Zero Suit Samus and R.O.B. briefly replaced Cauley-Stein, Hield and Evans on the floor of Golden 1 Center Wednesday night.
Just over 17,000 people watched as Nairoby "Nairo" Quezada, 20, a professional video game player from the NRG ESports organization, beat Caleb Patton, 20, from Hayward, during an intense 5-minute game of Super Smash Bros. The players sat on high leather stools as their animated characters’ antics were broadcast on the mega-scoreboard.
The brief exhibition game was just a taste of what some of the Kings owners expect will be a much more significant presence for professional video game play in Sacramento’s new downtown arena.