Five players Sacramento Kings could consider with No. 7 pick in NBA draft
Sacramento Kings coach Doug Christie offered an immediate response when asked about the team’s biggest roster needs going into the summer.
“Right of the bat, point guard,” Christie said. “In this league, if you don’t have that position, you really don’t have a chance.”
Sacramento will have a chance to address that need in the upcoming NBA draft. The Kings were hoping to land one of the top four picks in Sunday’s NBA draft lottery, but they should have an opportunity to choose their point guard of the future with the No. 7 pick.
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson are widely projected as the top picks in the draft. The second tier of draft prospects includes Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff Jr., Houston point guard Kingston Flemings, Illinois combo guard Keaton Wagler, Arizona combo guard Brayden Burries and Louisville point guard Mikel Brown Jr.
Here’s a closer look at five players the Kings could consider with their first-round pick in the draft, which will be held June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Darius Acuff Jr.
School: Arkansas
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Age: 19
Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists to help Arkansas advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 before losing to Arizona. He shot 48.4% from the field and 44% from 3-point range, showing the potential to be an elite shooter in the NBA. There are concerns about his defense, but Acuff could be special at the offensive end of the floor.
Kingston Flemings
School: Houston
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190
Age: 19
Flemings averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.7% from 3-point range to help Houston reach the Sweet 16 before losing to Illinois. His shooting mechanics are unconventional and might need work, but Flemings is a dynamic athlete who has been compared to former Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Keaton Wagler
School: Illinois
Position: Shooting guard/point guard
Height: 6-6
Weight: 185
Age: 19
Wagler posted averages of 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists for an Illinois squad that marched to the NCAA finals before losing to UConn in the championship game. He shot 44.5% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range. Scout have marveled at Wagler’s rise from obscurity to top-10 pick with All-Star upside.
Brayden Burries
School: Arizona
Position: Shooting guard/point guard
Height: 6-4
Weight: 205
Age: 20
Buries averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists to help Arizona advance to the Final Four before losing to Michigan in the semifinals. He shot 49.1% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range. Burries is an intriguing prospect with two-way talent, three-level scoring and an ability to play on or off the ball.
Mikel Brown Jr.
School: Louisville
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-5
Weight: 190
Age: 20
Brown was unable to play in the NCAA Tournament due to a back injury that has reportedly been a recurring problem in recent years. He appeared in 21 games, averaging 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals. His shooting mechanics are sound but the results were inconsistent as Brown shot 41% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range during his freshman campaign.
