Background on the Kings
While the team maintained a steady balance for winning in Kansas City, things did not turn out good in the beginning for them. While faced with an owner that chose not to bring in the higher paid players, the team members themselves fought for their wins. This all changed when the team was sold in 1997 and the new owners began to provide support by means of better draft choices and trades. This paid off when the Kings consistently became a top contender until 1999. The owners used this time to assemble team that would go down in history.
Beginning in 2000, a rivalry began between the two California Basketball teams, the Kings and the Lakers. While each team moved up the contender ladder, each felt the need to show which was best. For two years the teams publically insulted each other with Phil Jackson's calling the team a 'Cow Town' in retaliation to an insult from Shaquille O'Neal. The Kings politely responded back by establishing the tradition of ringing cow bells during home games. Although there is still tension between the two teams, the rivalry seems to have calmed with Shaq's move to the Lakers.
As the NBA Sacramento Kings continue to win games and are considered a favorite in the league and by fans, they will always carry the scepter regardless where the capital is.