(Welcome back to our summer series – Just Wait Til’ Next Year! We last left off in 1996. Catch up here.)

1997. After averaging 55 wins a season over the prior seven seasons, the San Antonio Spurs followed David Robinson’s injury into the tank, and they hired Gregg Popovich as head coach after the Spurs got off to a 3-15 start. The Spurs would land the #1 pick and draft Tim Duncan. The Sacramento Kings would employ sixteen different head coaches during Pop’s tenure. They would pick 11th in the 1997 draft and select Tariq Abdul-Wahad.

After consecutive 39 win seasons, the Kings fell to 34-48 in 1996-97. Brian Grant left Sacramento for Portland (rookies had 3-year contracts back in the day, and Kings ownership had no interest in matching the 3/$21m contract offer). Predrag Stojakovic was still a mirage. Eddie Jordan had replaced Garry St. Jean as head coach. Other than drafting Abdul-Wahad (and Anthony Johnson in the second round, and losing Grant, the Kings did not do much in the off season (trading Duane Causwell for Matt Fish notwithstanding). The most exciting roster addition came when local kid Michael “Yogi” Stewart was added to the roster, which unfortunately spoke as much to the state of the roster as it did Yogi’s game.

The Kings got off to an 0-3 start, losing at Vancouver and then a pair at home to the Rockets and Lakers. And on November 7, 1997, a Friday night, the Kings limitless sellout string met its limit, as the Kings fell 1,459 tickets short of selling out the arena. To be fair, ARCO began to display a lot of empty seats the prior season, but most of that was disgruntled season ticket holders that couldn’t find seat fillers. But now we were talking about unsold seats.

The big trade deadline deal was washed Bobby Hurley (and Michael Smith) for washed Otis Thorpe.

The team was still competing at home, going 21-20, but a horrific 6-35 road record more than offset that. The team losing 19 of its final 20 was icing on the cake.

Mitch Richmond still made All-NBA 3rd team, as well as another All-Star game. He still played hard in his 70 games, but he also left no doubt that he wanted out.

Corliss Williamson took a nice leap forward in his game, averaging 17.7 points per game. Billy Owens was the only other King aside from Mitch and Corliss to average even 10 points per game (10.5), and his 7.5 rebounds led the team. Yogi Stewart was fun to watch when he was blocking shots (2.4), and a human eclipse from the free throw line (do not look right at it!) though his 45.8% conversion rate still beat Olden Polynice (45.2%).

Lawrence Funderburke made his NBA debut at age 27, and would be the only player on the 1997-98 roster to still be on the roster come 2000-01.

Mark Hendrickson averaged 3.4 points in 48 games. He would go on to win 58 games as a major league pitcher.

Reynolds’ Wrap: “The 97-98 season proved once again that things can always get worse. Losing key player to Free Agency, injuries to team star, and coaching changes all played a role in this joyless 82 game marathon. Add the fact an unpopular draft pick (Peja) failed to sign a contract. Not surprising fan disenchantment reached record levels. To top off this glorious season team owner (Jim Thomas ) was trying to sell the team and I became a diabetic. Somehow seemed fair! However, there is always a next year and evidence on the way.” – Jerry Reynolds

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The Maloof Family would purchase the Kings in 1998. Did we finally have a well-funded first family, or would it be more of the same here in Kangzland? The answer would apparently have to wait, as the NBA locked out the players on July 1, 1998. As it would turn out, we would literally have to Wait ‘til Next Year.