Reynolds Remembers: 20 Years with the Sacramento Kings [Hardcover]

Jerry Reynolds (Author), Grant Napear (Foreword), Don Drysdale (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005

Jerry Reynolds was country before country was cool. He also was part of the Sacramento Kings before that was cool. The Kings are celebrating their 20th season in California's capital, and Jerry has been there from the start. Quietly, he has been instrumental in the team's growth from a shoestring operation that couldn't compete to a model NBA franchise that is always on the short list of title contenders. He has been a first-hand witness of the league's evolution from Bird and Magic, to Jordan, to LeBron and Yao Ming. Jerry Reynolds has been a human Swiss Army Knife-serving the Kings as a scout, assistant coach, head coach, player personnel director, general manager, and television analyst. Because he has held so many positions in the Kings' front office the last two decades, Jerry has a unique perspective on how the Kings have evolved. For those who've been on the Kings bandwagon only the last few years, it wasn't always C-Webb, Peja, and Bibby. Jerry remembers the hollow feeling of putting a CBA-quality lineup on the floor for an exhibition game against the Lakers: Set for the tip-off, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and...Randy Allen? He remembers being left to explain the Kings' latest defeat to the media while Bill Russell snuck out the side door. But there were victories, too. He also still has a spark in his eye from trading draft rights to Billy Owen for superstar Mitch Richmond. Whether the Kings were stuck in the mud or winning 50-plus games, Jerry Reynolds remained the same-colorful, outspoken, engaging, and insightful.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

In his twentieth season as part of the Sacramento Kings, Jerry Reynolds serves as the director of player personnel as well as television analyst. A longtime college coach, Jerry joined the team's staff when the Kings moved from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985 as an assistant coach to Phil Johnson. After coaching the team himself for a year, he served as an assistant to Bill Russell. He replaced Russell as head coach before moving into the Kings' front office in 1988. Jerry also served as general manager of the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs for six seasons. In other words, he has done it all in pro basketball. Jerry and his wife, Dodie, reside in Roseville, California. They have a son, Jay, and a daughter, Danielle. An award-winning sports writer, Don Drysdale covered the Sacramento Kings from their arrival in Sacramento in 1985 until 1994 for the Sacramento Union. He also worked for the Marin Independent Journal and the Oakland Tribune and has written about basketball for numerous magazines. He lives in Sacramento with his wife Liz, son Donald, and daughter Cassie.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596701374
• ISBN-13: 978-1596701373
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Basketball > Professional

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More, More!!, November 9, 2005

By 

E. A. McBranch (Surgoinsville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reynolds Remembers: 20 Years with the Sacramento Kings (Hardcover)

A riveting read. I could not put this book down. A truly must read for all Sacramento Kings fans. A book any real NBA fan should enjoy. Being able to learn some of the inner thoughts of a real NBA insider is rare.

If only there had been more amusing stories and anecdotes Reynolds is so well known for. These reflecting the personalities of NBA players few of us fans ever see. Maybe this will be in Reynolds next book "Reynolds Remembers More" ?? We can only hope!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and insightful hoops book, November 4, 2005

By 

Marty S (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reynolds Remembers: 20 Years with the Sacramento Kings (Hardcover)

This was an enjoyable and insightful look into the Sacramento Kings. I was actually disappointed that the book was so short, but I'm sure this was done to not scare off sports fans who are afraid to pick up thick books. An extra hundred pages or so would have added more detail... but maybe that can be in a sequel. All told the stories were interesting and quite humorous. Reynolds also offers serious insight into the game itself and I especially enjoyed his take on the East Coast media "experts".

If you're an old Kings fan you'll laugh out loud as names from the past refresh themselves. And if you're a newer fan who thinks 50 win seasons are not up to snuff then you owe it to yourself to pick this up to see how things used to be not so long ago. Overall it's a terrific book for a true hoops fan.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A FUN AND ENTERTAINING RIDE THROUGH KINGS HISTORY, November 4, 2005

By 

Jargo Jones (Terre Haute Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reynolds Remembers: 20 Years with the Sacramento Kings (Hardcover)

I found this to be a quick and easy read. If you are a kings fan and have followed the team for any number of years you will see many familiar names throughout the book. From Reggie Theus to Jason Williams, it's all there. The best parts of the book focused on the numerous stories that documented how sad the kings really were from 1986 to 1998. New Kings fans will

be surprised at how far the kings have come in such a short period of time.

Reynolds recalls the 2002 Lakers Kings playoff series with vivid detail, including his accounts of Game 5 and the infamous

game 7 at Arco Arena.

It would have been nice to hear more stories but this is a fun, fast paced, and quick read. I read it in one sitting and figure to buy some for Kings fans during the holiday season.