DRAFT SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

New York City always gives me chills.

After living there for more than 10 years, I jump at every chance to go “home” for work and my most recent opportunity was extra special. Riding toward midtown in a cab on 7th Ave. on Thursday afternoon, I caught sight of the most famous arena in the world and got chills on an entirely new level.

This was the NBA Draft.

The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden was abuzz with nervous energy. Cheering and sweaty, fans outside the Garden waited in the June humidity for the doors to open, swathed in team jerseys and T-shirts showcasing their favorite draft pick. O.J. Mayo had the loudest contingent. As for the local fans, whooo boy! There’s nothing like loud, unpredictable New Yorkers and their, um, colorful language.

Kings TV producer Steven Rose, cameraman Scott Cramer and I were on hand to shoot a few Draft features for upcoming Kings telecasts, so I was jonesin’ to get interviews with the pundits and prospects for interviews. Talk about excitement!

Mark Jackson.

Walking onto the ESPN set at 5 p.m., I scanned the crowd of talent, production crews and League officials, and made a beeline for ESPN color analyst Mark Jackson. He had just finished chatting with ESPN's Ric Bucher, as both were prepping for the five-hour live telecast ahead of them. I picked Jackson’s brain about our 12th pick and he reassured me, “When you look at the Kings success over the years, Petrie’s done an outstanding job of picking talent.” Then, Andy Katz, senior writer for ESPN, piped in, “They find really good finds and I think Kevin Martin fits that description.”

Getting his "hair" and makeup done a few feet from us was ESPN color analyst Jeff Van Gundy. (The ESPN talent gets the hookup! Guess who does my hair and makeup? Angela Tsai!) Smirking, he was trying to distract my interview, so I said, “Hey Coach, I’m coming to talk to you next!” He glanced at the brush powdering his cheek, sighed and deadpanned, “I know nothing about nothing.”

During media availability, I sat with the pensive and unflappable Joe Alexander. Up until then, most of the journalists had been asking him predominantly local-based questions like, 'How would you feel about playing under Mike D’Antoni?' and 'Can you see yourself living in New York?' So I decided to change it up. “You worked out for the Kings. What do you think of their home crowd?” I asked.

Andy Katz.

Suddenly, stone-faced Joe broke into a big grin. “I grew up watching the Kings. I was a huge fan of the J-Will and C-Webb era. The fans were great. I remember how crazy they would go for the Bench Mob! Those were special times and I really feel connected to that organization.”

After Alexander, I caught up with Russell Westbrook who echoed the same sentiments. “Those fans in ARCO Arena get loud!” Next to him, D.J. Augustin added, “The Kings are a great organization. They’re so passionate about their team and their players. They want to win and that’s what I’m all about. It’s a great city with great coaches.”

Meanwhile, short-haired Brook Lopez fidgeted anxiously. “I’m nervous,” he revealed. “I don’t know where I’m going to live.” As he said that he glanced at his brother, Robin, sitting a few feet away. “We’re not going to be roommates anymore,” he said glumly.

Back at the ESPN set, easy to spot above everyone's heads was my fellow Duke Blue Devil Jay Bilas, who emphasized what a complex job the drafting process is. “Geoff Petrie’s been as solid as anybody. There’s so much that happens between picks 1 and 11. This is going to be as uncertain of a Draft situation as I can recall since I’ve been following this stuff. It’s tough. I think Geoff and his colleagues in the League really earn their money.”

Doris Burke.

A personal high-point for me was meeting the very talented ESPN reporter Doris Burke, who has blazed a trail for women in sportscasting. In a bit of awe, I approached her in the green room jotting down notes, and she was exactly what you see on TV -- knowledgeable, gracious, welcoming and encouraging. We talked about being inside MSG and the palpable excitement. "There’s a lot of electricity around any draft,” she said. “You’re talking about these kids’ lifelong dreams of making it to the NBA and you’re right on the precipice of that.”

Then, the Draft began!

And at roughly 8:30 p.m., David Stern announced our pick. Jason Thompson!

As I was then, I am severely stoked that we drafted the dark horse big man with a proven four-year college career. Boy, Geoff Petrie not only has proven he knows how to recognize talent, he also knows how to keep everyone on the edge of their seat!

As I left the Garden, I talked to Kenny “The Jet” Smith about the Kings Draft picks. “Reggie Theus has come in and brought a new identity to the team and that’s productive when trying to choose a new player. It makes drafting a little easier – to go with the style that Reggie has implemented.” He paused and then talked about Petrie’s confidence in Thompson.

Kenny Smith.

“The one thing that anyone goes on is their gut-feeling. They look at a player, assess their abilities individually and then go cocoon-away, not worried about what (pundits) say, and really see if this guy fits into their system."

And Thompson does. He’s a beast on the glass and brings an undeniable energy to the floor. Yes indeed, we welcome him. We need him.

Although New York City is a bastion of excitement and limitless possibilities, it’s Sacramento that I’m high on. Although I worked for NBA Entertainment for a few seasons before coming to Sacramento, this was the first Draft I was so personally and emotionally invested in one team. With Thompson, as well as Sean Singletary and Patrick Ewing Jr., there’s a new road ahead for the Kings.

And now that I'm back in Sac, those chills are still there.

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CELEBRITY LOOKALIKES

When the Kings went to Hollywood to play the Clippers a few weeks ago, I asked them who they thought their celebrity lookalikes were and the result was pretty funny. Take a peek at the video to see their reactions.

I, of course, had to do a lot of, ahem, research for this feature using the website MyHeritage.com. So if you want to find out who your celebrity lookalike is you can upload your photo and give it a go!

Check out Kevin Martin's lookalike!

When I showed this to a confused Kevin, he asked me how a white guy was the result. "Technology isn't foolproof, but it's colorblind," I assured him.

Wayne Brady actually came up first on MyHeritage.com as Reggie's lookalike but, as you may have suspected, Coach squashed that one quickly! Here are some of my other favorites.

Let me know which you find most entertaining in the comments section below! Or, if you have thought of a better Kings celebrity double, fill us in!

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BIG FISH

My unique view of the Kings isn't just from my happy courtside perch during Kings games. I'm a fixture at practices, on the road and in the community with the team. With this blog on Kings.com, I can't wait to share what goes on, both on and off the court. My goal is to show you why the Kings are one of the most diverse, fun and dynamic teams in the league.

It's easy to think you know the Kings. We see these guys on the hardwood night in and night out, posting up, blocking shots, getting fouled and bumping chests. They're on TV, the airwaves and maybe even behind you in the Raley's checkout line buying apples and milk! You think you know them?

Let's see.

When you think of Ron Artest, the chances are, you don't think sushi.

The one-time Defensive Player of the Year is built like a bull: muscular, powerful and tenacious. So wouldn't you assume he'd be throwing back steak, potatoes and pasta?

"I can't eat red meat," Ron admitted to me. "It just sits in my stomach for a day. It feels too heavy."

Food is fuel. And for NBA players, their choice in pregame meals may mean the difference between beating their defender on a fast break or, quite frankly, crashing and burning. For Ron, his pregame potion is sashimi -- straight-up raw fish slices, no rice -- the day before each game. And no matter what city the team is playing in, he manages to find the best sushi joint in town. Or, if a city doesn't have a good sushi joint, Ron makes sure to bring his own.

It's true. When Ron boards the Kings charter plane, he's usually clutching a take-out bag from a local Japanese hotspot where the sushi chefs know to pack his vitals -- sake (salmon), maguro (tuna), saba (mackerel), ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin).

"I love that sea urchin. It tastes like the ocean," he sighs with a smile. "The guys never think you can get full from eating sushi, but man, I don't think I can play without some the day before a game."

I love this image: brawny, tough Ron Artest wielding chopsticks, delicately dipping a silvery sliver of saba into a porcelain dish of soy sauce. Priceless.

photos courtesy: Angela Tsai

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