The Sacramento Kings are staring at another tough season after a 22-win year, but there’s at least one area where they can make real progress right away: making the whole thing more fun.
That might sound minor for a team trying to climb back toward relevance, but it matters. Basketball is supposed to be enjoyable for the players and the people watching, and the Kings could use a lighter, more connected atmosphere while the roster develops and Darius Acuff Jr. settles in as the hopeful franchise cornerstone.
Last season, the mood around the team was rough for long stretches. Injuries and disappointment dragged the building down, and the year could have easily been remembered for nothing but frustration. Instead, Sacramento got a little spark from The Beam Boys - Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, and Precious Achiuwa - who turned themselves into a loose, entertaining group that gave the fan base something to smile about.
That foursome is back. Achiuwa signed a new two-year deal, while Clifford, Raynaud, and Cardwell are entering their sophomore campaigns. The hope is that the same charm and wit that made them stand out last season can carry over into 2026-27, along with a few more wins.
Raynaud even has a new nickname now: the Big Baguette. Achiuwa, meanwhile, is being called the Big Fufu, a nod to fermented cassava.
It’s playful stuff, but that’s exactly the point. These are the kinds of little hooks a team and its fans can grab onto.
The Beam Boys are already thinking beyond the nicknames, too. One idea floating around is a sourdough cart in the arena selling baguettes, or even a Nigerian restaurant making fufu available in-house. Clifford has his own vision for the crowd when Sacramento lights the beam after wins.
“My idea, I want to get the whole fans involved. I want, like, everybody starts wearing sunglasses in the arena. I think that'll be a cool little tradition if everybody starts bringing sunglasses.”
It may all sound a little goofy, but that’s part of the appeal. The NBA season is long, and teams need ways to keep the energy up inside the locker room and in the stands. Sacramento still has work to do before the wins catch up, but if the Beam Boys have their way, next season will at least feel a lot more alive than 2025-26.
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