Alex Len stays ready to help playoff-bound Kings while Ukraine suffers ‘hardest winter’

Kings big man Alex Len knows people in his homeland are suffering.

Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector have created an electricity crisis with blackouts plunging tens of millions of people into darkness during the coldest months of the year.

“Right now is probably the hardest winter since World War II for the Ukrainian people,” Len told The Sacramento Bee in late December. “It’s tough just trying to stay in contact as much as I can with the people back home just to make sure everybody is safe and good, but obviously that is on my mind every day.”

Len has managed to stay ready for the sudden opportunity he is getting as the team’s backup center in the final stages of Sacramento’s extraordinary march to the playoffs, but he is constantly monitoring the situation at home.

Len said he believes his father is in a heavy war zone in eastern Ukraine. He also has grandparents, aunts and uncles in various parts of the country. Friends sent him a photo after the apartment building next to theirs was destroyed in a deadly bombing.

“It’s crazy,” Len said. “No electricity in the country. Every four hours, they turn on the electricity for four hours and then turn it off. Sometimes they have 35 hours with no electricity. It’s like minus-20 weather. People are cold. You can’t charge your phone. Little things like that, we take it for granted out here, but talking to my people back home, it’s sad, man.”

Len got a rare opportunity to play extended minutes with All-Star center Domantas Sabonis out due to injury in a Dec. 27 home game against the Denver Nuggets. That same night, Len greeted a group of Ukrainian children who attended the game with a local church leader who brought them to Sacramento for 17 days after their parents were killed in the war.

“I was kind of nervous going to talk to them,” Len said. “What do you say to kids whose families got killed? But the kids were in great spirits. It’s amazing how tough and resilient those kids are.”

‘Blessed and grateful’

Kings coach Mike Brown has tried several different looks at the backup center spot this season. Now, as Sacramento prepares for its first playoff appearance since 2006, Brown is taking a look at Len.

Trey Lyles, Chimezie Metu, Richaun Holmes and two-way player Neemias Queta have taken turns trying to solidify themselves as the primary backup behind Sabonis. Len logged just 57 minutes over the first 74 games, but he gives the Kings an element of size and physicality they might need in the playoffs.

“That backup center spot has been played by a lot of different guys from Trey to Mezie to Richaun and even to Neemie a couple times,” Brown said. “Alex is probably the one guy who hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunity, so we just felt like throwing him out there a couple of games ago against Minnesota. That was something we wanted to take a look at and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Alex.”

Brown said Len would continue to get the backup center minutes as the Kings (47-30) prepared to face the San Antonio Spurs (19-58) on Sunday at Golden 1 Center. The Kings can clinch the Pacific Division championship and no less than the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a win or a loss by the Phoenix Suns.

Len is embracing his opportunity to play meaningful minutes in a magical season for the Kings.

“I’m just blessed and grateful,” he said. “I’ve been putting work in all season, just staying ready, making sure my body is good, just lifting and getting treatment and stuff like that. It took me a couple games to get my rhythm because when you’re not playing for a long time, the game kind of always gets a little too fast, but I’m picking it up as it goes.”

Brown credits Len for being a supportive teammate and staying prepared.

“He is probably the most professional guy I’ve been around,” Brown said. “If there’s a quote-unquote best teammate award, it could very easily go to him. He’s extremely supportive of whatever we’re doing as teammates, but he still gets his work in. He’s the first one there, last one to leave, comes back on his own at night. He’s always prepared physically and mentally to go out there and play, and now he’s getting an opportunity finally to get some minutes behind Domas and get his rhythm.”

Len ‘exactly’ what Kings need?

Len had two rebounds and two blocked shots in 7:29 in Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That appearance came hours after Len learned he would be part of the rotation for the first time since that Dec. 27 game against the Nuggets, when he started in place of an injured Sabonis.

“Coach gave me a heads up before the Minnesota game, so he’s like, ‘Just be ready to be in the rotation,’ and I’m excited to be in it,” Len said.

The numbers against Minnesota were modest, but at 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Len’s presence was unmistakable as he provided size, length and toughness in the paint for a team that ranks 24^th in defensive rating.

“All year, he’s been putting in work in the weight room, getting shots up, doing everything he needs to do to stay ready,” Sabonis said. “With him on the court, everyone looks bigger, everyone looks taller, so he’s been doing amazing for us and I’m proud of him.”

Len’s new role in the rotation was even more pronounced Wednesday as the Kings ended the longest playoff drought in NBA history with a 120-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Len earned the defensive player of the game chain after finishing with season bests of five points, eight rebounds and two steals with one blocked shot in a season-high 15:31.

When asked what Len can do for Sacramento, Kings guard Malik Monk said: “A different look at the rim, challenges shots … and he plays hard, sets great screens, gets me open.”

Brown said he could choose to go another direction if this late-season Len experiment doesn’t work out, but so far he has been pleased with the results.

“We’re not set on who that guy will be night in and night out, and to be able to give Alex some minutes at that position right now in meaningful games is beneficial for us just in case we need him matchup wise,” Brown said. “And it’s also beneficial for him because it’s going to help him with his rhythm. He has played well at both ends of the floor. He has done exactly what we need from that backup center spot.”