By admin 
Rick Adelman, the winningest coach in Sacramento Kings history and the architect of the franchise’s golden era, has died at age 79. Born June 16, 1946, Adelman led the Kings to eight consecutive playoff appearances and remains the only coach in the team’s Sacramento era to reach the postseason more than once.
Read more Sheriff’s Office warns Sacramento County budget cuts could affect public safety
READ THE FULL STORY: Rick Adelman, the coach who transformed the Sacramento Kings, dies at 79
Read more Rick Adelman, the coach who transformed the Sacramento Kings, dies at 79
Here are key takeaways:
- Adelman was hired in 1998 and transformed a franchise that had reached the playoffs just twice in 13 Sacramento seasons into a perennial contender, posting a 395-229 record with a 63.3% winning percentage — both tops in franchise history — earning a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame nomination in 2018 as analyst Byron Scott declared he “put Sacramento on the map.”
- The 2001-02 Kings finished 61-21 to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference and pushed the Lakers to a seventh game in one of the most controversial conference finals in NBA history, a series Kings fans still believe was rigged against them.
- Adelman finished second in NBA Coach of the Year voting in 2002 behind Detroit’s Rick Carlisle, receiving 21 votes after guiding Sacramento to a league-best 61 wins, according to The Bee’s reporting on the announcement at the time.
- Adelman reached his 500th career victory on Dec. 11, 2001, when the Kings beat the Orlando Magic 112-100 at Arco Arena, with owners Joe and Gavin Maloof presenting him a rose-gold Rolex as Sacramento started 17-5, the best opening in franchise history at the time.
- The Maloofs parted ways with Adelman on May 9, 2006, after eight straight playoff trips, with team president Geoff Petrie announcing the mutual decision at the team’s practice facility following a first-round loss to San Antonio.
- The Kings would not return to the playoffs for nearly 17 years after Adelman’s departure, finally ending the drought in 2023 — a stretch that spanned 6,186 days between postseason appearances and underscored his irreplaceable role in franchise history.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
Read more Rick Adelman, the coach who transformed the Sacramento Kings, dies at 79