2022–23 Sacramento Kings season

The 2022–23 Sacramento Kings season was the 78th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and 39th season in the city of Sacramento. On April 11, 2022, the Sacramento Kings relieved interim head coach Alvin Gentry of his duties. Gentry was named interim head coach after the team fired Luke Walton in November 2021. On May 9, 2022, the Sacramento Kings hired Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown to become the Kings' new head coach. After the Seattle Mariners of MLB qualified for the Playoffs for the first time since 2001, the Kings entered this season with the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports with their last playoff appearance in 2006. Despite starting 0–4, they improved on their 30–52 record from last year by winning their 31st game on February 8, and won their first Pacific Division title since 2003, after putting an end to an NBA-record 16 season-long playoff drought. The longest active playoff drought in the four major North American Sports now belongs to the Buffalo Sabres of NHL and the New York Jets of NFL with each team missing the playoffs 12 years straight. Meanwhile the Charlotte Hornets now owned the longest playoffs drought in NBA with their last apperince in 2016, followed by the Detroit Pistons in 2nd for NBA playoffs drought with their last playoffs appearance in 2019, then tied for 3rd for playoffs drought in NBA, the Orlando Magic, the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs with each team last making the playoffs in 2020 at the NBA Bubble.

On February 24, 2023, the Kings won the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, winning a 176–175 double-overtime match over the Los Angeles Clippers. On March 12, against the Suns, the Kings reached the 40-win mark for the first time since the 2005–06 season. Three days later, the Kings won their 41st game, ending an NBA-record of 16 consecutive losing seasons. The day after winning their 41st game, they secured their first winning season in 17 years with their win over the Brooklyn Nets. On March 29, the Kings clinched their first postseason berth since 2006 with their win over the Portland Trail Blazers, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history and the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports. On April 4, the Kings secured their first Pacific Division championship since the 2002–03 NBA season with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Mike Brown was named the first ever unanimous NBA Coach of the Year for his work with the Kings this season.

The Kings faced the defending champions in the first round, the Golden State Warriors. Despite winning the first two games of the series, the Kings would then lose the next three games and Game 7 and were eliminated from the playoffs, becoming the first Pacific division champion to be eliminated in the first round since the 2012–13 Los Angeles Clippers.