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Vagrant Kings
An inside account of NBA Commissioner David Stern's obsession with building a home for the Sacramento Kings, a tragically cursed, road-weary basketball team in Northern California.
Stern worked more than a decade to anchor the Kings in Sacramento, guiding NBA owners to reject a record-setting offer from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to move the franchise to Seattle.
Written by a veteran journalist and political staffer, who worked on the Kings' project with Stern and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, "Vagrant Kings" provides an unprecedented look at Stern and the political, cultural and economic impact of the NBA on its host cities.
"Vagrant Kings" explores the special relationship between Stern and Mayor Johnson, a former NBA all-star who hates his home-town team in Sacramento for having failed to draft him in 1987.
The book traces the history of the Kings from their Great Depression barnstorming origins in Rochester, N.Y., and explains how they became the most migratory franchise in American major league sports. The narrative follows the team through Cincinnati, Kansas City and Omaha, on its way to California.
"Vagrant Kings" describes the Kings' often-fractured and sometimes tragic relationships with Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Maurice Stokes, Oscar Robertson, Danny Ainge, Dick Motta, Ron Artest, Chris Webber, Olden Polynice, Bobby Hurley, Wayman Tisdale and other NBA notables.
"The appropriate outcome" is the phrase Stern uses when a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, led by Vivek Ranadive, buy the Kings and vow to keep them in California, despite having been out-bid by Ballmer. Ranadive becomes the first person born in India to own an NBA franchise.
Unmatched in scope, access and reflections on the emotional, political and financial decisions that swirl around major-league sports in America, "Vagrant Kings" is the first book to provide a deeply personal and detailed look at how David Stern runs the NBA, and how the NBA impacts its host communities.
Stern worked more than a decade to anchor the Kings in Sacramento, guiding NBA owners to reject a record-setting offer from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to move the franchise to Seattle.
Written by a veteran journalist and political staffer, who worked on the Kings' project with Stern and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, "Vagrant Kings" provides an unprecedented look at Stern and the political, cultural and economic impact of the NBA on its host cities.
"Vagrant Kings" explores the special relationship between Stern and Mayor Johnson, a former NBA all-star who hates his home-town team in Sacramento for having failed to draft him in 1987.
The book traces the history of the Kings from their Great Depression barnstorming origins in Rochester, N.Y., and explains how they became the most migratory franchise in American major league sports. The narrative follows the team through Cincinnati, Kansas City and Omaha, on its way to California.
"Vagrant Kings" describes the Kings' often-fractured and sometimes tragic relationships with Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Maurice Stokes, Oscar Robertson, Danny Ainge, Dick Motta, Ron Artest, Chris Webber, Olden Polynice, Bobby Hurley, Wayman Tisdale and other NBA notables.
"The appropriate outcome" is the phrase Stern uses when a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, led by Vivek Ranadive, buy the Kings and vow to keep them in California, despite having been out-bid by Ballmer. Ranadive becomes the first person born in India to own an NBA franchise.
Unmatched in scope, access and reflections on the emotional, political and financial decisions that swirl around major-league sports in America, "Vagrant Kings" is the first book to provide a deeply personal and detailed look at how David Stern runs the NBA, and how the NBA impacts its host communities.
327 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2013
About the author
R.E. Graswich
1 book3 followersR.E. Graswich bridged the gap between politics and pro sports with his new book, "Vagrant Kings: David Stern, Kevin Johnson and the NBA's Orphan Team," an unprecedented inside account of how NBA Commissioner Stern and Sacramento Mayor Johnson anchored a transient, small-market team.
An award-winning journalist for more than three decades, Graswich was a sportswriter and news columnist for The Sacramento Bee before branching into TV and radio in 2007. He worked almost four years on the Sacramento arena project as Special Assistant to Mayor Johnson before leaving to write "Vagrant Kings."
Graswich lives in Northern California with his wife Elizabeth and children William and Robert.
An award-winning journalist for more than three decades, Graswich was a sportswriter and news columnist for The Sacramento Bee before branching into TV and radio in 2007. He worked almost four years on the Sacramento arena project as Special Assistant to Mayor Johnson before leaving to write "Vagrant Kings."
Graswich lives in Northern California with his wife Elizabeth and children William and Robert.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 5, 2014
As a follower of R.E.'s work since his sports writing days at the Sac Bee, I have always been intrigued with his stories which made me thirsting for more. The book on the delinquent sports franchise was a snaring experience (I couldn't put the book down until I had finished it) that showcased a version of the Sac Kings drama that is not widely known. The perspective that "Vagrant Kings" gives the reader on team and the city of Sacramento is a much needed wake up call, his reportage calling upon the team's turbulent history. The insider piece turned a skeptical man into a convinced fan, but will still not attend games if the team keeps losing.
November 17, 2013
It was...ok. A LOT of history. I skimmed a lot of the Rochester/Cincinnati stuff. And there were some inaccuracies in the Sacramento stuff. At least not as I remembered it. And some of it.... I was involved in and it wasn't precisely the way Bob said it was.
I don't DISLIKE Bob, personally. But I do know he has a perspective that has not always been favorable towards the team. I think his reporting of events in this book is colored by this bias. Yes...I admit... I have a pro-team bias.
It is also my opinion that in order to be first to market, Bob rushed the ending. He had plenty of time to work on the beginning/history and it shows.
I don't DISLIKE Bob, personally. But I do know he has a perspective that has not always been favorable towards the team. I think his reporting of events in this book is colored by this bias. Yes...I admit... I have a pro-team bias.
It is also my opinion that in order to be first to market, Bob rushed the ending. He had plenty of time to work on the beginning/history and it shows.
February 8, 2020
Vagrant Kings: David Stern, Kevin Johnson and the NBA's Orphan Team by R.E. Graswich
This book is poorly written, contains inaccuracies, and is incomplete. R.E. Graswich is a poor journalist, and an even worse book author. Don't waste your time. Great topic. Bad book.
This book is poorly written, contains inaccuracies, and is incomplete. R.E. Graswich is a poor journalist, and an even worse book author. Don't waste your time. Great topic. Bad book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews