The Maloof family owns numerous business properties in the Western United States. The origin of the family name is Maalouf and is of Lebanese descent; the family is Lebanese via their paternal grandfather. Originally from New Mexico, the Maloof's success really began with the distributing rights of Coors Beer in the Southwest region of the US in 1937. It was from this highly successful distribution service that the family was able to expand their "empire" . The Maloofs are the owners of the Sacramento Kings of the NBA (and their home stadium, Power Balance Pavilion, formerly known as ARCO Arena). The family consists of George J. Maloof, Sr., his wife Colleen, and their children: Adrienne Maloof-Nassif, Joe Maloof, Gavin Maloof, George J. Maloof, Jr., and Phil Maloof.

The family owns a sports franchise in the Sacramento, California market—the NBA's Sacramento Kings. They acquired a minority interest in the Kings in 1998 and took majority control the following year, with Joe and Gavin operating the franchise. As part of the purchase of the Kings, they also acquired the team's sister franchise in the WNBA, the Sacramento Monarchs. The Maloofs operated the Monarchs until 2009, when the WNBA was unable to find a new owner and the team folded.

Sam Maloof (born Samuel Solomon Maloof, a member of the large Maalouf family) (January 24, 1916 - May 21, 2009) was a furniture designer and woodworker. He was born in Chino, California, USA, to parents who emigrated to the United States from Lebanon. He attended high school first at Chaffey High School in Ontario, California, where he took his first woodworking class and was recognized by his art teacher as having extraordinary skill. Later he attended Chino High School. Shortly after completing high school, he began working in the art department of the Vortox Manufacturing Company in Claremont, California. He was drafted into the United States Army on October 11, 1941. After serving in the Pacific theater and then transferring to a post in Alaska, Maloof left the army in 1945 to return to Southern California.

Maloof married Alfreda Louise Ward on June 27, 1948 and the couple moved into a house at 921 Plaza Serena, Ontario, California where Sam set up a furniture workshop in the garage. Mostly from necessity, Maloof designed and built a suite of furniture for his home using salvaged materials. Commissioned pieces followed, and from 1949-1952 Maloof continued working in the garage of his Ontario home. In 1953, Maloof relocated to Alta Loma, California where he built a studio to continue making furniture.