Let's Go Kings

I believe I have mentioned on here before that I grew up in Sacramento and was just entering High School when the Sacramento Kings relocated from Kansas City.  My dad and some business partners bought season tickets and some of my friends parents had access to tickets so I was able to go to quite a few games throughout high school.  I became an instant fan of the first Professional team in my home town.

Even though I went to college in the land of the Lakers and right across the street from the LA Sports Arena where the Clippers played, my loyalty has never wavered.  When I moved back to Sactown after college, I was able to attend quite a few games with vendors we worked with (prior to that being frowned upon).  I am back in the land of the Lakers and Clippers but continue my fandom of the Kings.

I ran across a Kings Talk podcast a couple weeks ago and many of the players and coaches from the early years of the Kings tenure and Sacramento and from the peak years of the "Greatest Show on Court" where they regularly made the playoffs have been guests and it has been making me nostalgic.

I have a modest Kings collecting in addition to my Chris Webber player collection.  I have an almost complete Scot Pollard set (122/146 with at least 12 of the cards being 1/1s last time I updated the checklist) that I need to bring out of the mothballs one of these days.  My recent inspiration made me search for some new Kings cards that I thought I would show to help celebrate some recent semi-success the team is having elevating to the #8 seed in the Western Conference.

 This Webber just as easily could have been part of my upcoming Catching Up with Chris Webber post but I did buy this during my focus on Kings cards so I thought I would include it.  This is a pretty crazy and shiny relic from 2002-03 Topps Pristine, I think it is quite indicative of the card era.

Sharp shooter Peja Stojakovic also has a card in this set.  During his peak he was the best pure shooter in the NBA.  I just loved watching him and with the great passing of the Kings from Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber and Vlade Divac, Peja was found open quite frequently and the opponent paid the price.

This card from 2011-12 Limited includes a photo with Peja shooting the bonus ball in the 3-Point contest on All-Star weekend.  The back includes a write up celebrating his repeat championship in the 2003 3-Point contents.  The right side of the swatch shows a little purple patch and the card is numbered 65/99.  Peja was my favorite King for a while and I have contemplated putting together a player collection of him.  With all my player collections, it is a little odd that I don't have one of the guy I named my pet turtle after.

My final Kings card to share for this shopping spree is a nice 2015-16 Mitch Richmond autograph from Panini Prizm.  Mitch started the upswing of the Kings from a doormat to a team contending for the playoffs.  I loved watching Mitch play and think he was second to MJ as the best 2-Guard in the league during his prime.  It was a proud Sacramento moment when he won the All-Star Game MVP.  Mitch was traded to bring in Chris Webber so in addition to being a huge part of helping the doormats become playoff contenders, he helped the playoff contents become title contenders.

I think it might be time to do some COMC shopping for some more Kings cards to add to my collection.  Let's Go Kings!