Kevin Huerter became an instant fan favorite in his first season with the Kings.
From displaying his sharpshooting in the biggest moments to rocking his iconic headband attire, the 2022-23 season was full of great memories for the 24-year-old guard. One in particular, though, stands alone at the top.
“I think a moment I’ll never forget was Game 1, running onto the court in this building,” Huerter told reporters on Monday, referring to the Kings' playoff opener against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday April 15. “That was electric, it really was. It was like something you’re running on and you get the chills running down your spine. There was such a build-up for it. You hear about the drought and you hear about how crazy it’s going to be, everybody talks it up like, ‘Hey, Sac fans are going to come show out,’ and it really was.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“We ran out of the tunnel and there were 18,000 people or whatever it was standing up ready to go. I think that’s a feeling I’ll never forget. You got used to it in Game 2, Game 5 and Game 7, where they’re doing the same thing, but I think just the first time, feeling that energy and everybody brought it just like everybody said they would.”
Huerter, who was traded to Sacramento last summer, helped the Kings reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
After 17 years of anticipation, the world got a reminder of what playoff basketball in Sacramento was like. And it was well worth the wait.
Game 1 of the Kings' first-round playoff series against the Warriors drew a sellout crowd of 18,253 fans at Golden 1 Center.
Huerter had many other memorable nights over the course of the season. His game-winning 3-pointer at home against the Utah Jazz certainly stands out. He also was chosen to participate in the All-Star 3-point Contest.
But all things considered, it was the electric environment provided by his new home that put the icing on the cake of an already incredible season.
NBA
"It was really enjoyable," Huerter said when reflecting on the season. "For me, I think this was the most fun I've had to this point in my professional career plying on a team and just the camaraderie we had, the way we played the game, the unselfishness that we played with, how connected we always were.
"And that started from the top, that started with Mike [Brown] and Monte [McNair], and it trickled down to the leaders we had on our team, [Harrison Barnes], [Domantas Sabonis], [De'Aaron] Fox. Just a really good group. A group I really enjoyed playing with."
RELATED: McNair named 2022-23 Exec of the Year for Kings' turnaround
While the Kings' season didn't end the way they wanted it to, it showed that a bright future in Sacramento is possible.