Why DeRozan believes “the sky’s the limit” for Kings in a stacked West originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO – It’s been a busy summer for DeMar DeRozan.
In addition to joining a new team, he embarked on a cross-country book tour to promote “Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm” – a remarkable memoir chronicling his struggle with depression and mental health.
However, there was time to support his new Kings teammate, Domantas Sabonis, at the premiere of Netflix’s “Starting 5” series. And dinner with young Kings forward and mentor Keegan Murray. And workouts with rising USC women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins.
One thing he hasn’t had time for, however, is settling into his new home in Sacramento. But to him, that’s the easy part.
And now he is ready for the real fun to begin.
“Yeah, it’s a little overwhelming. I can’t wait to get home today [and] rest because I’m looking forward to starting camp tomorrow,” DeRozan said Monday at Kings Media Day. “I can’t wait to get around the fans. I feel the energy a little more.
“But first and foremost, I’m looking forward to just getting out on the court with these guys.”
DeRozan already got a head start with Sabonis, as the two met in Los Angeles during the offseason for some workouts.
Adjusting to new teammates and a new system can take time, but all the non-basketball stuff meant a lot more to DeRozan.
And from the start, the two Kings leaders were on the same page.
“I think it was special off the court,” DeRozan said of his meeting with Sabonis this summer. “The communication we had, being on the same page right away, talking about having the same feeling, understanding how we could help each other, but also help other guys. What was missing from the year before? What was needed? How we could feel this void?It was just crazy how quickly we solved problems along the way.
“Obviously working on the court, that was the easy part. That was fun. But the communication that came from it made me even more excited. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
And for the first time on Monday, DeRozan, Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox were all in the same building at the same time wearing the same jersey.
A new trio has formed in Sacramento – and is excited to compete with the best in the West.
DeRozan, a 15-year NBA veteran, has played the majority of his career in the Eastern Conference. Their first nine years in Toronto were followed by three seasons in the West with the San Antonio Spurs. He played his most recent three seasons in Chicago and now returns to a stacked Western Conference where the competition delights him.
“To me, you want that as a competitor,” DeRozan said. “You want to be placed in the toughest competition, it brings the best out of you. I’m looking forward to it. These guys are extremely talented. They want to win from top to bottom. From the fan base to everyone.
“When you see something like that, you want to be a part of it. And for me, I look forward to bringing it every night.”
DeRozan added that he believes the West has become even more loaded this season, stating that a path to the playoffs is fair game for 14 of the 15 teams — a bigger reason he believes, “you can’t take no nights.” That was a hard lesson learned last season for the Kings, who took far too many nights off against shorthanded squads, teams under .500 and, more often than not, the free throw line.
But the six-time NBA All-Star and his veteran presence could be just what this young and inexperienced team needs if its goal of “climbing together” is more than just a new philosophy.
And that leadership role isn’t just something DeRozan will fill as a 35-year-old vet, it’s something he welcomes.
“That’s always been my job,” he said. “Try to lead by example. Sometimes, I’m not the most talkative sometimes. But I am the one who every day you know what you will get from me in every way. And that is leading by example. And with that, leaving it all on the line, competing at the highest level – I’m a dog when it comes to that.
“I just want to win.”
But how can this team, with DeRozan, with its other offseason additions and losses, wins?
Two seasons ago, the Kings thrived on a fast-paced, historically dynamic offense. Last season, the emphasis was on defense and physicality.
This year, with the addition of DeRozan, the focus should return to offense (still with steady defensive progress). It’s something coach Mike Brown and his staff will have to figure out how DeRozan fits into the offensive scheme with Fox, Sabonis, Murray and either Keon Ellis or Malik Monk.
“I mean you’ve seen it over the last couple of years with what this team has been able to do,” DeRozan said of Sacramento’s offense. “The level they brought it to, barring injuries last year, it was a top team.
“Sky is the limit. That was one thing that enticed me to even want to come here. It’s me knowing how incredible this team already was and how well coached they were already. And adding the guys that come. Man, as a competitor, you want to be a part of that.”
And for those worried about too many mouths to feed the Kings with just one spoon, DeRozan explained why that shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing.
“When I hear people say things like that, it just shows me how much they don’t know basketball,” he said. “You saw Boston just win it with all the talent they have and they made it work. You have to have talent in this league. It’s more than just one guy could go out and do it, two guys could go out there and do it. it You need a collective effort of guys able to go out and compete nightly.
“And you just can’t always just rely on two guys to be the savior of that. It’s a team effort. And you look at this team and you have that talent from top to bottom — on the bench, starting, whatever it is. can be So, you need that now if you really want to win at a high level.”
