Mike Brown hopes the Kings can climb the NBA mountain

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — As he mapped out plans for training camp, Kings coach Mike Brown settled on a theme: mountain climbing. Brown invited Ed Viesturs, known for summiting the world’s 14 highest peaks without the aid of supplemental oxygen, to speak to his team before practices begin. The Kings have made strides up the NBA mountain since Brown was hired in 2022. They ended the longest playoff drought in league history during Brown’s first season and have won 40 or more games in consecutive seasons for the first time in nearly two decades. They acquired six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan as part of a three-team trade in the offseason.