# Sacramento Kings new logo (2016)

> Sacramento Kings launched a new logo on 26 Apr 2016, designed by RARE Design. The heraldic shield with a crown, crossed lances and an arched "Kings" was retired for a modern take on the team's 1985 logo: a purple crown sitting on a grey basketball, with "Sacramento" now set across the crown above "Kings".

## Key facts

- Brand: Sacramento Kings
- Launched: 26 Apr 2016
- Studio: RARE Design
- What changed: The heraldic shield with a crown, crossed lances and an arched "Kings" was retired for a modern take on the team's 1985 logo: a purple crown sitting on a grey basketball, with "Sacramento" now set across the crown above "Kings".
- Industry: Sport
- Logos: https://rebrandlog.com/logos/sacramento-kings-2016/before.png (before), https://rebrandlog.com/logos/sacramento-kings-2016/after.png (after)

## The rebrand, explained

The Kings shared the identity on 26 April 2016 at a preview of Golden 1 Center, then under construction. The Sacramento Bee reported that the shield, crown, basketball and jousting lances logo was retired after 22 years.

The team says the primary emblem is inspired by its classic logo, the one it brought from Kansas City in 1985, now with "a reshaped crown, refined basketball and new typeface that puts Sacramento front and center." Purple stayed as the primary colour; in focus groups the team ran, "purple" and "pride" were the words fans named most.

RARE Design founder Rodney Richardson, previously lead designer for Nike's global basketball division, led the work. He said the team considered thousands of sketches before returning to the old mark, which says "the kings of basketball" as simply as possible. A lion, a "Sac" badge, a crown and a heraldic lion crest made up the rest of the family.

In short: The shield and lances went; the 1985 crown came back.

## Sources

- https://www.nba.com/kings/news/kings-unveil-new-branding
- https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article73945512.html
- https://news.sportslogos.net/2016/04/26/sacramento-kings-officially-unveil-new-logos/
- https://www.nba.com/kings/blog/making-kings-new-logos
- https://rare.design/portfolio_page/sacramento-kings/

## Cite this

Rebrand Log, "Sacramento Kings new logo (2016)", https://rebrandlog.com/rebrand/sacramento-kings-2016/, last updated 2026-10-21.