Kevin Huerter joins exclusive list of Sacramento Kings sharpshooters

Apr 3, 2023, 10:53 AM

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Kevin Huerter #9 of the Sacramento Kings celebrates after a b...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Editor & Kings Beat Writer

When the Sacramento Kings traded for Kevin Huerter last summer, the move was widely viewed as a success for a team that desperately needed to bolster its presence on the perimeter.

Huerter, who had spent the first four seasons of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, entered his first season in Sacramento holding a 38 percent career average from three-point land while averaging 11.4 points per game over 274 appearances.

The 24-year-old’s career-high in made three-point field goals was 160 entering the 2022-23 campaign, which would have put him 13th on the Kings’ all-time single-season list.

Instead of ending his first year in the purple and black with a similar total from deep, Huerter will finish the season with a three-point field goal total that begins with a ‘2’.

After knocking down two of his attempts from beyond the arc on Sunday night, Huerter has become the fourth player in Sacramento Kings franchise history to convert 200 or more three-point field goals during a single season.

Huerter from range 🎯 pic.twitter.com/yfljByFB9Y

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 3, 2023

Huerter has set career-highs in made three-point field goals (200), points (1,103), field goal percentage (48%), two-point field goal percentage (60%), and three-point field goal percentage (40%) during his first season with the Kings.

‘Red Velvet’ is one of nine players in the NBA this season that are shooting 40 percent or better on 400 or more attempts from beyond the arc. Joining Huerter on that list is rookie forward Keegan Murray, who is shooting 41 percent from three on 473 shots.

Sacramento has benefited from having Huerter in the fold, with All-Star center Domantas Sabonis frequently connecting with the guard on his patented dribble-hand-offs throughout what has been the franchise’s most successful season in nearly two decades.

Huerter can move into the top-six of Sacramento’s single-season three-point record books if he can knock down five more triples over the final four games of the regular season:

Buddy Hield – 282
Buddy Hield – 278
Buddy Hield – 271
Peja Stojakovic – 240
Mitch Richmond – 225
Mitch Richmond – 204
Kevin Huerter – 200
Keegan Murray – 194

Next Game

The Kings will hit the road for a back-to-back that will begin on Tuesday night in New Orleans against a Pelicans team looking to jump into the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings.

Be sure to get all of your Kings vs. Pelicans coverage right here on Sactown Sports 1140 beginning at 3:30 PM PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner before a 5:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown New Orleans.