NBA Rookie of the Year winners: – From The Middle Blog

Sacramento Kings: A Complete History of the Franchise, Its Owners, Arenas, Hall of Famers, and Greatest Legends The Sacramento Kings are one of the oldest franchises in professional basketball. Their story stretches from the early days of the National Basketball League through the NBA’s growth into a global sport. Along the way, the franchise has represented Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Omaha, and Sacramento, building a history filled with championship basketball, legendary players, memorable coaches, devoted fans, and dramatic playoff battles. Although the Kings have experienced long periods without a championship, their history includes an NBA title, multiple Hall of Fame figures, individual award winners, and one of the most exciting teams of the early 2000s. The Beginning: From Rochester to Sacramento The franchise was founded in 1923 as a semi-professional basketball team in Rochester, New York. It later became the Rochester Royals and joined the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1945. The Royals won the 1945–46 NBL championship and joined the newly formed Basketball Association of America in 1948. When the BAA and NBL merged in 1949, the Royals became part of the NBA. The Rochester Royals reached the top of professional basketball by winning the **1951 NBA championship**, defeating the New York Knicks in seven games. That championship remains the franchise’s only NBA title. In 1957, the team moved to Cincinnati and became the Cincinnati Royals. The franchise moved again in 1972, playing in Kansas City and Omaha before eventually settling in Sacramento in 1985. The Sacramento Kings name was retained when the franchise arrived in California’s capital city. All Kings Franchise Owners The franchise has passed through several ownership groups since its early days. The following list identifies the principal owners and ownership groups associated with the team’s major eras. Les Harrison: The Rochester businessman who founded and owned the Rochester Royals. He guided the franchise through its NBL championship and its early NBA years. Louis Jacobs and the Cincinnati ownership group: The team moved to Cincinnati under new ownership in 1957, with Louis Jacobs and his family’s interests associated with the acquisition and relocation. Thomas J. DeWitt and the Cincinnati ownership group: DeWitt became a leading owner during the Cincinnati era and was associated with the team’s ownership before its Kansas City move. Samuel N. Battistone and interests associated with the Kansas City move: The franchise’s ownership changed during the transition away from Cincinnati. Historical accounts of this period describe changing financial and ownership arrangements. The Kansas City–Omaha ownership group: The team operated in two cities during the 1970s, with Kansas City serving as its principal home. The Maloof family: The Maloofs acquired controlling ownership in 1998. Joe and Gavin Maloof became the public faces of the organization during the franchise’s rise to prominence in the early 2000s. Vivek Ranadivé and the Sacramento ownership group: Ranadivé led the group that purchased the franchise in 2013, keeping the Kings in Sacramento. He remains the franchise’s principal owner. Ownership details from the franchise’s earliest relocation years are complicated by changes in controlling interests, partnerships, and corporate arrangements. The names above identify the principal historical ownership eras rather than every minority investor or temporary financial stakeholder. Every Home City and Home Arena The Kings have played in several cities and numerous arenas throughout their long history. Rochester Royals (1945–1957) Edgerton Park Arena: An early Rochester home used during the franchise’s formative years. Rochester War Memorial: The team’s principal Rochester arena during its later years in the city. Cincinnati Royals (1957–1972) Cincinnati Gardens: The team’s home for much of its Cincinnati era. Cincinnati Coliseum: Another venue used during the Cincinnati years. Kansas City–Omaha Kings (1972–1985) Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City: A major early home for the relocated franchise. Omaha Civic Auditorium: Used during the period when the team represented both Kansas City and Omaha. Kemper Arena, Kansas City: Became a principal home during the later Kansas City era. Omaha venues: The team also played selected home games in Omaha as part of its Kansas City–Omaha identity. Sacramento Kings (1985–present) ARCO Arena I: The original Sacramento home, where the Kings began their California era. ARCO Arena II: Opened in 1988 and became famous for its intense atmosphere and enthusiastic crowds. Power Balance Pavilion: A renamed version of the Sacramento arena during the early 2010s. Sleep Train Arena: Another name used for the same building. Golden 1 Center: Opened in downtown Sacramento in 2016 and remains the team’s home arena. Golden 1 Center represents the modern Kings era, while the old ARCO Arena became synonymous with the franchise’s passionate fan base and its memorable playoff runs. The Complete Ownership Timeline For historical accuracy, the franchise’s ownership record includes several groups not mentioned in the shorter overview above. The principal ownership timeline is as follows: | Owner or ownership group | Era | | Les Harrison | Rochester Royals founding and early years | | Cincinnati public corporation and associated investors | 1958–1966 | | Max and Jeremy Jacobs | 1966–1972 | | Kansas City ownership group led by local businessmen | 1972–1982 | | Restructured Kansas City ownership group | 1982–1983 | | Joseph Benvenuti, Frank and Gregg Lukenbill, Bob A. Cook, Frank McCormick, and Stephen H. Cippa | 1983–1992 | | Jim Thomas | 1992–1999 | | Maloof family | 1999–2013 | | Vivek Ranadivé-led ownership group | 2013–present | The franchise’s official media guide documents these ownership transitions, including the 1983 purchase that made the move to Sacramento possible. The Maloofs took controlling ownership in 1999, and Ranadivé’s group purchased the team in 2013. Basketball Hall of Fame: Kings and Royals Legends The franchise’s Hall of Fame legacy spans the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings, and Sacramento Kings. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recognizes players and coaches for their overall basketball contributions, so not every inductee earned the honor exclusively for work with this franchise. The following are especially important figures whose careers included significant contributions to the Kings/Royals organization. Players Bob Davies: The Rochester Royals’ pioneering point… Continue reading Sacramento Kings: A Complete History

The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the NBA’s younger franchises, but their history stretches across two countries and two cities. The franchise began as the Vancouver Grizzlies in British Columbia in 1995 before relocating to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2001. Since arriving in Memphis, the Grizzlies have developed a distinctive identity built around physical defense, toughness, rebounding, unselfish basketball and a passionate connection with the city. The franchise has not yet won an NBA championship. but they an NBA Coach of the Year, an NBA Rookie of the Year, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year, multiple All-Stars, several All-NBA players and a group of players who established the most successful era in franchise history. The Beginning: The Vancouver Grizzlies The NBA awarded Vancouver an expansion franchise in 1994, with the team beginning play during the 1995-96 season. The franchise was originally associated with the Northwest Entertainment Group and the ownership interests of Arthur Griffiths and John McCaw Jr. The name “Grizzlies” was chosen because grizzly bears were strongly associated with British Columbia and Western Canada. The franchise retained the Grizzlies name after moving to Tennessee, even though grizzly bears are not native to West Tennessee. Memphis fans had already embraced the name, so the organization decided to keep it. Vancouver Ownership Arthur Griffiths and John McCaw Jr. — 1995-1996 Arthur Griffiths was instrumental in bringing the NBA to Vancouver and developing General Motors Place John McCaw Jr. — 1996-2000 Assumed controlling interest in 1995 and subsequently became the franchise’s sole owner after acquiring the remaining Griffiths interests. Michael Heisley — 2000-2001 Michael Heisley purchased the Grizzlies in 2000. He initially said he intended to keep the team in Vancouver, but the franchise was relocated to Memphis the following year. All Arenas and Home Courts The Grizzlies have called three major arenas home since entering the NBA: 1. General Motors Place — Vancouver1995-2001 General Motors Place was the original home of the Vancouver Grizzlies. It opened in 1995 and was shared with the. NHL Vancouver Canucks. The Grizzlies played all six of their Vancouver seasons there. The arena was later renamed Rogers Arena. 2. Pyramid Arena — Memphis 2001-2004 When the franchise moved to Memphis for the 2001-02 season, the Grizzlies initially played at the Pyramid. The Pyramid was a distinctive building on the Mississippi River and became the team’s first Memphis home. 3. FedExForum — Memphis 2004-present The Grizzlies moved into FedExForum for the 2004-05 season. The downtown Memphis arena has remained the team’s home ever since. The move to FedExForum represented another important stage in establishing the franchise permanently in Memphis. The NBA’s account of the ownership transition notes that the Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001 and into FedExForum in 2004. The Move to Memphis The Vancouver years were difficult on the court. The Grizzlies never reached the playoffs while playing in Vancouver. Michael Heisley became owner in 2000 and ultimately moved the franchise to Memphis for the 2001-02 season. The relocation gave the franchise a fresh start. The name remained the Grizzlies, but the team began building a new identity around Memphis basketball. The Grizzlies have had two owners: Michael Heisley 2000-2012 Heisley purchased the franchise in 2000 while it was still in Vancouver. He became the owner who completed the move to Memphis. He remained owner through the organization’s rebuilding years and the emergence of the first truly successful Grizzlies teams. Robert J. Pera 2012-present Technology entrepreneur Robert J. Pera purchased the Grizzlies from Heisley in 2012 after the NBA Board of Governors approved the transaction. Pera remains the franchise’s controlling owner. The Pau Gasol Era The most important early Memphis player was Pau Gasol. Memphis selected Gasol with the third overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He immediately became one of the franchise’s most important players. In his rookie season, Gasol averaged 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and won the 2001-02 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He became the first player representing the Grizzlies franchise to win the award. Gasol spent more than six seasons with the Grizzlies before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. He later won two NBA championships with the Lakers and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. NBA Rookie of the Year as a Grizzly The Grizzlies have produced one NBA Rookie of the Year: Pau Gasol — 2001-2002 Gasol won Rookie of the Year while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. This is an important distinction because the franchise has had other outstanding rookies, but Gasol is the only Grizzlies player to win the NBA’s official Rookie of the Year award. NBA Most Valuable Player as a Grizzly No Grizzlies player has won the NBA MVP Award. This applies to both the Vancouver and Memphis versions of the franchise. Several Grizzlies players have received MVP consideration, made NBA All- teams or become major NBA stars, but no player has won the league’s regular-season Most Valuable Player… Continue reading The Complete History of the NBA’s Grizzlies