DeMar DeRozan Says Media Is Disrespecting Kings

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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: (R-L) DeMar DeRozan #10, Domantas Sabonis #11, and Zach LaVine #8 of the Sacramento Kings sit on the bench at the end of the game in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in othe NBA play-in tournament game at Golden 1 Center on April 16, 2025 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Sacramento Kings are not expected to have a great season after undergoing numerous changes over the past year. DeMar DeRozan, the team’s leading scorer and veteran presence, hopes to guide the Kings back to playoff contention. The loss of De’Aaron Fox last season caused many pundits and fans to lose faith in the franchise’s ability to find consistent success.

Sacramento still boasts plenty of talent. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are both multi-time All-Stars capable of putting up big numbers. Keegan Murray remains a promising young player, though he’s starting the season sidelined by injury. Even with that talent, the Kings appear low on many preseason rankings.

DeRozan voiced his frustration with the media’s projections and said he feels disrespected by the lack of belief. “To see those BS lists that they put out there, you definitely have to be fueled by that,” DeRozan said. “We feed off that energy, and everyone else has to take that personal too.”

The Kings certainly feature intriguing names and impressive offensive talent. However, defensive issues and overlapping skill sets have made many skeptical of their chances to compete at a high level this season.

DeMar DeRozan Resents Kings Player Rankings

The rankings of other players referenced by DeRozan focused on the preseason lists of the NBA’s best players. ESPN ranked DeRozan as the 80th-best player in the league in an extremely low spot for someone who has played at such a high level for so long. His ability to score 20 points with ease appears undervalued by ESPN, which suggests that his production doesn’t always contribute to winning.

LaVine also received a disappointing ranking at No. 72, much lower than most others to average 23 points per game last season. Sabonis earned the highest Kings placement at No. 34, but even he isn’t viewed as capable of leading a flawed roster to real success. Sacramento is getting little respect entering the season, and none of its top players feel valued amid such low expectations.

Early injuries to Murray and Sabonis only add more pressure on DeRozan. The veteran has shown an ability to help teams overachieve throughout his career, but his age and the strength of the Western Conference make his task even tougher this time around.

Russell Westbrook Can Help DeMar DeRozan

The Kings lacked a true point guard after trading Fox to the San Antonio Spurs last season. The additions of Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook give Sacramento two veteran options expected to split time at the position. Westbrook joined the team more recently and earned praise from DeRozan.

“With the addition of Russ, we’re excited for sure,” DeRozan said. “Everybody knows how close my relationship is with Russ. Russ is definitely a guy who can help us in many ways. To have him on the team is crazy — first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the greatest point guards of all time.”

Westbrook’s presence has drawn criticism due to his inconsistent play in recent years. Offensive weapons such as DeRozan, Sabonis, LaVine, Westbrook, and Malik Monk sharing the ball could create chemistry issues, and the lack of defense only fuels doubts. Most analysts still expect Sacramento to miss the postseason, meaning the Kings will need a hot start to prove DeRozan right about silencing their critics.

Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford