Hassan Whiteside ranks first among active NBA players in career blocks per game (2.4).

The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent center Hassan Whiteside, according to General Manager Monte McNair. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Whiteside returns to Sacramento after being selected by the Kings with the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. An eight-year NBA veteran, Whiteside has averaged 13.7 points (.582 FG%, .320 3pt%, .608 FT%), 11.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals and 26.7 minutes per game in 410 career contests (320 starts) with the Kings (2010-11 – 2011-12), Miami Heat (2014-15 – 2018-19) and Portland Trail Blazers (2019-20). Last season, Whiteside tallied 15.5 points (.621 FG%, .571 3pt%, .686 FT%), 13.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals and 30.0 minutes per game in 67 games (61 starts). The 7-foot-0, 265-pound player out of Marshall led the NBA in blocks (196), blocks per game (2.9) and offensive rebounds (258), while ranking second in total rebounds (905) and double-doubles (51) in 2019-20.

Entering the 2020-21 season, Whiteside ranks first among active NBA players in career blocks per game (2.4) and stands at third in rebounds per game (11.7). As a member of the Heat, he led the NBA in rebounds per game (14.1) in 2016-17. Following the 2015-16 season, Whiteside was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team after leading the league in blocks (269) and blocks per game (3.7). In the postseason, Whiteside has garnered averages of 9.0 points (.611 FG%, 1-1 3pt, .577 FT%), 8.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 23.7 minutes per game in 20 playoff games (18 starts) with Miami and Portland.

Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, Whiteside was the 2010 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and a Division I-leading 5.4 blocks per game in 34 contests for Marshall University. Whiteside also earned the following collegiate honors: AP Honorable Mention All-American, Sporting News Second Team freshman All-American, Second Team All-Conference USA, Conference USA All-Freshman Team and All-Defensive Team, plus Second Team NABC All-District 11.

Whiteside will wear No. 20 for the Kings.