The most popular sports magazine ever, Sports Illustrated, has released their 1999-2000 NBA season preview. They obviously like our Sacramento Kings, as they have them ranked sixth in the Western Conference and an outstanding ninth in the entire NBA! Ahead of the Kings in the west are the following teams (from 1-5) San Antonio, Portland, LA Lakers, Utah, Minnesota. SI praises Sacramento for its outstanding performance last year, as they posted their first winning season in 13 seasons and almost pulled off an upset in the first round of the play-offs vs. the Utah Jazz. SI also thinks we have had a great offseason, with Nick Anderson obviously being the greatest addition.

The issue also has a section dedicated to the league's best two-man combos. Among New York's Latrell Sprewell & Allan Houston, Phoenix's Anfernee Hardaway & Jason Kidd, Utah's John Stockton & Karl Malone, San Antonio's David Robinson & Tim Duncan, and Sacramento's Jason Williams & Chris Webber, SI lists Sacramento's duo "perhaps the most promising tandem in the league." The Kings are definitely getting some recognition.