Best under-the-radar sportswriter

Before moving to Sacramento in 2013, Richard Ivanowski moved around the country, following various NBA teams.

Growing up in the Bay Area, Ivanowski, now 30, attended numerous Golden State Warriors games, long before Steph Curry and company revitalized the team. Then Ivanowski moved south, where he followed the Los Angeles Clippers, often moribund historically. Later, Ivanowski lived in Florida where he followed the Orlando Magic, who’ve struggled some over the years.

A theme emerged: Ivanowski liked underdogs.

“I always kind of prefer, not to get harsh, the bad teams that are struggling, the teams that are rebuilding,” Ivanowski said. “That’s always just been a more interesting process for me to watch.”

This mentality has prepared Ivanowski to excel in recent months writing for Sacramento Kings fan website Sactown Royalty.

Ivanowski has a long-struggling franchise to cover. And having moved around often, Ivanowski has been able to employ a thoughtful, analytical and detached approach.

“I haven’t been through the ups and downs and I haven’t had the emotional ties to the team that a lot of the city has,” Ivanowski said. “I’m a little different in that way … but it’s kind of good to have another perspective as well.”

Where other fan websites sometimes feature shameless homerdom, Ivanowski has coolly opined on topics like why it’s time for the Kings to trade former first-round pick Skal Labissière and, quantitatively, how Sacramento does better with Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic sharing the floor.

A delivery driver and college student by day who lives in Midtown with his fiancée, Ivanowski says he hopes long-term to work for the Kings or cover the team for The Sacramento Bee.

He also wouldn’t mind staying in town awhile. Every day that Ivanowski interacts with the local fanbase, he said, “I’m falling more and more in love with Sacramento.” sactownroyalty.com.