Kayte Christensen

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The Sacramento Kings announced today that Kayte Christensen-Hunter has been named as the team’s new television game analyst. A former WNBA player, Christensen-Hunter has spent 11 seasons with the Kings, previously serving as the team’s TV studio analyst for pregame, halftime and postgame shows, as well as sideline reporter. She will provide commentary alongside Kings play-by-play announcers Mark Jones and Kyle Draper on NBC Sports California beginning with the 2021-22 season.

“Kayte has proven herself time and time again throughout her eleven years covering the Kings,” said Sacramento Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “With extensive experience as a player and broadcaster, she will bring a deep passion for and knowledge of the game to the telecasts this season.”

"Kayte is a tremendously talented and experienced basketball analyst and television professional,” added NBC Sports California Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Murphy. “She has developed immense knowledge of the game and the Kings organization over her remarkable career as a player and media member. We are very excited to have her contribute her talent and knowledge to our live-game coverage of the Kings this season and provide an insightful and entertaining experience for fans.”

“To say this is a dream come true is an understatement,” said Christensen-Hunter. “The Kings gave me my first big break in this business 15 years ago and since then these wonderful fans and city have embraced me, welcomed me in and made Sacramento home. This fan base is truly unmatched. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of the great Jerry Reynolds and Doug Christie. I’m also so proud to be able to show my 3-year-old daughter and so many other young women that we have a place in the NBA. I’d like to thank Vivek, Matina, John and everyone at NBC Sports California for this opportunity and I can’t wait to join up with Mark and Kyle to bring Sacramento Kings action to our amazing fans.”

In March, Christensen-Hunter served as the color analyst as part of the Kings and NBC Sports California’s first-ever exclusively women and non-binary announcing and coverage team highlighting the importance of representation in sports and breaking barriers. Also during Women’s Empowerment Month, NBC Sports California highlighted her journey from the court to the sidelines.

Before joining the Kings, Christensen-Hunter served as a color analyst for the Phoenix Mercury and women’s college basketball on ESPN (2009-12). Drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2002, she spent six seasons (2002-07) playing in the WNBA as a fan favorite, and also played internationally in South Korea, Turkey, Russia, and Greece. The California native earned Big West Conference Player of the Year and All-Big West First Team honors in 2001-02 at UC Santa Barbara.

As the official television partner of the Kings, NBC Sports California delivers exclusive, regional coverage of all non-nationally exclusive Kings games, including live gameday shows “Kings Pregame Live” and “Kings Postgame Live.” Authenticated subscribers can also live stream NBC Sports California’s live coverage of the Kings on NBCSportsCalifornia.com and the MyTeams app.

kings-name-kayte-christensen-hunter-as-tv-game-analyst

Kings Name Kayte Christensen-Hunter as TV Game Analyst

Kyle Ramos

NBC Sports California has announced that it will broadcast 82 total Kings games throughout the 2017-18 season.

These broadcasts will include 81 regular season games as well as one preseason game.
NBC Sports California coverage will include pre and post game broadcasts and the familiar crew of Grant Napear, Jerry Reynolds, Kayte Christensen, and Doug Christie will provide in-game coverage.

The first game to be aired on NBC Sports California for this season will be Sacramento’s preseason contest against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, October 9 followed by the regular season opener against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, October 18.

For more information on the full schedule for broadcasts and how you can watch, click here.

nbc-sports-california-to-broadcast-82-kings-games

NBC Sports California to Broadcast 82 Kings Games

sacjwise

Kings forward-center Willie Cauley-Stein has been a player who prides himself on doing the little things that help team's win games.

Finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal in a one-point win over Memphis on Monday night, No. 00 was credited by Kings Sideline Reporter Kayte Christensen for his willingness to get on the floor at any moment to secure possession.

One particular standout moment was a steal that caused Trill to slide across floor, ultimately making an incredible play to flip the loose ball to Darren Collison, who found Buddy Hield for an alley-oop dunk.

In the postgame interview, Kayte coined a nickname for the fan-favorite - "Swiffer," a nod to the household cleaning product - due to his willingness to get on the floor.

It already has the nod of approval from Willie, who stated "I like that, that's clean."

willie-earns-fitting-new-nickname

Willie Earns Fitting New Nickname

sacanicholson

We’ve been back from China a little over a week now.

The first 24 hours in Shanghai quite literally felt like we’d been there three days, so it’s no wonder it has taken me a week to decompress and process the amazing trip.

So what did I take away from the seven-day excursion?

From the moment we arrived at the airport, we could tell we were in for an incredible trip!

Driving into McClellan Airfield, there were huge purple Kings signs with balloons directing everyone to the private jet way.  Our cars were valeted and luggage seamlessly checked. Flanked by two private jets, there was a huge purple carpet filling the hanger.

It felt very much like a VIP party, although it felt like a hot July afternoon rather than a crisp fall day one might expect in early October.

After bag check and security screening, we boarded the plane.

Of course, I was seated next to my best friend, Carmichael Dave, who is what I consider to be a travel rookie, as he started traveling the friendly skies in February of this year after overcoming a fear of flying.

By travel rookie of course I mean the kind of person who is overly excited about everything. ‘The seats turn into beds! There’s a game console! We have our own TV screens! Look at this swag bag! Wow, are those headphones with Kings logos on them?!’

Not only was he excited… He was sloppy, and sitting next to him for 14 hours was a problem. His bags were spread out all over the floor. He was getting up and down to put things up and take things down from the overhead compartment, as well as frequenting the in-flight buffet of food.

He had already played poker and golf on the game console, while I was typing up notes (otherwise known as WORKING). Meanwhile, Happy Gilmore was on his fourth glass of Gatorade.

The Pudong district of Shanghai where we stayed is only 24 years old. Development of the area began in 1990 and it’s now the most luxurious area of the city.

For one of our first tours, we took the underwater tunnel to an older part of the city – Chinatown and Yu Garden. Even now, I’m at a loss for words to describe the area -- the architecture, ambiance and cultural experience was fascinating.

We walked through a garden older than the U.S. – work on Yu Garden started in 1559 (Ming Dynasty) and it took about 20 years to complete.

The juxtaposition of a building inside the 455-year-old garden, along with a modern day crane perched atop the Shanghai Tower directly behind it in the distance, was anything but ironic – in China, a crane is a symbol for longevity.

We had some free time after our guided tour to take in the shopping and sights. My idea of experiencing any country I visit is about the food. If you want to really experience a culture, you must actually taste its local fare!

I’ve always considered myself a bit of a daredevil, so I went all out.

I didn’t hesitate to try a kabob with unknown meat – it tasted like chicken and, who knows, maybe it was?

I also tried sparrow-on-a-stick. It was presented in full form – head and all – and I’m pretty sure it was smoked and seasoned with curry.

Now I know sparrow tastes like duck, but I didn’t find it worth the effort to get to the meat!

Believe it or not, “Great Wall” is an understatement. There’s no denying the sight of it brought out the history buff/nerd in me, so bear with me for a moment…

It was built between 220-206 B.C. and, without a doubt, is the most impressive fortification system this world has ever seen.

An archeological survey concluded that the wall – and its natural defenses, such as rivers and hills – stretches over 13,000 miles.

How it was constructed without the use of modern building capabilities is what makes it truly remarkable.

When I learned about my opportunity to tag along on the trip, the chance to visit the Great Wall was something I couldn’t pass up.

We had a limited amount of time to spend there, so I had to make a choice – hike as far as possible one direction or go the opposite way and take a toboggan down. I, of course, opted for the hike, and much to the chagrin of my poor cameraman, Jeff, I took off with a goal of making it to the top.

We got to the second to last platform right beneath the highest point of the wall. I could’ve kept going but determined it was time to turn back to make sure we caught the bus.

The athlete in me wanted to conquer it all and push myself to the extreme, especially when I later found out that a medal is given to those who make it to the top!

There’s no denying it, by the time we visited the Forbidden City, I was exhausted. But who can resist a chance to visit a place that served as the imperial palace for almost 500 years?

The sheer size of it was mindboggling. The architecture was beautiful. The history is completely fascinating.

But, what stuck out to me most was that I seemed to be as intriguing to some visitors as the sight itself.

For the first time on the trip, locals bombarded me for pictures. At one point, I felt I should have just set up a booth and charged per photo!

Being a part of the Kings organization going on five years has been a true blessing, and the trip provided an opportunity that doesn’t come along very often.

We traveled with a group of 150-plus people that included owners, team members, players, coaches and partners. It was a group that never gets a chance to spend time together for an extended period, let alone during a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

On tarmacs, the plane was like a mixer – players and coaches mingled with owners and guests, as well as chatted with our flight crew. The pilot even hung up my garment bag and knew me by name!

One night, a group of 20 or so of us went out to karaoke. I never imagined being in the same room singing with Pete D’Alessandro, Ryan Bowen, Hakeem (our director of team security), and team members from basketball and business operations!

I also never thought I’d be sitting in the airport with Vivek, Andy Miller, and additional owners talking about what I saw during the game.

I never imagined being at a party talking basketball with Mitch Richmond and Phil Oates, or talking with Peja Stojakovic about when I lived and played in Greece and apparently frequented a couple of his restaurants. Even watching Vlade embrace G-Man at a party and kiss his head was unforgettable.

As many of you may know, my best friend in the world is Carmichael Dave, and we were so thrilled to get to go on the trip together.

It was the first time we’d spent even close to that much time together, and we learned a lot about our friendship over the course of the week.

Traveling with anyone can be stressful. Traveling with your best friend I learned could be gut wrenching… But we made it through!

On one bus ride, we had a spat and stopped talking. Halfway through the day, though, we made up because that’s what best friends do.

We normally talk and FaceTime multiple times daily. It took six days after we arrived back in Sacramento for us to finally reunite!

Speaking for Dave, spending seven days with me was probably way too much. But, a picture he posted of me on Facebook sleeping on the plane added a few days to our much needed bestie detox!

Now, we can return to our routine, and thankfully, we’re able to look back and feel grateful we experienced the Kings trip to China together!

a-trip-to-remember

A Trip to Remember

Network to Televise 80 Regular Season Games, One Preseason Game

Extensive Game Day Coverage with “Kings Pregame Live,” “Kings Postgame Live”

Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond to Serve as Analyst for “Kings Pregame Live,” “Kings Postgame Live” Along with Davis Native, Show Host Guy Haberman

Network Names Veteran Basketball Analyst Bill Herenda “Kings Insider”

“SportsNet Central,” “Yahoo SportsTalk Live,” “Kings Central” and CSNCalifornia.com to Provide In-Depth Kings and NBA News and Analysis All Season Long

SACRAMENTO, CA and SAN FRANCISCO, CA (September 26, 2014) – The Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) and Comcast SportsNet California (@CSNAuthentic), the exclusive local television home of Kings basketball, announced its coverage for the 2014-15 season, which includes 81 games (80 regular season, one preseason); complete analysis leading up to and following each game on Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live; in-depth 24/7 online coverage on CSNCalifornia.com; and season-long Kings and NBA news, analysis and insider reports on SportsNet Central, Yahoo SportsTalk Live and Kings Central. 

The 2014-15 Kings regular season on Comcast SportsNet California gets underway on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. as the Kings host Pacific Division rival Golden State Warriors (coverage begins with Kings Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m.). Calling all the action for Kings games on Comcast SportsNet California will be the veteran announcing team of Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) and Jerry Reynolds, along with sideline reporter Kayte Christensen (@kayte_c). 

In addition to the 80 regular season games, Comcast SportsNet California will air one preseason game on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. as the Kings host the Toronto Raptors.

“We’re thrilled to have esteemed basketball insiders Mitch Richmond, Guy Haberman and Bill Herenda join our roster,” said Kings President Chris Granger. “The new programming, increased analysis and additional content available on a variety of platforms further reflects our commitment to providing unmatched access and a world class viewing experience for Sacramento Kings fans.”

"It will be both a privilege and a challenge to televise games for one of the most passionate fan bases in the NBA,” said David Koppett, Senior Executive Producer of Live Events, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and Comcast SportsNet California.  “We're confident that a franchise on the rise, the voices Kings fans already know and love and our production experience and resources will combine to take Kings Basketball to a new level."

“We’re excited to bring our uniquely qualified network of resources to the passionate fans of the Sacramento Kings,” said Chris Olivere, Senior Director of News, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and Comcast SportsNet California.  “We have a tremendous sense of pride in creating original, insightful and entertaining programming for local sports fans on a daily basis.  Comcast SportsNet will continue to work tirelessly to present viewers the most comprehensive and in-depth Kings coverage throughout the year.”

Comcast SportsNet California’s Kings game-day and season-long coverage:

Kings Pregame Live, Kings Postgame – In addition to live game coverage, Comcast SportsNet California debuts the region’s most comprehensive pre- and post-game analysis with Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live. Prior to the game, Kings Pregame Live features a breakdown of the evening’s match-up, interviews with coaches and players, the latest team developments and a look at the other games around the NBA. Immediately following the game, viewers of Kings Postgame Live can look forward to complete game analysis with stats and highlights, locker room interviews and a preview of the next match-up.  Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live are anchored by Guy Haberman (@GuyHaberman) with analysis from Hall of Famer and Kings legend Mitch Richmond (@mitchrichmond23) and Kings Insider Bill Herenda (@billherenda).  Note: Additional Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live analysts will be announced at a later date.

RICHMOND – Richmond, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2014, was originally selected by the Golden State Warriors as the fifth overall pick of the 1988 NBA Draft and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. In 14 NBA seasons with the Warriors (1988-91), Kings (1991-98), Washington Wizards (1998-01) and Los Angeles Lakers (2001-02), he posted averages of 21.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 35.2 minutes played in 976 games and was a six-time NBA All-Star.  In 2003, Richmond’s No. 2 jersey was retired by the Kings, a team Richmond led in scoring for seven straight seasons from 1991-92 to 1997-98, averaging 23.3 points per game, and for which he scored 12,070, third highest in franchise history. 

HABERMAN – A native of Davis, Calif., Haberman is one of the region’s most versatile sportscasters. In addition to his anchoring duties for Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live, Haberman hosts a weekday radio show – “Haberman and Middlekauff” – with NFL analyst John Middlekauff for 95.7 The Game in San Francisco.  Prior to 95.7 The Game, he hosted an afternoon drive show on ESPN 940 in Fresno.  Haberman’s play-by-play work includes calling games for the Fresno Grizzlies, college basketball for the WAC Sports Network, and Fresno State women’s basketball and softball. He has a degree in broadcast journalism from California State University, Fresno.

Kings Insider Bill Herenda – Veteran basketball analyst Bill Herenda has joined Comcast SportsNet California/CSNCalifornia.com as the network’s Kings Insider.  In his new role, Herenda will provide coverage of the Kings across the network’s growing list of multiplatform outlets, including CSNCalifornia.com’s “KingsTalk” section and on-air for SportsNet Central, Yahoo SportsTalk Live, Kings Pregame Live, Kings Postgame Live and other NBA related programming.  In addition to his Comcast SportsNet duties, Herenda is the morning sports anchor for KFBK (93.1 FM, 1530 AM) in Sacramento.  Prior to joining Comcast SportsNet, Herenda served as a college basketball television analyst for the ESPN family of networks, Comcast Hometown Network and Time Warner Cable.  He was also the radio analyst for UC Davis men’s basketball and sideline reporter for Aggies football.  

Born in Jersey City, NJ, Herenda was a key member of the 1988 UMass Lowell NCAA Division II National Championship basketball team, which was subsequently inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.  A three-year letterman at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, he played under legendary coach Jerry Halligan.  Active in the community, Herenda is the Executive Director of Positive Coaching Alliance-Sacramento and is an alumnus of Leadership Sacramento.

CSNCalifornia.com – CSNCalifornia.com delivers complete Kings and NBA coverage and showcases Kings Insider Bill Herenda and Senior Insider Ray Ratto (@RattoCSN) on the site’s “KingsTalk” section, the latest team and player news, insightful analysis and breakdown, daily insider reports, special web-exclusive videos and commentator blogs.  CSNCalifornia.com is the most extensive local source for exclusive online video, player and coach interviews, press conferences and content from Comcast SportsNet's SportsNet Central and Yahoo SportsTalk Live, which offer news and analysis from the region’s most informed local lineup of award-winning reporters, analysts and personalities.  Additionally, CSNCalifornia.com will utilize NBC Sports’ “ProBasketballTalk” for nationally-based NBA content.  Plus, fans can follow the network’s Kings coverage on Twitter at @CSNKings and join the conversation by using #KingsTalk.

KingsTalk is under the banner of NBC SportsTalk, NBC’s successful digital franchise on NBCSports.com that includes ProFootballTalk, HardballTalk, ProBasketballTalk, ProHockeyTalk, CollegeFootballTalk and GolfTalkCentral. SportsTalk was extended to CSNBayArea.com and CSNCalifornia.com through the creation of A’sTalk, GiantsTalk, KingsTalk, WarriorsTalk, SharksTalk, 49ersTalk and RaidersTalk, which contain interactive content and continually updated insights from the network’s digital and on-air talent.

SportsNet Central presented by AT&amp;T U-verse (6 p.m.) &amp; Hyundai (10:30 p.m.) – During the 2014-15 NBA season, tune into Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s SportsNet Central (@SNCAuthentic) for in-depth, comprehensive news coverage on the Kings and the NBA, interviews with players and coaches, expert analysis, breaking local and national news, up-to-the-minute scores, the best local video highlights and daily insider reports. Anchored by Dave Feldman (@FeldyCSN) and Ahmed Fareed (@AhmedFareedCSN), SportsNet Central is the place for local fans to turn seven nights a week with half-hour newscasts at 6 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and midnight.

Yahoo SportsTalk Live presented by Comcast Business Edge – Hosted by veteran sports announcer Jim Kozimor (@CSNKoz), Yahoo SportsTalk Live (@YSTL) – airing Monday-Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area – is a live, hour-long sports talk show featuring opinionated commentary, in-depth analysis and lively debate on the day’s trending sports and entertainment stories.  Throughout the 2014-15 NBA season, Yahoo SportsTalk Live will feature NBA experts and a number of special guests from the Kings, including regular appearances by Insiders Bill Herenda and Ray Ratto.

Kings Central – Each month of the 2014-15 season, Kings Central – a  monthly half-hour magazine-style show – will give fans an inside look at the Kings both on and off the court.  Hosted by Kayte Christensen, Kings Central will feature interviews with players, coaches and members of the front office, behind-the-scenes footage, exciting game highlights and more.  Visit CSNCalifornia.com for air dates and times.

Comcast SportsNet California’s 2014-15 Kings telecast schedule is as follows:

For approximately 24 hours following each game, Comcast SportsNet California’s Kings telecasts will be available on XFINITY On Demand.  Note: Comcast SportsNet California/Kings On Demand is available only in the Kings’ broadcast territory. 

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and Comcast SportsNet California, both part of NBC Sports Regional Networks, serve more than four million households in Northern California, Nevada, Southern Oregon and Hawaii. Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, the television home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, AFL’s San Jose SaberCats and the official regional sports network of the San Francisco 49ers, also features a robust lineup of Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and original programming. Comcast SportsNet California offers live coverage of MLB’s Oakland Athletics, NBA’s Sacramento Kings, NHL’s San Jose Sharks, MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes and is the official regional sports network of the Oakland Raiders. Collectively, these networks deliver more than 600 live sporting events per year, over 1,500 live studio shows, including SportsNet Central, Yahoo SportsTalk Live, Pregame Live, Postgame Live, Press Conference Live, as well as compelling digital content, up-to-the-minute scores, highlights and breaking news via www.CSNBayArea.com and www.CSNCalifornia.com. Follow both networks on Twitter via @CSNAuthentic.  

NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consists of 11 regional networks that deliver more than 2,400 live sporting events annually, along with award-winning breaking news, comprehensive analysis, digital content and original programming to more than 43 million homes. The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Houston, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, which serves Baltimore and Washington D.C., Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, The Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and SportsNet New York. For additional information, visit ComcastSportsNet.com. For more information on NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com. 

In May 2013, Vivek Ranadivé led a dynamic and diverse ownership group comprised of leaders in technology, sports, marketing and real estate to purchase the Sacramento Kings. Under the new ownership, the Kings have implemented a forward-looking “NBA 3.0” philosophy that guides the Kings in becoming the first franchise of the21st century. NBA 3.0 is driven by utilizing cutting-edge technology, acting as a positive agent of change in the community, and expanding the team’s and the region’s global brand. 

Kayte Christensen

Kings Name Kayte Christensen-Hunter as TV Game Analyst

NBC Sports California to Broadcast 82 Kings Games

Willie Earns Fitting New Nickname

A Trip to Remember

Comcast SportsNet California, Sacramento Kings Announce Comprehensive 2014-15 Coverage