Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

Chris Mullin Brings basketball expertise and a strong NY accent

The Sacramento Kings announced today the organization has added Chris Mullin as Advisor to the Chairman, according to Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé.

“Chris Mullin is an incredible addition to our organization,” said Ranadivé. “I have great respect for his accomplishments and understanding of the game. From day one, we have focused on making the Sacramento Kings a first-class franchise built for the 21st Century. Chris brings the experience, knowledge, and influence to help us achieve our ultimate goal—bringing a championship to the fans and city of Sacramento. As we prepare for the new season and a new era in Kings basketball, I’m really excited about the group of visionary leaders we’ve brought together.”

Mullin, 50, will assume a variety of basketball operations responsibilities, advising Ranadivé and General Manager Pete D’Alessandro regarding player transactions and apprising front office and coaching personnel of the team’s collegiate and professional scouting efforts.

“It isn’t everyday that a franchise has the opportunity to add an individual of Chris’ caliber and reputation,” said D’Alessandro. “His passion for the game, unflagging work ethic and will to win, ever-present characteristics which helped define him as one of the NBA’s premier players for nearly 20 years, will have a contagious effect on our entire organization,” said D’Alessandro.

“I couldn’t be more excited about joining the Kings and playing a part in making this team a winner again,” said Mullin. “I’m especially grateful for the unique opportunity to work in close proximity with a world-class ownership group led by Vivek Ranadivé and the talented group of individuals assembled in our front office.”

A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2011), Mullin averaged 18.2 ppg (.509 FG%, .384 3pt %, .865 FT%), 4.1 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.60 spg and 32.6 mpg in 986 career games with the Golden State Warriors (1985-86 – 1996-97 and 2000-01) and Indiana Pacers (1997-98 – 1999-00). He was named an NBA All-Star five times and notched All-NBA First Team honors after posting 25.6 ppg (.524 FG%, .366 3pt%, .833 FT%), 5.6 rpg, 3.6 apg and career-highs of 2.10 spg and 41.3 mpg in 1991-92. Later that same year, Mullin would win his second of two Olympic Gold Medals as a member of the “Dream Team,” finishing third on the roster in scoring (14.3 ppg) behind Charles Barkley and Karl Malone.

Prior to being selected seventh overall in the 1985 NBA Draft out of St. Johns, Mullin earned every All-American accolade in existence as a collegian, including an Olympic gold medal for Team USA at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. He concluded his career for the Red Storm by winning the 1985 John Wooden Award bestowed upon the nation’s most outstanding college player. In 2011, Mullin was elected to the National Collegiate Hall of Fame.

Mullin remained close to the game following his playing career, serving as a special assistant in the Warriors front office before being named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2004. He would hold the title for five seasons, including one of the most memorable in franchise history as Golden State became only the third eighth-seeded team in league annals to upset a top seed when they defeated Dallas in the First Round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

The Sacramento Kings today announced Shareef Abdur-Rahim as General Manager of the Reno Bighorns, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Abdur-Rahim, who also holds the role of Director of Player Personnel for the Kings, will oversee basketball operations for the team’s D-League affiliate.

Abdur-Rahim is entering his fourth season in the Kings front office, where he served the previous three as Assistant General Manager after spending the 2009-10 season on the Kings bench as an assistant coach specializing in player development.

Prior to retiring from professional basketball in 2008, the 12-year NBA veteran amassed career averages of 18.1 points (.472 FG%, .297 3FG%, .810 FT%), 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 830 contests for four teams (Vancouver 1996-97 to 2000-01, Atlanta 2001-02 to 2003-04, Portland 2003-04 to 2004-05 and Sacramento 2005-06 to 2007-08). In a five-season stretch from 1997-98 through 2001-02, he posted better than 20 points and seven rebounds per contest, narrowly missing a sixth straight campaign registering such consistency when he recorded 19.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in 2002-03. He was named an NBA All-Star in 2002, finishing the campaign with averages of 21.2 points and 9.0 rebounds, ranking 15th and 13th in the league respectively.

In a related development, D’Alessandro also announced that Chris Gilbert will join Abdur-Rahim in Reno as the Bighorns Assistant General Manager. Gilbert is entering his first season as the Kings Basketball Operations Coordinator, assisting D’Alessandro, Assistant GM Mike Bratz and Abdur-Rahim with all facets of the team’s day-to-day operations.

Before joining the Kings, Gilbert spent eight seasons with the Golden State Warriors organization in a variety of capacities. In his new role with the Bighorns, he will support Abdur-Rahim in all aspects of basketball operations for the Kings D-League affiliate.

The Kings, Reno Bighorns and the NBA Development League announced in July a single-affiliation partnership beginning with the 2013-14 NBA D-League season, making Sacramento the 14th NBA franchise to establish a one-to-one affiliation with an NBA D-League team.

This partnership, also referred to as a “hybrid affiliation,” is the seventh of its kind in the NBA D-League and allows the Kings to pay for and control the Bighorns basketball operations, while existing local ownership in Reno maintains primary responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations and community initiatives.

After a highly competitive process involving some of the top architectural firms in the world, the Sacramento Kings today announced AECOM has been selected as the lead architect for the downtown entertainment and sports complex.

AECOM is renowned for designing some of the most state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venues in the world. AECOM is responsible for the acclaimed London 2012 Olympic Park and is also designing the Rio 2016 Olympic Park. AECOM has served as lead architect of 11 NBA arenas, including the Barclays Center – home of the Brooklyn Nets and the 2012 Sports Business Journal Facility of the Year. Locally, AECOM designed Aggies Stadium at the University of California, Davis.

“We have assembled the best artists in the world to design and build the new arena,” said Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé. “From the Bird’s Nest in Beijing to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, AECOM has the resume to design and create the most technologically advanced and fan-centric arena in the world.”

The Kings also selected ICON Venue Group as the project manager and Turner as the lead builder.

“We now have a world-class team in place and we look forward to developing what we believe will be an important civic space, and the loudest building in sports, right here in the heart of downtown Sacramento,” said Kings President Chris Granger.

AECOM plans to have conceptual renderings ready this fall and final design completed in early to mid 2014. AECOM will do all the architectural design work in Sacramento to ensure ongoing local input in the design process.

“We are thrilled to be selected to design the new downtown arena,” said Jon Niemuth, AIA, NCARB, LEED, Director of AECOM Sports, Americas. “For some of the best fans in the NBA, we are prepared to design an arena that will not only provide a tremendous home court advantage for the Kings, but that will also create an amazing experience for everyone who steps foot in and around the facility. This project will transform downtown and the entire region.”

“This is another huge win for the Kings and for Sacramento,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson. “AECOM’s selection continues to prove that the best and brightest in the world believe in this project and in our community. I applaud the Kings for an inspired selection and can’t wait to see what AECOM designs for the new arena!”

The Sacramento Kings announced today the organization has added Ryan Bowen as an assistant coach and assistant director of player development, joining Brendan Malone, Corliss Williamson, Chris Jent, Micah Nori and Dee Brown on Head Coach Michael Malone’s staff.

Bowen joins the Kings after serving the previous two seasons as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets. In his new role with Sacramento, he will support Dee Brown in all areas of on-court player development.

A 10-year NBA veteran, he appeared in 507 career games with the Nuggets (1999-2000 – 2003-04), Houston Rockets (2004-05 – 2005-06), New Orleans Hornets (2007-08 and 2008-09) and Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10). His professional experience includes time playing overseas for Oyak Renault (Turkey) and Ironi Nahariya (Israel).

As a collegian, Bowen enjoyed a four-year career at the University of Iowa, posting 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest during his senior year in 1997-98.

Following retirement from professional basketball in 2009, Bowen returned to his alma mater as video coordinator for the Hawkeyes, working in that capacity for one season before departing Iowa City for a spot on Denver’s bench serving under then Head Coach George Karl.

In addition to his coaching duties, Bowen remains an active contributor in the communities where he works, recently establishing the Ryan Bowen Family Foundation aimed at helping sponsor youth athletics and college scholarships for children.

Bowen and his wife, Wendy, have two sons, Benjamin and Zachary, and a daughter, Isabel.