Barkley believes Kings' newfound success is ‘great' for NBA

Barkley believes Kings' newfound success is ‘great' for NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings changed the narrative around their team in the 2022-23 NBA season and are ready to take things a step further during the upcoming season.

While some believe their feel-good story started and ended last season, Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley has confidence that they're on the way to the top.

"I love where the Kings are going," Barkley told NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole on Thursday ahead of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nev. "[Coach] Mike [Brown] did a fabulous job. I'm a big De'Aaron Fox fan. I'm a big [Domantas] Sabonis fan.

"But man, they should have won that series [against the Golden State Warriors]. But they're going in the right direction. And it's great for the NBA when they play well."

Sacramento turned heads during its storybook season, but the chapter came to an end with a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Warriors. It was the Kings' first postseason appearance since 2006, and Barkley shared where they went wrong.

"I think they made a couple strategic mistakes," he said. "I thought they should have played [Davion] Mitchell more, and I think they should have played the center [Alex] Len more because [Kevon] Looney was too big and strong for Sabonis.

"And I think they made a strategic mistake not going to Len and also, Davion Mitchell played fantastic. They should have played him more."

The past is the past and the future is the future, and for the Kings, Barkley believes theirs is very bright.