Each Team’s All-NBA First Team- A 30 Part Series: Part 21- The Rochester/Cincinnati/Kansas City/ Sacramento Royals/Kings
With the hype of the offseason coming to an end, I have decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to examine each team’s specific All-NBA First Team. What I mean by this is- following the criteria set by the NBA for the All-NBA Team rules, I will examine and elaborate on my picks for each team’s specific All-NBA First Team.
G- Oscar Robertson: 1960–1970
Oscar Robertson is the only player in Royals/Kings history to win an MVP award, doing so in 1964. He played his first ten seasons with the franchise, and is unarguably the best player in franchise history.
Robertson was the definition of a stat-sheet-stuffer. He is not only one the greatest scoring guards of all-time, but he is also one of the best playmaking and rebounding guards of all-time. Robertson is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double, doing so in 1962 (30.8 Points, 12.5 Rebounds, 11.4 Assists Per Game). He averaged greater than 25 points per game in nine of his ten seasons and never averaged fewer than nine assists per game. During his ten seasons Robertson was the conclusive best point guard in the entire NBA.
Robertson is the team’s all-time leader in points scored, made free throws, and assists. His 29.3 points and 10.3 assists per game are the highest per game averages in franchise history. On top of his prolific statistics, Robertson led the franchise to the playoffs six times.
G- Nate Archibald: 1970–1976
Nate “Tiny” Archibald took over as the face of the franchise following the departure of Oscar Robertson. Although the expectations were high, Archibald more than delivered, establishing himself as a premiere talent during his six seasons with the team.
For a span of about four seasons, Archibald was among the ten best players in the league. In that span, he was a three-time All-Star and appeared on four All-NBA Teams (3x First Team, 1x Second Team). He is only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring one season and assists the next. His 25.3 points per game as a member of the team is second behind only Robertson’s 29.3.
Despite his immense success as an individual, Archibald led the Royals to the playoffs only once, doing so in 1975.
F- Jack Twyman: 1955–1966
Jack Twyman was one of the first faces of the franchise, spending his entire 11-year NBA career with the franchise. In his 11 seasons, Twyman was a six-time All Star and appeared on two All-NBA Teams (2x Second Team). The team made the playoffs six times during his tenure with the team.
Twyman’s best season came during the 1959–1960 season, a season in which he averaged a career high 31.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
At the time of his retirement, Twyman owned almost every major franchise record.
F- Jerry Lucas: 1963–1969
Jerry Lucas spent his first six and half years with the Royals/Kings franchise, and during that time, Lucas established himself as one of the best players in the NBA.
Lucas made six All-Star games and was a member of five All-NBA Teams (3x First Team, 2x Second Team). He never averaged fewer than 17.4 rebounds, and his 21.1 rebounds per game in 1966 is still a franchise record.
The Royals made four playoff appearances during his tenure.
C- Chris Webber: 1998–2005
Chris Webber was the face of the franchise during the Kings’ success in the early 2000’s. The majority of Webber’s success as an NBA player came while in Sacramento. Webber was a four-time All Star and was a member of five All-NBA Teams (1x First Team, 3x Second Team, 1x Third Team) while in Sacramento. Webber led the NBA in rebounding in 1999, averaging 13.0 rebounds per game.
The Kings made the playoffs in every one of Webber’s full seasons, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2002.
When you thought of the Kings during the early 2000’s you thought of Webber. He was not only the face on the court but also off the court. He was a beauty to watch.
