--Kings Tip-Off Community Mentorship Initiative with Help from Kings Legend Chris Webber and Recording Artists Wale and Eric Bellinger-–
Today, as part of the 35th Anniversary of the Kings in Sacramento, the team announced several exciting entertainment additions to the Opening Night Celebration on Friday, October 25, when they host the Portland Trail Blazers. The festivities will include a post-game outdoor party and concert in DOCO Plaza featuring performances by DJ GIO, Grammy Award-Winning R&B singer, songwriter and producer Eric Bellinger, and former America’s Got Talent finalist David Garibaldi. Additionally, as part of the Kings ongoing commitment to investing in the region’s youth, Kings Legend Chris Webber, recently announced halftime performer Wale and Eric Bellinger will each host a mentoring session with over 50 local high school and college-aged students from the Men’s and Women’s Leadership Academy, My Brother’s Keeper, Sacramento Youth Speaks and Sacramento State University prior to the game to tip-off the Kings Mentorship Initiative. The 916 Crew, the Kings gender-inclusive hip-hip dance group, will also make their official in-game debut earlier in the evening.
“Since 1985, we have been fortunate to play in front of the best and loudest fans in the NBA, and we are thrilled to continue our 35th Anniversary celebration on Friday,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “We have a packed line-up including a special community event, two Grammy-caliber artists and many in-game debuts. Celebrating with these world-class entertainers is the perfect way to tip-off this anniversary season in style and provide an incredible experience to the best fans in the league.”
Coming off his successful performance at Rolling Loud, DJ GIO will kick-off the post-game outdoor party in DOCO Plaza before welcoming Eric Bellinger to the stage. To end the evening, world-renowned performance painter David Garibaldi will headline the outdoor party with a spectacular show that combines paint, sound and entertainment. Beer and specially-crafted beverages will be available for purchase in DOCO Plaza.
Fresh off his recently released album Saved by the Bellinger, which features collaborations from top artists including Chris Brown and Wale, Eric Bellinger will sing the National Anthem before his post-game concert. Bellinger will return to Sacramento in late December as part of his upcoming tour – for more information, visit EricBellinger.com.
"I'm excited and honored that Kings asked me to sing the National Anthem and perform post-game as part of their Opening Night Celebration," said Bellinger. "This is such a great team and organization. I can't wait to step out on the court and make them proud!”
Prior to tip-off, Webber, Wale and Bellinger will host individual Kings Studio Sessions, powered by SMUD in collaboration with Arden Fair, and mentoring conversations with local youth to share their personal stories, lessons they’ve learned in their careers and words of wisdom. These sessions will launch the Kings Mentorship Initiative for the season, which seeks to educate and encourage local youth in planning for their futures while also supporting, highlighting and celebrating the work of mentorship groups throughout the region.
“I’m excited to continue my work with the Kings to help young people envision their futures and career goals,” said Kings Legend Chris Webber. “It’s a true testament to the Kings motto of being bigger than basketball to include such a meaningful event as part of their Opening Night celebration, and I’m excited to inspire these students during my mentoring session.”
Grammy-Nominated, Platinum-Selling Warner Records rapper Wale will perform his hit songs, including “Home Coming,” “On Chill [Ft. Jeremih]” and “No Hands” during halftime. He has also written and recorded a custom Kings-themed song with an accompanying music video to be used as part of the team’s intro video for select games throughout the season.
All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative t-shirt, courtesy of Kaiser Permanente, and have the opportunity to see the highly anticipated regular-season in-game debut performance of the 916 Crew as well as the in-season introduction of the Street Team.
Tickets for Opening Night are still available for purchase at Kings.com. Fans are encouraged to download tickets before their arrival to the event at Golden 1 Center using the “Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center” app.
To start the 2019-20 season, the Kings took on the Indiana Pacers in Mumbai, India, marking the historic first-ever NBA games played in India and the first games staged in the country by a professional North American sports league. The team’s time in India also included a visit to the Taj Mahal and interactive fan activities, including an NBA Cares basketball clinic and Legacy Project that brought the ultimate NBA experience to fans in Mumbai.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit Kings.com.