2. The Sacramento Kings are not only fun, they’re pretty good too!
No one expected the Sacramento Kings to be good this year. No one expected them to contend for a playoff spot, or to be this fun, or for their young players to shine as brightly as they have. De’Aaron Fox came out of the gate hot, taking a huge leap from his rookie season, and never slowed down. He showcased a newfound ability to reliably make shots, which also helped him to get to the rim with greater ease. Fox also appeared much more confident leading the offense, and now looks like one of the most promising young point guards in the NBA. Buddy Hield is also living up to his potential, scoring more and more efficiently than ever, even as his volume has greatly increased.
There is also the team’s young frontcourt of Willie Cauley-Stein, Marvin Bagley III, and Harry Giles who have all shown off their own abilities this year. While the Kings will still miss out on the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season, they have won more games than they have in over a decade, setting themselves up for a promising future. Next year, they may very well end their playoff drought, having established themselves as a team with a future that promises to be much brighter, much more quickly, than anyone would have guessed in October.