When Brandon Jennings called fellow point guard Ricky Rubio "all hype" June 12 at the Kings' practice facility, the hype machine was indeed in full effect.

But it was Jennings, not Rubio, who was the guilty party.

Just as the 19-year-old who played last season in Italy later admitted he was trying to play the hype game when talking about his high-profile Spanish counterpart, countless NBA draft prospects who came before him have done the same.

It's an age-old tactic, an attempt to move a player's stock up mock draft boards and create big-time buzz entering the big day.

And for the record, USC's DeMar DeRozan was the first to play that game in this draft season.

DeRozan, the athletic swingman who visits the Kings today for an individual workout, raised eyebrows at the predraft combine in Chicago last month with his own challenges and bold proclamations. He took on expected top pick Blake Griffin of Oklahoma, challenging the high-flying forward to a dunk contest. He didn't stop there, either, comparing himself to the player dubbed "Half Man, Half Amazing" for his incredible leaping ability, Vince Carter.

"I think I can jump higher than Vince Carter did," DeRozan said with a smile in Chicago on May 29. "And now I get the chance to step in and show my athleticism and see if people still compare me to Vince Carter or not (when he is in the NBA)."

He'll have to show the Kings more than athleticism to convince them to take him with the No. 4 pick Thursday. While DeRozan certainly has upside, his one collegiate season did little to show he's worthy of a top-five pick.

The 6-foot-6 player with a 6-9 wingspan averaged 13.9 points per game, shooting 52.3 percent overall and 16.7 percent from three-point range while averaging 5.7 rebounds per game. His production didn't equate well in the eyes of ESPN.com's John Hollinger, the renowned analyst whose "Draft Rater" formula rated DeRozan 54th among 94 college prospects. But DeRozan improved greatly late in the season, a trend he's sure will continue at the next level.

"Every game (at USC), it was always a different matchup," said DeRozan, who grew up in Compton. "Some nights I had to score, some nights I didn't. Some nights I had to rebound, some nights I had to defend. A lot of people didn't really understand how different college is from high school. It's just not about going out and scoring 30 points. It's about going out and doing what you've got to do to help your team. That's what I tried to do night in and night out."

The Kings, meanwhile, are still trying to assess the overall draft field. Rubio's Sacramento visit ended Thursday with a disappointment, as he fell ill before a workout at the team's practice facility.

According to team officials, Rubio had a fever, fatigue and a sore throat and was given antibiotics before he flew to Los Angeles in the late morning. He has not visited with any other teams, but he may be back for a second Sacramento visit before the draft.

While Rubio remains high on the Kings' board, it is believed the in-house opinions vary greatly. Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn has many fans in the team's scouting department and front office, and Memphis' Tyreke Evans will have another chance to establish his position as he has a second Kings workout Sunday.

He will be joined by a potential dark horse in the race, as Davidson guard Stephen Curry is already gaining ground in the Kings' conversation and could greatly improve his chances with a good showing. Curry, who has drawn comparisons to former Kings point guard Mike Bibby, averaged 28.6 points per game in his junior season while shooting 45.4 percent overall and 38.7 percent from three-point range.

Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.