History of Sydney Kings in Timeline

The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sydney, Australia, competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). Formed in 1987 through a merger, they play their home games at Qudos Bank Arena. The Kings have won five NBL championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2022 and 2023), achieving a three-peat from 2003-2005. They rank third in total championships won in the NBL.

1983: SEC opened in 1983

In 1983 the SEC opened, giving the Kings the league's oldest venue.

October 1987: Sydney Kings Formed

In October 1987, the Sydney Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the Sydney Supersonics, marking the beginning of the team's history in the NBL.

October 1987: Sydney Kings Formed and Adopted Purple-and-Gold Colors

In October 1987, the Sydney Kings were formed through a merger. At the time, the team adopted the purple-and-gold colors traditionally associated with the Los Angeles Lakers, the dominant team in the NBA during the 1980s.

1988: Sydney Kings First Home Venue

In 1988, the Sydney Kings' first home venue was the State Sports Centre located at Homebush Bay.

1989: Sydney Kings Reach NBL Semi-Finals

In 1989, the Sydney Kings achieved a 15-9 record, finishing fifth and advancing to the NBL semi-finals after a 2-1 series win over the Melbourne Tigers. However, they were defeated by the Canberra Cannons 142-82 in the deciding third game.

1989: Sydney Kings First Home Venue

In 1989, the Sydney Kings' first home venue was the State Sports Centre located at Homebush Bay.

1990: Sydney Kings Make Playoffs

In 1990, the Sydney Kings made the NBL playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by the Brisbane Bullets.

1990: Sydney Kings Moved into Sydney Entertainment Centre

In 1990, the Sydney Kings moved into Sydney's largest indoor venue, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, which seated 12,500. It was known as "The Kingdome".

1992: Sydney Kings Advance to Semi-Finals

In 1992, led by Dwayne McClain and Ken McClary, the Sydney Kings finished second on the ladder and advanced to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by the Melbourne Tigers.

1993: Sydney Kings Fail to Make Playoffs

In 1993, despite having high-profile players, the Sydney Kings failed to make the NBL playoffs.

1994: Sydney Kings Eliminated in First Round

In 1994, despite having high-profile players, the Sydney Kings were eliminated in the first round of the NBL playoffs.

1994: Home Fan Attendance Record

In the 2019-20 NBL season, the Sydney Kings had a total home fan attendance for the season was 140,168—the largest in franchise history and nearly 20,000 fans more than the previous record set in 1994.

1995: Sydney Kings Fail to Make Playoffs

In 1995, despite having high-profile players, the Sydney Kings failed to make the NBL playoffs.

1996: Sydney Kings Fail to Make Playoffs

After their elimination in 1996, the Sydney Kings would not make the NBL playoffs again for several years.

1996: Sydney Kings Eliminated in First Round

In 1996, despite having high-profile players, the Sydney Kings were eliminated in the first round of the NBL playoffs.

1999: Attracted record crowd

In 1999, the Sydney Kings attracted an NBL-record crowd of 17,143 for their opening-round game against the Canberra Cannons.

1999: Sydney Kings Moved Back to Homebush Bay

In 1999, the Sydney Kings moved back to Homebush Bay.

1999: Hosted a Double Header

In the 1999-2000 season, the Sydney Kings hosted a double header at the Superdome, setting a league record of 17,143 fans in attendance.

2000: Sydney Kings Moved into Sydney Superdome

In 2000, the Sydney Kings moved into the new Sydney Superdome, which had been built as the main basketball and gymnastics venue for the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney.

2000: Attracted record crowd

In the 1999-2000 season, the Sydney Kings attracted an NBL-record crowd of 17,143 for their opening-round game against the Canberra Cannons.

2000: Hosted a Double Header

In the 1999-2000 season, the Sydney Kings hosted a double header at the Superdome, setting a league record of 17,143 fans in attendance.

2001: Sydney Kings Eliminated in First Round of Playoffs

In 2001, after a period of absence, the Sydney Kings made it to the first round of the NBL playoffs before being eliminated by the Townsville Crocodiles.

2001: Voluntary Administration

In 2001, the Sydney Kings went into voluntary administration following the 2001-02 season, leading to a change in ownership.

2002: Chris Williams and Brian Goorjian Join Sydney Kings

For the 2002 season, talented imports Chris Williams and Kavossy Franklin joined the Sydney Kings. Additionally, Brian Goorjian, the NBL's all-time leader in coaching victories, became the coach.

2002: Heal retires after the 2002-03 season

In 2002 Shane Heal retired after the 2002–03 season.

2002: Goorjian Implements Defensive Tactics for the Sydney Kings

In 2002, Brian Goorjian implemented his defensive tactics with the Sydney Kings, similar to his success with the Spectres, Magic, and Titans in Melbourne. The Kings recruited Chris Williams, the league MVP from the 2002-03 season. Jason Smith and Bradley Sheridan, who previously played for Goorijan in Victoria, also joined the team.

2002: Move Back to the Entertainment Centre

In 2002, after being purchased by a new investment group, the Sydney Kings moved back to the Entertainment Centre due to falling attendances and high costs at the Superdome.

2003: Sydney Kings Win Second Championship

In 2003, the Sydney Kings secured their second championship after winning their best-of-five grand final series against the West Sydney Razorbacks in a deciding fifth game. C. J. Bruton was recruited, replacing Heal and Jason Smith was signed after returning to the NBL after playing in Europe but was replaced after 13 games due to an injury.

2003: Sydney Kings Win 13 Straight Games

In the 2021–22 season, the Kings won 13 straight games, equalling the second-longest winning streak in franchise history set between the end of the 2003 season and the beginning of 2004.

2004: Sydney Kings Performed Strongly in the 2004-05 season

In 2004 the Sydney Kings performed strongly in the 2004–05 season despite an injury to C.J. Bruton and season ending ACL tear for Luke Kendall. The Kings managed without their starting backcourt until Bruton came back and they signed Rolan Roberts. The Kings finished on top of the ladder.

2004: Sydney Kings Win Second NBL Championship

In 2004, the Sydney Kings secured their second NBL championship, further solidifying their presence in the league.

2004: Sydney Kings Win 13 Straight Games

In the 2021–22 season, the Kings won 13 straight games, equalling the second-longest winning streak in franchise history set between the end of the 2003 season and the beginning of 2004.

2005: Sydney Kings Win Third NBL Championship

In 2005, the Sydney Kings achieved a historic feat by winning their third consecutive NBL championship, becoming the first team in the league to do so.

2005: Sydney Kings Finished Atop the Ladder

In 2005, the Sydney Kings finished atop the ladder and made it to the grand final.

2006: Sydney Kings Swept in Finals; Club Purchased by Tim Johnston

In 2006, the Sydney Kings were swept 3–0 in the NBL finals by the Melbourne Tigers. Later that year, the club was purchased for $2 million by Tim Johnston, the chairman of Firepower International.

2006: Sydney Kings Continued Success Into Post-Season

In the 2006 season, the Sydney Kings continued their success into the post-season despite losing C. J. Bruton in the off-season to the Brisbane Bullets. They faced the Bruton led Bullets in the semi-finals losing 2-0.

2007: Firepower International Sells Part Share in Sydney Kings

In 2007, Tim Johnston of Firepower International sold a part share in the Sydney Kings to Dorry Kordahi, the CEO and owner of DKM.

2007: Sydney Kings Lose Grand Final Rematch to Melbourne Tigers

In 2007, the Sydney Kings faced the Melbourne Tigers in a grand final rematch. The series went to a deciding fifth game, which the Kings lost 3–2 at home amidst rumors of a potential collapse and uncertainty about contracts.

March 2008: Coach Brian Goorjian Quits Sydney Kings

On 24 March 2008, Brian Goorjian quit as coach of the Sydney Kings by mutual agreement.

June 2008: Sydney Kings NBL Licence Terminated

On 12 June 2008, the NBL terminated the Sydney Kings' licence due to the collapse of Firepower and the team's inability to pay player salaries.

2010: Sydney Kings Relaunch for 2010-11 NBL Season

Under revised management and ownership, the Sydney Kings relaunched for the 2010-11 NBL season, returning after a two-year absence. Despite additions like Julian Khazzouh, Ben Madgen, and Luke Martin, they finished last with an 8–20 record.

2011: Andrew Bogut Linked to Sydney Kings During NBA Lockout

Due to the 2011 NBA Lockout, Andrew Bogut, was considering playing in the NBL and was linked with the Sydney Kings. He ultimately chose to play with the Kings, but insurance issues prevented him from playing. Despite not playing, Bogut expressed interest in joining the Kings' coaching staff during the lockout.

2011: Sydney Kings Finished Seventh in 2011-12 Season

In the 2011-12 NBL season, the Sydney Kings improved and finished in seventh spot with an 11–17 record.

2012: Move one game to the State Sports Centre

In the 2012–13 NBL season, the Sydney Kings were forced to move one game to the State Sports Centre due to a pre-booked event taking priority at the Entertainment Centre.

2012: Sydney Kings Qualify for Playoffs

In the six years since returning to the league, the Sydney Kings qualified for playoffs in 2012.

October 2013: Announced Best Team from First 25 Years

On 10 October 2013, the Sydney Kings announced their best team from the first 25 years of the club at their 2013–14 season launch at the Australian Museum. Brian Goorjian was named head coach, and Jason Smith was named captain.

2013: Kings First Finals Appearance Since 2013

After a 18–10 record across the 2018–19 season, the club recorded their first finals appearance since 2013 however lost 2–0 to Melbourne United in the semi-finals. Andrew Bogut would receive MVP honours becoming the 3rd King to receive the award and the first in 15 years.

November 2015: Sydney Kings Play 800th Game in Franchise History

In November 2015, the Sydney Kings played their 800th game in franchise history, marking a significant milestone for the team.

2015: Departure from the Entertainment Centre

In 2015, the Sydney Kings left the Entertainment Centre, which was being closed, and had the second-largest venue in the NBL at the time.

2015: Move to Homebush Bay

In 2015, the Sydney Kings moved back to Homebush Bay midway through the 2015-16 season due to the SEC being demolished.

March 2016: New Management and Return to Superdome

On March 13, 2016, the Sydney Kings came under new management and were moved back to the Superdome (Qudos Bank Arena) for the 2016-17 season.

2016: Sydney Kings Recruit Big Names

In 2016 the Sydney Kings recruited big names Kevin Lisch, Brad Newley and Aleks Marić plus imports Greg Whittington and Michael Bryson.

2016: Andrew Gaze Named Head Coach of Sydney Kings

In 2016, Andrew Gaze was named head coach of the Sydney Kings on a three-year deal. The team recruited big names, but after a strong start, they missed the playoffs.

2017: Sydney Kings Faced Struggles

Before the 2017 season, the Sydney Kings recruited several imports, but lost 16 of their first 21 games due to injury, and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. Jerome Randle led the team to six wins in their final seven games.

January 2018: Wall of Legends Inductions

On 28 January 2018, at halftime of the Kings vs Melbourne United match, new inductions were made to the Wall of Legends, bringing the total to 12 members.

April 2018: Sydney Kings Sign Andrew Bogut

On 24 April 2018, the Sydney Kings announced the signing of Australian basketball icon, Andrew Bogut.

November 2019: Set All-Time NBL Single-Game Attendance Record

On November 17, 2019, the Sydney Kings set the all-time NBL single-game attendance record with 17,514 at the Superdome in a game against the Illawarra Hawks, which featured LaMelo Ball.

2019: High Home Crowd Attendance

During the 2019-20 season, six of the top ten home crowds in Sydney Kings franchise history attended games at Qudos Bank Arena.

2019: Largest Per-Game Average Attendance

In the 2019-20 NBL season, the Sydney Kings averaged 10,012 fans per home game, marking the largest per-game average at home in franchise history.

2021: Sydney Kings Win 13 Straight Games

In the 2021 season, the Sydney Kings won 13 straight games. Jaylen Adams received MVP honours and Sydney went on to win the franchise's 4th NBL championship.

2022: Playoff Crowd Record

In 2022, during game 3 of the NBL Grand Final series against the Tasmania Jack Jumpers at the Sydney SuperDome, the Sydney Kings attracted a crowd of 16,149. This was the biggest playoff crowd in NBL history and the third-largest crowd overall in NBL history at the time.

2022: Sydney Kings Enlist New Trio and Dominate Season

In 2022, the Kings enlisted a new import trio and continued their dominant performance from the previous season, leading to a 19-9 record and the minor premiership. Xavier Cooks was named MVP. The Kings defeated the Breakers 3-2 to win back-to-back titles.

2022: Sydney Kings Win Fourth NBL Championship

In 2022, the Sydney Kings claimed their fourth NBL championship, adding another title to their history.

2022: Grand Final Series Against New Zealand Breakers

In the Grand Final Series of the 2022–23 season against the New Zealand Breakers the Sydney Kings set the new single-game attendance record and playoff game attendance record twice.

March 2023: New Single-Game Attendance Record

On Friday 10 March 2023, a new record of 18,049 attended game 3 of the Grand Final Series against the New Zealand Breakers.

2023: Shane Heal's Jersey Removed

In 2023, Shane Heal's retired jersey banner was removed from the Sydney Kings' Wall of Legends following his exit as head coach of the Sydney Flames.

2023: Sydney Kings Win Fifth NBL Championship

In 2023, the Sydney Kings won their fifth NBL championship, further cementing their legacy in the league.

2024: As of the end of the season

As of the end of the 2024–25 season.

2025: Sydney Kings Returned to NBL Grand Final Series

In 2025, behind coach Brian Goorjian and guard Kendric Davis, the Sydney Kings returned NBL Grand Final series. In game one, the Kings defeated the Adelaide 36ers 112–68.

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