The Kings finally know who the culprit was who defaced Shaquille O'Neal's game ball.

	O'Neal

Sacramento has deduced it was a courtside fan -- and not a team employee -- who scribbled an insulting expletive on the game ball, the Los Angeles Times reported in Thursday's editions.

"I hope Shaq accepts our apology," Kings owner Joe Maloof told the Sacramento Bee, "because that guy could take me and dunk me."

The game ball marked O'Neal reaching the 20,000-point plateau in his career.

Kings season ticket holder Greg Rogers witnessed the event and told the Sacramento Bee what happened.

"It was a timeout in the fourth quarter, and the referee put the ball down," Rogers said to the newspaper. "There were two guys seated in the front row seats opposite the Kings bench. They were with a boy about nine or 10. One of the guys grabbed the ball and handed it to the boy. I was watching with my wife. I said, 'Hey, that's neat. I'll bet that kid loves this.' Then one of the guys took out a pen and wrote on the ball. My wife and I saw it. A few seconds later, the kid tossed the ball back to the ref."

Rogers told the Sacramento Bee he could pick out who wrote on the ball out of a game film.

"I'm surprised he doesn't come forward," Rogers told the newspaper. "A lot of people want to shake his hand."

The culprit apparently scribbled the expletive during a fourth-quarter timeout of the rival Kings' 107-99 victory over Los Angeles on March 20.

O'Neal, booed by the Sacramento crowd at halftime when his accomplishment was announced, said after the game he hoped no one connected with the Kings' organization was responsible.

"History was made last night. You can't take that away from me," O'Neal said. "I hope the Maloof family (Kings' owners Gavin and Joe Maloof) doesn't condone this kind of action.

"I will not hold the city of Sacramento responsible, but whoever did this shows no class. I'm not mad at all. I know the Maloofs allow a lot of stuff. If they do condone this, I'll be very disappointed in that organization."

The Lakers host the Kings on April 10.

"This is one thing I won't forget, and I'll see you soon," O'Neal said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.