Some performances don’t just win games. They remind you why certain players belong in a class all their own. On Sunday night at Golden 1 Center, DeMar DeRozan put on a masterclass. He scored a season-high 41 points, dished out 11 assists, and carried a depleted Sacramento Kings squad past the Utah Jazz 116-111.
It was the kind of night that stops the basketball world. The Kings won their fourth game in five tries, and DeRozan made history in the process. At 36 years old, in his 17th NBA season, he is still doing things no one has ever done before.
Let’s take a closer look.
A night that needed a leader
Short-handed and under pressure, Sacramento needed someone to take over. Both teams came in desperate for a win and severely short-handed. Utah suited up just nine players while Sacramento had only eight available, making this a grind-it-out game from tip-off. The combined 37-98 record told a tough story about the state of both franchises heading in.
DeRozan had heard all the noise about his age, his team’s struggles, and the rough season. He answered every doubt with his play. He scored 18 points by halftime to keep the Kings in striking distance before turning things up a notch in the fourth quarter when it mattered most.
Fun fact: DeRozan’s nickname “Deebo” came from a sixth-grade fight during PE. He was shocked when it followed him all the way to the NBA. He has said he still only expects people who know him from Compton to use it.
The historic 40-plus, 10-plus night
What DeRozan did Sunday night had never been done before by a player his age. DeRozan became the oldest player in NBA history to record 40-plus points and 10-plus assists in the same game. He joined James Harden as the only players to ever reach that milestone after turning 36. That is not just a stat. That is a legacy-defining achievement.
He finished 11 of 21 from the field and an exceptional 18 of 21 from the free-throw line. His game-best plus-minus of plus-16 showed how much steadier Sacramento was every single minute he was on the floor. Fourth-quarter clutch play drove the final nail into the Jazz’s coffin.
Fun fact: This was only the second time in DeRozan’s entire career that he recorded a 40-point double-double with assists. It was also his first double-double of the entire 2025-26 season.
Kings win four of their last five
Sacramento has quietly been one of the better teams in the Western Conference over recent weeks. The Kings entered this game at 17-51 and left it at 18-51. That record does not tell the full story of how well they have been playing lately. They have now won four of their last five games, a genuine bright spot in what has been a difficult season for the franchise.
Precious Achiuwa turned in a rugged double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds on 10-of-15 shooting. Killian Hayes, who signed a contract extension with Sacramento earlier that same day, added 16 points and 8 assists with 4-of-6 shooting from three. Good things happened all around.
Killian Hayes signs and then delivers
Earlier on Sunday, the Kings made it official by signing former seventh-overall pick Killian Hayes to a two-year contract after two previous 10-day deals. The 24-year-old had been working his way back into the league after stints with Detroit and Brooklyn, and Sacramento saw enough potential to commit.
Hayes responded to that vote of confidence in style. He finished with 16 points, eight assists, two blocks, and shot 4 of 6 from three-point range in 38 minutes of action. His plus-minus of plus-9 showed just how much he contributed to the flow and execution of Sacramento’s offense throughout the night.
Cody Williams shone for Utah in a losing cause
Even in defeat, the Jazz found reasons for optimism in their young core. Cody Williams was exceptional for Utah, finishing with 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting alongside seven assists and seven rebounds. The 10th overall pick from the 2024 draft looked every bit the future cornerstone of the Jazz rebuild. He gave Sacramento real problems in the first quarter, scoring 14 points before the game was even close to its midpoint.
Brice Sensabaugh added 22 points, and Isaiah Collier contributed 21 more. Utah outscored Sacramento 39 to 35 in the third quarter and never stopped fighting. Jazz head coach Will Hardy acknowledged after the game that facing DeRozan was itself a valuable education for his young roster.
Coach Christie and the quiet confidence in DeRozan
Kings head coach Doug Christie had a straightforward reaction to DeRozan’s 41-point effort. He compared his veteran star to a comfy blanket, saying the consistency he shows in games is the exact same thing you see in practice every single day. That kind of trust between coach and player means everything in a long season.
Christie made it clear that watching DeRozan work in practice and then watching him play in games is the same experience. The preparation is identical to the performance. That discipline is rare at any age. At 36, in his 17th NBA season, it is extraordinary.
The Compton kid who never stopped believing
DeRozan’s story is bigger than basketball. It always has been. DeRozan grew up in Compton, California, and left USC after one year to enter the 2009 NBA Draft, where the Toronto Raptors selected him ninth overall. Part of his reason for going pro early was to help care for his mother, who was diagnosed with lupus when he was a child. That grit and purpose has fueled him through 17 seasons in the league.
After long runs in Toronto, San Antonio, and Chicago, DeRozan is now with Sacramento. A six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, he remains one of the league’s most accomplished midrange scorers.
What this run means for Sacramento
The Kings are playing better basketball, and DeRozan is the reason why. Sacramento has been eliminated from postseason contention this year. But DeRozan’s recent run of form adds genuine excitement to an otherwise difficult season. He has averaged 35.7 points, 8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds over his last three games while shooting an incredible 68.4 percent from the field.
The flip side of this hot streak is its impact on Sacramento’s draft lottery odds. A better record means a lower chance at the top pick. For a franchise that needs to rebuild, there is a real tension between celebrating DeRozan’s brilliance and protecting the team’s long-term future. Both things are true at the same time.
TL;DR
- DeRozan scored a season-high 41 points with 11 assists in a 116-111 Kings win over the Jazz on March 15, 2026.
- He became the oldest player in NBA history to record 40-plus points and 10-plus assists in a single game.
- Killian Hayes signed a two-year deal earlier that day and delivered 16 points and 8 assists in the win.
- Cody Williams led Utah with 34 points, but the Jazz fell short in a five-point defeat.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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