Matt Johnson
The Sacramento Kings franchise hasn’t had much good fortune in recent years, routinely existing as one of the worst franchises in basketball. Coming out of the 2026 NBA Draft, it appears the franchise might be taking the right steps toward turning a corner.
Breaking down the winners and losers of the 2026 NBA Draft class, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic explained why he viewed Sacramento as one of the biggest winners from two-day draft.
“On some level, it’s a welcome departure that everyone in the league knew that Darius Acuff Jr. preferred to land with the Kings on draft night. It didn’t necessarily stop the teams above Sacramento from taking him, but it was well-known that Acuff — a player I ranked fifth following his historic season at Arkansas — wanted to play for the Kings.”
Sam Vecenie on Darius Acuff Jr. wanting to play for the Sacramento Kings
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As Vecenie detailed, the Kings’ organization has years of experience with top NBA Draft prospects refusing to work out for the franchise and doing whatever is possible to avoid playing for them. With point guard Darius Acuff Jr., however, the All-American standout specifically desired to be the face of the franchise in Sacramento.
There were persistent rumors ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft that the Kings’ front office was enamored with Acuff. In previous years or under a different general manager, Sacramento might’ve been taken advantage of in a trade-up for Acuff and forfeited future draft capital. With Perry, the Kings held firm at the seventh overall pick and got their guy.
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Vecenie also praised the Kings’ front office for its decision to trade back up into the end of Round 1 to select Connecticut forward Alex Karaban. He profiles as a potential 3-and-D role player at 6-foot-7 who can play a meaningful role for the Kings immediately.
“I also loved what the Kings did late in the first round, moving up from No. 34 and using an additional second-round pick to get No. 29 and take Alex Karaban. He is the winningest player in Connecticut history and the exact kind of connective player that the Kings need. He’s an excellent team defender who passes well, makes quick decisions and keeps the advantage every time. Karaban also made 37 percent of his 3s at 6 feet 7. I think he’ll be useful while playing 20 minutes per night, and Sacramento did not have to pay much to get him.”
Sam Vecenie on the Sacramento Kings drafting Alex Karaban with the 29th overall pick
Vecenie not only viewed Sacramento as one of the biggest winners for Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft, but also as coming out of the two-day event with one of the best hauls. In Round 2, the Kings took Houston guard Emanuel Sharp with the 45th overall pick. He was also one of Vecenie’s favorites, with the NBA Draft analyst viewing him as a 3-and-D guard who can play meaningful minutes for Sacramento quickly.
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All in all, the Kings’ front office seemed to hit a home run with its three selections. Acuff will be in the mix for Rookie of the Year this upcoming season and there are some nice role players around him whose skill sets are very complementary to the new face of the franchise.
