Malik Monk wasn't sure what to expect when he signed a two-year deal worth $19 million with the Kings in June.
He made plenty of visits to Golden 1 Center across five previous NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers, but one thing about Kings fans still has surprised him in his debut season.
"They're still there every day, yelling, screaming," Monk said on The Ringer's "Bill Simmons Podcast" last week. "The fans surprised me. That's one thing that surprised me about the city is how loyal the fans are. Everywhere I go, they've been telling me, 'We've been Kings fans for this long, so glad that you're bringing light to the team.'
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"Things like that, man. They all just bought in just like we are. We're just trying to turn everything around."
Simmons, who has grown to be a bit of a Kings Twitter heel over the years with occasional odd trade proposals, vowed to attend a game in Sacramento this season, praising Golden 1 Center for having "an energy that you can feel in the TV."
When he visits, Monk warned Simmons to be prepared to take in some noise.
"It's loud," Monk said. "It gets real loud in there."
NBA
Sacramento (16-12) owns a winning record on Dec. 19 for just the second time during their 16-year playoff drought, the other being a 16-14 mark after 30 games of the 2018-19 campaign. Sacramento ended that season 39-43, in ninth place in the Western Conference and nine games out of a playoff spot.
This season feels different. The positive vibes surrounding Monk and the Kings are for real.
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Although the franchise is receiving well-deserved love this season for bold trades by general manager Monte McNair, energetic coaching from Mike Brown and, of course, the viral sensation that is the Kings victory beam, the fans have been through it all.
The glory days of Mike Bibby, Peja Stojaković and Chris Webber. Rumors of the franchise relocating from Sacramento. The construction of Golden 1 Center. The 16-year playoff drought. And now, the 2022-23 "Beam Team," a group of players tasked with sustaining a newfound winning culture for a full season in front of a fan base that deserves a winner more than most.