Fansided

Every NBA team’s most famous fan

By Dylan Hughes

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 06: American actor Jack Nicholson attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves with his son Ray Nicholson at Staples Center on April 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 06: American actor Jack Nicholson attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves with his son Ray Nicholson at Staples Center on April 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – APRIL 11: Former NBA player Kevin Johnson (center) watches the game between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 11, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – APRIL 11: Former NBA player Kevin Johnson (center) watches the game between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 11, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Sacramento Kings — Kevin Johnson

So many people try to get away from the Sacramento Kings. After years of losing, why stick around? While DeMarcus Cousins didn’t ask to leave, he certainly doesn’t seem too torn up about having to go.

Kevin Johnson, born and raised in Sacramento, never actually played for them in his 12 NBA seasons. Johnson returned to Sacramento, however, and would do the Kings organization and its fans a huge favor.

After years of worry the team would leave Sacramento for Seattle or another city, Johnson, as then mayor of Sacramento, fought to keep the Kings in town. Johnson helped assemble a new Kings ownership group — led by majority owner Vivek Ranadive — that would agree to stay in Sacramento. They, of course, needed a new arena to do so.

Johnson was able to get the city to agree on a funding negotiation for the now-built Golden 1 Center. The city contributed $255 million, about half of the total cost, which will be paid back over time through the lease.

Without Johnson (and former NBA commissioner David Stern), the Kings could be in Seattle right now. Johnson did everything in his power to keep the Kings in his city. Was it without public scrutiny? No. He got the deal done, though, and the Kings will remain in Sacramento for a long time because of him.

On his last day as Sacramento mayor, Johnson was honored by the Kings.

The rest of his mayoral legacy may not be that shiny, but Kings fans in Sacramento shall be forever in his debt.

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