Jerry Reynolds

Alex Kramers

Amid the awards and honorary doctorates on the walls of his man cave, a neatly-furnished room as modest and understated as the man himself, hang keepsakes and framed photographs of some of Jerry Reynolds’ favorite moments from his 35 years in Sacramento.

Ask about any one of the mementos, and Reynolds will joyfully launch into a vintage anecdote, as only he can: in his Indiana drawl, with his trademark wit, folksy charm and most of all, humor — often at this own expense.

Two basketballs in acrylic cases, one from his first coaching victory and another signed by the gold-medal 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympics Team, a thank-you for his tenure on the selection committee, are mounted in one corner. “My goal wasn’t to get into coaching or the NBA,” he says. “I just didn’t want to stay in French Lick and work for a living.”

Adorning the back walls are several plaques with press clippings, among them a ‘Best of Sacramento’ accolade honoring his easy-going personality. “That’s back when I had a personality,” Reynolds quips. 

On a shelf inside an oak cabinet sit several wood-framed prints, including one of Larry Bird next to Reynolds, “the second-most famous person from French Lick,” on the set of his short-lived television program. “That famous show, I think, lasted one year,” he says. “I think we had probably 25 viewers, but I enjoyed it anyway.”

Over the years, Jerry, who’s lived in the same Roseville, Calif. house that he and his wife, Dodie, purchased in 1990, has accumulated enough Kings-themed trinkets to fill all four bedrooms. Some, including pictures of Reynolds with legends who’ve passed through Sacramento, such as Bill Russell and Willis Reed, once decorated the hallways, but most, including his two broadcasting Emmys, are packed in storage boxes.

“I’m not really a big picture, autograph, memorabilia type of guy,” Reynolds says. “We decided, ‘Let’s put them away, and someday, when we want to reminisce, we can.’ What’s more important are all the great memories.”

During his three and a half decades with the franchise, no one was more malleable or irreplaceable than Reynolds. Between 1985 and 1996, he saw and did it all in basketball operations, rising from second assistant coach to interim head coach to full-time head coach to director of player personnel to general manager.

Along the way, he saw the team’s original owner, Gregg Lukenbill, climb onto the catwalk to plug a leak in the roof of ARCO Arena in the fourth quarter of a game in 1989.

He experienced ARCO vibrating at its loudest in the spring of 1996, when the Kings hosted a postseason game for the first time since the team’s inaugural season in Sacramento.

Reynolds was on board the team’s commercial flight which, he swears, came within a few hundred feet of crashing into the Potomac River during a thunderstorm.

And there was an even more frightening incident that made national headlines, when Reynolds collapsed on the sideline and lay unconscious on the floor for several minutes. Fortunately, doctors ruled out serious ailments and deemed the fall was likely caused by a combination of a poor diet and poorer sleeping habits.

“I remember getting dizzy, trying to get to my seat, and the next thing I know, I’m looking up at the trainer who’s getting ready to give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” Reynolds recalls. “I remember telling him, ‘Don’t you put those lips on me!’”

The players he coached admire Reynolds’ genuine talent for building close relationships that transcend the confines of the whiteboard. He coated his wisdom with a layer of whimsy, but his sarcasm and cynicism never drowned out his sincerity and compassion.

For Reggie Theus, a two-time All-Star who played for Reynolds from 1985 through 1988, his former coach’s best quality is his ability to communicate, connect and inspire different people in different ways.

“I learned that everything is not on the pad with X’s and O’s,” Theus says. “I remember reading […] that a coach’s job is to create an atmosphere so players can play their best basketball, and that comes to mind when I think about Jerry. He’s somebody who can deal with adversity and speak the truth, but not hammer you over the head with it.

“When Jerry walks in a room, after a few minutes, everybody starts to gravitate toward him because they probably missed a few one-liners,” Theus adds. “The effect that he’s had on my life, personally, what he means to me as a person, as a coach, as a Sacramento Kings figure, I’m just genuinely happy for him. There are not a lot of guys you cheer for, but you cheer for Jerry.”

A younger generation of fans may not remember Reynolds as the exuberant coach or shrewd executive who executed one of the biggest trades in Kings history and built the core of the WNBA-champion Sacramento Monarchs.

To them, he’s far more recognizable as the wisecracking, inimitable color commentator on game broadcasts for over 20 years.

His collection of colorful expressions and signature catchphrases, better known as “Jerry-isms,” made the Indiana native an original in a sports TV landscape overstocked with carbon copies. Each time he’d drop a “hippity-hop to the barbershop” after a slick drive to the basket, or declare he had a case of “Peja Vu” when Stojakovic would knock down consecutive shots, the telecast, no matter the score or circumstance, became more enjoyable.

At times, his stockpile of stories kept viewers engaged even during the dragging fourth quarters of blowouts.

“When he became the TV guy, that fit him so perfectly because he was such an easy conversationalist,” says former Kings forward LaSalle Thompson, who spent four of his 15 NBA seasons playing for Reynolds. “He would get on TV and be himself. That guy you saw on TV was the same guy you would get in person. You don’t get that a lot.”

As seriously as he took his job, Reynolds, by his own admission, never took himself too seriously. 

“I always thought, ‘Have a little fun with it. It is a game and it’s supposed to be entertainment,” he says. “With some of those teams, it was hard to find entertainment, so you had to do what you could to entertain the fans who were still watching.”

Reynolds, one of the most popular figures in Sacramento, stepped down from his full-time position as color analyst after the 2017-18 season, but appeared on pre- and post-game shows and resumed his familiar broadcasting duties on several homestands.

Last month, the 76-year-old announced his official retirement, making the final stop on a circuitous route that kept him onboard through four ownership groups, five general managers and 17 head coaches.

“(Being a) part-time employee with the Kings the last two years, that really helped me prepare myself for retirement,” he says. “Doing nothing for six months helps prepare you for doing nothing for 12 months.”

On Dec. 26, the night of the 2020-21 home opener at Golden 1 Center, Reynolds’ indelible contributions to the franchise will be commemorated in a unique way. The arena’s media entrance will be named in his honor as a tribute to the man who was a fixture with the organization, in one capacity or another, for its entire existence in California’s capital city.

Reynolds is rarely speechless, but admits he was caught off guard when Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart called to share the team’s plan to celebrate his achievements. As the Indiana native so often does, he swiftly deflected the praise.

“Certainly, I’m very honored, but I don’t think that it was necessary, to be honest,” Reynolds says. “It’s very nice and very considerate. I really appreciate it. The Kings have always treated me better than I deserve, and this is another example.”

Since retiring, Reynolds has enjoyed walks around the neighborhood and free time to spend with his family. He still watches his fair share of sports on TV, but occasionally opts for a ‘Seinfeld’ rerun in lieu of sitting through a second-half blowout.

After working roughly 3,000 games —some good, some bad, some ugly —over the last 35 years, plus taking in countless others while growing up in the Midwest, he deserves the break.

A basketball junkie since the day he attended his first high school contest, inside an overcrowded gym that resembled a scene from “Hoosiers,” Reynolds showed enough promise as a player to earn a scholarship to Vincennes University, a two-year junior college 60 miles outside of his hometown.

Midway through his sophomore season, his playing career was cut short when he injured his back so badly in a car accident that he was hospitalized for months. Several other schools recruited him during his rehab, and Reynolds followed his brother to Oakland City College. He’d never suit up for another game, but in order to keep his scholarship, he served as the freshman basketball coach.

His former coach at Vincennes later hired him as an assistant, where Reynolds, a natural leader and teacher, helped lead the school to the 1970 junior college national championship. As head coach at West Georgia University, he brought home a Division II title in 1974. During that time, he began volunteering with the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason, hoping the extra experience would help him land a Division I gig.

“I knew Cotton Fitzsimmons, the Hawks coach at the time, who said they could use extra people,” Reynolds says. “I went there for veteran camps and summer leagues, but my goal wasn’t to get into the NBA.”

Fitzsimmons recommended Reynolds for the head coaching job at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, which, by luck or coincidence, doubled as the practice site for the Kings in the early 1980s. On top of winning 184 games in eight seasons in the NAIA, Reynolds helped run Kings training camps alongside head coach Phil Johnson.

When the team relocated to Sacramento in 1985, Johnson convinced Reynolds to join his coaching staff as the second assistant.

“Being an assistant coach, I loved that,” Reynolds says. “You get to be the good guy. You really get to develop relationships with the players. The assistant jobs, I really did get a kick out of ... Reggie Theus, Mike Woodson, Larry Drew, Eddie Johnson, LaSalle Thompson — they were good players, but good people, absolute professionals. I think those players helped me grow up in this league. Seeing their professionalism helped me understand what was involved.”

Johnson was dismissed halfway through the 1986-87 season, and Reynolds was appointed interim head coach, his first of two stints in the position. In March of the following year, Reynolds, who’d reverted to assistant under Russell, was once again elevated to head coach, a role he’d hold for parts of the next three seasons.

“I think he was rushed into being a head coach, but he learned at the same time a lot of us were learning,” Thompson said. “He always had a game plan and he was prepared. He was an easy guy to get along with. He wasn’t a tyrant and he wasn’t too hard on people. I don’t know anybody who didn’t like him.”

Theus learned early that his new coach had an unusually direct way of getting his point across.

“I was playing (shooting) guard and they traded Larry Drew, so we were without a point guard,” he says with a chuckle. “Jerry became the coach and he says, ‘All right, Reggie, listen. I’m going to put the ball in your hands. Don’t [screw] it up.’ He said that in a joking way, but it was a great ice breaker to have a real conversation. Then he started to expound on what he was talking about; how I could be a better player, what I needed to do and where he thought I could improve.

“I’ll also never forget the time he told me, ‘Reggie, why do you always drive to the basket? You’re taking an awful beating when you get to the rim. When you shoot 85 percent from the free throw line, how come you don’t pull up and shoot your jumpshot right there?’ The light goes off in my head. That makes a lot of sense. That, in itself, gave me another element to my game — the pull-up jumper on the break.”

His coaching record stands at a modest 56-114, but his biggest victory came in 1991, when Reynolds, in his third of five seasons as general manager, traded the Draft rights to Billy Owens to the Warriors in exchange for future Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond.

In seven seasons with the Kings, Richmond was named to six All-Star teams, scored more points than any player in the Sacramento era and carried his eighth-seeded squad to a near-upset against Seattle in the 1996 Playoffs.

As the years went along, other franchises tried to entice Reynolds with lucrative contracts and upper-management roles, but, as tempting as some offers sounded, he never seriously considered departing The River City.

“I remember one job in particular, where I’d have to go back to the Midwest,” he says. “My wife asked, ‘Do you want to go?’ I said, ‘No, I really don’t!’ She made a great point. ‘So we make more money or we get a bigger house, but what does that amount to?’ I agreed. We like it here and we’re not moving.”

When Reynolds resigned as Kings general manager in 1993, he stayed on as director of basketball operations, a role he’d hold through 2013, to help ensure the club would hire the right person as his successor. 

“I had a relationship with Geoff Petrie, and I knew he was running his course in Portland,” Reynolds says. “I remember telling (Kings owner) Jim (Thomas), ‘Make sure you interview this guy. This will be your guy.’”

By the time Petrie traded Richmond to the Wizards in exchange for Chris Webber in 1998, the first of several pivotal transactions that reshaped the Kings into a perennial title contender, Reynolds was well-established as the consummate Kings TV commentator.

With less stress and more sleep, Reynolds says, he enjoyed the on-air gig more than any other he’s held throughout his illustrious career.

“You could really pull for the team, but you’re not responsible,” he says. “I might get upset when the team would lose, but by the time I drove home, I’d be over it. (In my other jobs), if things were going badly, I might not be as delightful as I should be with Mrs. Reynolds. Not that I’m that delightful anyway.” 

When Reynolds transitioned into television, he never imagined he’d occupy his courtside seat for as long as he did, or that 20 years later, he’d be one of the game’s longest-tenured broadcasters.

To become entrenched so deeply in Kings lore, considering how many bumps threatened to disrupt his wild ride, for Reynolds is a dream come true.

“I never anticipated being in the position I’m in and I don’t take that for granted,” he says. “I’ve tried to be cognizant of that. It’s one of those things, as you get older, means even more.”

Above all of his accolades and accomplishments, what matters to him most are the fans who made him feel welcome from his first day in Northern California; those who’ve stopped him outside the arena to take selfies or in a grocery store to converse at length about life and basketball.

“Even though I worked for four different ownership groups and a lot of different presidents, I’ve always felt that I worked for the fans,” Reynolds says. “It’s really been a neat experience and I’m so thankful for all of the opportunities I’ve had.”

His retirement leaves an irreplaceable void, but Reynolds’ legacy will forever live on in Sacramento.

jerry-reynolds-leaves-lasting-legacy-in-sacramento

Jerry Reynolds Leaves Lasting Legacy in Sacramento

sacasingh

The Sacramento Kings announced today that franchise icon Jerry Reynolds will be honored for his enduring impact on the organization as the team unveiled the “Jerry Reynolds Media Entrance” at Golden 1 Center.

Located near the arena’s northeast corner along David J Stern Walk, the media entrance will greet all working press members and journalists covering Kings home games with newly installed artwork, imagery and signage commemorating the spirit of Reynolds’ devoted work with the team. In addition, a special plaque placed near the doors to the entrance will articulate the franchise’s tribute to Reynolds in greater detail.

“There has always been and always will be, only one Jerry Reynolds,” said Sacramento Kings Chairman and Owner Vivek Ranadivé. “Jerry’s name is synonymous with the history of the Sacramento Kings and he will forever be a member of the franchise’s family. I stand with the entire organization in wishing Jerry and his family nothing but the best throughout his well-deserved retirement.”

“For 35 years, I have been blessed to be a part of this incredible organization, and while I have received other honors throughout my career, this ranks at the top as the most meaningful,” said Jerry Reynolds. “I want to express my deep appreciation to the Kings for their support over the years. I will always have a special place in my heart for Kings fans and all of the players, staff and media colleagues with whom I had the pleasure of working with over my tenure, each person made the journey enjoyable and unforgettable.”

Spanning more than three decades, Jerry’s storied career with the Kings was distinguished by a multitude of roles, including head coach (1987-90), general manager (1992-93), director of player personnel (1994-2013) and cherished broadcaster (1995-2020) known for his relatable commentary style, ability to connect with fans of all ages and his humorous ‘Jerry-isms’ on-air. Reynolds also served as General Manager of the Sacramento Monarchs for six seasons (1998-2003), leading the club to the WNBA Playoffs four times. During that span, Reynolds was a member of the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team Committee for the 2001-04 quadrennium, where he helped select the coaching staff and players of the Olympic gold medal-winning USA Senior National Teams.

A native of French Lick, Indiana, Reynolds joined the Kings for their first year in Sacramento in 1985 as an assistant coach primarily responsible for advance pro and college scouting. Following some midseason changes, Reynolds served as head coach of the Kings on two occasions. In 1987, he was named to replace former Head Coach Phil Johnson on an interim basis. The following year, Reynolds assumed coaching duties with 24 games remaining, then stayed on as the Kings head coach for the next two seasons. In 1995, Reynolds began filling in on the Kings television broadcast as a color commentator and became the primary television analyst in 1997, a role he held for over 20 years (1997-2018) before transitioning to pregame and postgame television show analyst duties prior to announcing his retirement in 2020.

A graduate of Oakland City University (Indiana) in 1966, he received his master's degree in physical education from Indiana State University in 1970 and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

kings-unveil-jerry-reynolds-media-entrance-at-golden-1-center

Kings Unveil Jerry Reynolds Media Entrance at Golden 1 Center

Jordan Ramirez

Born in French Lick, Indiana — the same town as Larry Bird — the 76-year-old Reynolds has served in nearly every capacity during his time in Sacramento.

The French Lick native attended Springs Valley High School in Indiana and played college ball at Vincennes University where he also started his coaching career in 1967.

Beginning as an assistant coach and developing into a head coach, general manager, adviser and broadcaster, there isn’t a greater embodiment of being Sacramento Proud than the native Hoosier.

With his basketball knowledge infinite and stories to last a lifetime, “Reynolds Remembers” are tales from Jerry, by Jerry, for the fans.

So, let’s hippity-hop to the barber shop with the legend himself.

Optimism was really high with the Kings in 1996 — we were coming off a tough playoff series against the Seattle Supersonics and held the 14th pick in the NBA Draft.

In the Draft, I thought there was a ton of star potential. Even at No. 14, I thought we could get a really good player. It was clear early on in the process that Geoff Petrie — General Manager and President of Basketball Operations — was ready to take a chance and draft a high school player by the name of Kobe Bryant.

At that time, high school players weren't going that high in the draft as they did a little bit later. But Geoff made it clear to Kobe’s agent, that if his client was there at No. 14 that we would take him.

Kobe’s camp told us that if he was drafted by the Kings, he wouldn’t sign. Arn Tellem — Bryant's agent — said he wouldn't sign with several teams in front of us either because he wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Tellem had a relationship with Jerry West, who of course was running the Lakers at that time.

The New Jersey Nets, who had the No. 8 pick, said they were taking Kobe. Being fairly close to the Philadelphia area, they were well aware of the dynamic talent that Kobe possessed. But, because they couldn’t sign him, they didn’t draft him.

Regardless of the threats, Geoff was going to draft Kobe. If he ever wanted to play in the NBA, whoever drafts him would have his rights. Geoff was going to make the gutsy move — because of Kobe’s camp refusal to play in Sacramento — if he was there.

Geoff made it clear to his agent that we are taking Kobe. Tellem certainly made it clear to Geoff (and other teams) that under no circumstances would Kobe Bryant play for any of them. We don't care if he played in Italy, we were going to draft him and keep his draft rights so that when he plays in the NBA, it will be for the Sacramento Kings.

That was when Charlotte, who had the No. 13 pick, traded that pick to the Lakers. This allowed them to get in front of us, which Kobe’s agent knew they had to do to get the future Hall of Famer. They would have to get in front of the Kings, which they did.

Kobe worked out for other teams but he wouldn’t for us. I was impressed with Geoff on a lot of levels for many years, but being from the Philadelphia area, he really tapped into his people and trusted that this kid is special. This is the one.

I know absolutely for a fact that we would’ve taken Kobe, and the only way that he wasn’t going to play for the Sacramento Kings was the Lakers swinging a trade, and they did it. Tellem knew that Geoff Petrie wasn't going to back off like other teams. Kobe didn’t care what position he was drafted, he just wanted to go to the Lakers.

Vlade [Divac] went to Charlotte and had some really good years. He played on a couple of 50-win teams and people tend to forget that. Vlade had a lot of success with the Lakers, and then Charlotte and then with the Kings. He was a true winner.

Of course, we were thrilled with who we ended up drafting in Peja Stojakovic. Peja became a three-time All-Star, an NBA champion and certainly one of the great shooters in the history of the game. Peja didn’t come over immediately, he stayed in Europe for another year, but Geoff Petrie was well aware of that when we drafted him.

As is with many Drafts over the course of NBA history, a moment here or there could really change the trajectory of a franchise, and it has never been more true than with that legendary 1996 Draft class.

To read more stories from the Reynolds Remembers series, click here.

reynolds-remembers-the-night-sacramento-planned-to-draft-kobe-bryant

Reynolds Remembers: The Night Sacramento Planned to Draft Kobe Bryant

It was 1988 or ‘89. My mom was still alive and my brothers lived in French Lick, of course. Larry [Bird] had a home in French Lick at that time.

I always spent some time with Larry, and I went over to visit with him, Rick Carlisle and a friend of his.

We sat down and had a beer or two, and all of a sudden one of Larry's buddies from high school, we called him ‘Beezer,’ came over.  He was a point guard on Larry's high school team.

Larry, of course, talked a little trash and would egg me on. Beezer was saying he was the best high school guard to come out of Springs Valley High School in the 70s and I said, ‘Well I can tell you one thing. I was damn sure the best to come out there in the 60s.’ And so, all of a sudden we need to play one-on-one to decide who the champion really is.

Larry initially wanted to be the referee, to which I said, ‘hell no,’ because I knew I’d never have a fighting chance if he got to call the game for his high school buddy.

Rick [Carlisle] said, ‘I'll call the game.’ Rick decided to call it and we played a one-on-one game, and you want to know what happened? I kicked his hind end and proved to be the dominant force of all guards from Spring Valley High School in the 60s and 70s!

Rick Carlisle became the Rick Carlisle that we currently know — one of the great coaches in the history of the NBA. He proved himself to be a solid referee, too. I won convincingly. That's all I can tell you. Beezer would probably have a little different slant on it, but I thought it was very fair.

Meanwhile, it was clear Larry [Bird] was not being very fair in his assessment. He was questioning a few calls and they all seemed to be going Beezer’s way.

The final score was 15 to 10. Not bad for the Caucasian Comet. (Yes, that was my nickname growing up, because believe it or not, I used to be incredibly quick.)

Every time I go to French Lick, I spend time with Larry. When he would visit Sacramento, he came over in the evening and would spend time visiting. We'd have a few beers and just talk.

Larry used to bust my chops with the trash talk. He’d always be making fun, saying ‘My God, you guys are slow and old.’ I said of course! I was in my late 40s at that time. And he was in his early 30s.

He's a real trash-talker who did a lot when I was coaching. He’d bust my chops and get my guys all screwed up because he'd f--- with them too.

I definitely have more stories that I can share of Larry’s trash-talking, maybe for the next chapter..

Stay tuned for more stories from the Sacramento legend as “Reynolds Remembers” continues throughout 2020.

reynolds-remembers-1-on-1-at-larry-birds-house

Reynolds Remembers: 1-on-1 at Larry Bird’s House

Kyle Ramos

Jerry Reynolds has held just about every title imaginable during his 35-year tenure with the Kings and now he can add “Hall of Famer” to that list.

It was recently announced that Reynolds is set to be inducted into Indiana’s Basketball Hall of Fame in March of 2020 along with 16 others.

The French Lick native attended Springs Valley High School in Indiana and played his college ball at Vincennes University where he also started his coaching career in 1967. From there, Reynolds rose through the ranks of coaching and was on the Kings staff during their first season in Sacramento in 1985.

When news broke about the upcoming induction, some of Jerry’s long-time friends and colleagues offered their thoughts on the exciting announcement.

“I was thrilled. So deserving. I’ve known Jerry for 33 years and I could not be happier for him. I know what this means to him,” said Grant Napear, who has broadcasted alongside Reynolds on Kings TV for many seasons. “He’s done it all. That’s really unheard of - he’s always been really good at what he does.”

“If anyone deserves to be acknowledged in his many contributions in so many roles over the years…it’s Jerry Reynolds,” said Kings Radio Broadcaster Gary Gerould. “I treasure the guy. He is iconic, he is a dear friend, and I am blessed to have him as a friend.”

Doug Christie, who has taken over the majority of color commentary duties for Jerry Reynolds the past two seasons, also offered his congratulations.

“He has been an incredible asset to me to tap in and ask questions,” said Christie. “[His induction] is an incredible honor when you think about what basketball means to people in Indiana.”

Jerry will join some elite company in his home state’s hoops hall, etching his name in history alongside the likes of all-time greats such as Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson as he prepares for the induction ceremony on March 25.

jerry-reynolds-to-be-inducted-in-indiana-basketball-hall-of-fame

Jerry Reynolds to be Inducted in Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

nbaplatformservices

All Things Kings - Jerry Reynolds on the Podcast

all-things-kings-jerry-reynolds-on-the-podcast

mini-movie-jerrys-final-call

Mini-Movie: Jerry's Final Call

In this audio documentary, we look at Jerry Reynolds' journey from French Lick, Indiana to Sacramento including all of the roles he's held since the team arrived in 1985. Featuring Kenny Smith, Don Nelson, Doug Christie, Grant Napear, Gary Gerould, Garry St. Jean, Kara Lawson, Scot Pollard and more.