De'Aaron Fox on Kings' 'Light the Beam': 'S--t We Got to Win' to Not 'Be a Bad Meme'

"Light the beam" became the Sacramento Kings' slogan for the 2022-23 season, but star guard De'Aaron Fox knew the already beloved trademark would've met a different fate if the franchise's longtime futility continued.

"Whenever it was announced, I was like, well s--t we got to win, or this would be a bad meme after every loss if we're not winning," he said to ESPN's Marc J. Spears. "I didn't want to be made fun of."

The beam's origin dates back to when Golden 1 Center was being constructed and majority governor Vivek Ranadivé was devising ways for the venue to stand out. John Rinehart, the team's president of business operations, was specifically inspired by the "Big A" Sign the Los Angeles Angels have outside of their stadium.

In September, the Kings announced they would light the beam following each win.

It was a somewhat bold call for a franchise that hadn't enjoyed a winning season since 2005-06. As Fox said, the beam would've become a regular source of mockery if the Kings' futility extended into another year.

Instead, Sacramento finished with the third-best record in the Western Conference (48-34), and the beam has been a tangible symbol of the organization's turnaround.

Assuming the Kings' success isn't a mirage, they'll be lighting the beam for a long time to come.