-game experience that people don’t see and the League recognizes that what’s happening in Sacramento in the entertainment is some of the best in the NBA and that’s why you see so many of us running and producing the NBA All-Star show.”

Be sure to follow the Sacramento Kings on Snapchat, for a behind-the-scenes look at the 67th NBA All-Star Game from Scott Freshour.

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Kings Entertainment to Take Over All-Star Weekend

Shahbaz Khan

Fresh off an event-filled All-Star Weekend, including a second-consecutive appearance in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, DeMarcus Cousins sets his sights on the main event. Cousins, now a three-time All-Star, hopes to build off a perfect 5-of-5 performance in last year’s game.

No. 15 has burst onto the All-Star scene in the last two seasons with his impressive play. He’s showcased his versatility with crossovers, three-point shooting and smooth finishes – moves that he’s continued to display at the annual showcase. DMC was the only Western All-Star big man to hit a three-pointer last year in Toronto en route to an 11-point effort in Canada. Boogie has missed just one shot in his All-Star career, hitting on 11-of-12 from the field in 30 all-time minutes. His career All-Star game average stands at 12 points per contest.

The 2017 All-Star Game comes at a good time, as the Kings center was in the midst of one of his best career stretches to date. Cousins is averaging a near triple-double in the month of February, having yet to finish a game with less than five assists.

In the team’s 5-3 month (winners of four of their past five), DeMarcus is totaling averages of 25 points, 11 rebounds and nearly eight assists.

Cousins, hometown favorite Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol and Draymond Green are expected to split minutes at the center position for the West, with tip-off beginning at 5 pm PT on TNT.

All‑Star Weekend