Richard Jefferson has changed his tune regarding the Kings.
Less than three weeks after criticizing Sacramento's starting lineup, the former NBA player now is excited about the team.
Late in the first half of the Kings' preseason opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, Jefferson and ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Ruocco had this back-and-forth.
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.
Jefferson: "I'm excited. We get Sacramento twice in a 10-day span on national television. We haven't seen that in about 20 years, probably the 1900's."
Ruocco: "Might see a lot more of it in years to come with [Marvin] Bagley and [De'Aaron] Fox."
Jefferson: "That's the goal. The goal is get these young players experience playing and playing at a high level. I'm glad that they committed themselves to playing, they didn't overspend on free agents. They are really using the opportunity, like we talked about, to develop this talent."
On Nov. 24, shortly after the Kings declined to match the Atlanta Hawks' four-year, $72 million offer sheet for Bogdan Bogdanovic, Jefferson said Sacramento has one of the worst starting lineups in the NBA.
When Jefferson tried to make the point that other than Fox, the Kings don't have a player that would start on another team, center Richaun Holmes responded.
Jefferson clearly was too harsh with his critique of the Kings' lineup and has reversed course on the young team.