{"id":285626,"date":"2026-04-25T14:58:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T14:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/285626\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T14:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T14:58:16","slug":"who-will-be-sacramentos-next-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/285626\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Will Be Sacramento&#8217;s Next Star?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6f\">After losing the tiebreaker with the Utah Jazz, the Sacramento Kings are officially going into the NBA Draft lottery on May 10 with the fifth-best odds. Even after the tiebreaker, they still hold the same odds at the first-overall pick (11.5%) and a top-four pick (45.2%), but they can now slide all the way down to the ninth pick if the ping pong balls do not fall in their favor.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6i\">While the Kings&#8217; official draft pick is still uncertain, here are four mock drafts from national media that give us a good idea of the prospects that could be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/kings\/onsi\/sacramento-kings-nba-draft-big-board-top-nine-targets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sacramento&#8217;s next franchise star<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Bleacher Report: Darius Acuff Jr.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq2fdgewmzj5q3g16z.jpg\" alt=\"Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari talks with guard Darius Acuff Jr.\" title=\"Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari talks with guard Darius Acuff Jr.\" width=\"4864\" height=\"3242\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6v\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA;  Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari talks with guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) during a time out against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at Bridgestone Arena.  | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6z\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/25262746-2026-nba-mock-draft\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bleacher Report&#8217;s Jonathan Wasserman<\/a> predicts the Kings to select Darius Acuff Jr. with the fifth overall pick.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"72\">Acuff Jr. is a very polarizing prospect heading into the draft, but the Kings are <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Sactown1140\/status\/2036150821499650457?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">reportedly very high<\/a> on the Arkansas product. In six postseason appearances with the Razorbacks, he averaged 29.8 points and 6.5 assists per game, while shooting 45% from three-point range. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"75\">There is no doubt that Acuff can lead a high-level offense, as he is one of the most offensively skilled players in this class, but his defense has raised some legitimate concerns. As we look at New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson getting exposed on defense during the playoffs right now, it reminds us how these one-sided guards can be tricky prospects. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"78\">Still, if the Kings feel that Acuff&#8217;s defensive lapses would not be a liability for the team, his offensive game could be enough to take the chance on him. <\/p>\n<p>Yahoo Sports: Cameron Boozer<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq2fx1j9gj6ws9njp8.jpg\" alt=\"Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer\" title=\"Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer\" width=\"5397\" height=\"3598\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"7l\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jan 17, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) looks on against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Maples Pavilion. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7p\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/nba\/article\/nba-mock-draft-30-darryn-peterson-to-the-thunder-heres-what-happens-if-the-lottery-brings-us-chaos-152543424.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Yahoo Sports&#8217; Kevin O&#8217;Connor<\/a> predicts the Kings will jump into the top three to draft Cameron Boozer with the third overall pick in this year&#8217;s draft.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7s\">Any pick inside the top three projects to be a hit in this year&#8217;s draft, making this a dream come true for the Kings. Some experts believe Boozer is the best prospect in his class, as the do-it-all forward has no real weakness in his game. While his ceiling might not be as high as some of the other elite prospects in this class, he is arguably the safest pick.  <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7v\">The Duke forward won National Player of the Year as an 18-year-old freshman, dominating the college scene. With such a high floor at the next level, the Kings would be very happy with the addition of Boozer. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7y\">Of course, this would raise questions about the future of Domantas Sabonis, but the Kings&#8217; young frontcourt of Boozer and Maxime Raynaud would be very bright.<\/p>\n<p>The Ringer: Caleb Wilson<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq2gfjmjkgjfbj4hg1.jpg\" alt=\"North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson\" title=\"North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson\" width=\"2310\" height=\"1540\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"8b\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) on the court in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8f\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theringer.com\/nba-draft\/2026\/mock-draft\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Ringer&#8217;s J. Kyle Mann<\/a> projects the Kings to take Caleb Wilson with the fourth pick.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8i\">Wilson is a one-of-a-kind prospect in this class, with his two-way versatility giving Giannis Antetokounmpo vibes. While his freshman season at UNC was cut short due to thumb surgery, he is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing prospects this year. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8l\">Wilson might not be included in the &#8220;big three&#8221; conversation of this class, but he is arguably just as good, with an even higher ceiling. The 6-foot-10 forward is already a defensive monster with elite athleticism, and has the tools to be a high-level offensive threat at the next level as well. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8o\">If the Kings want to swing for the fences, Wilson could be the prospect at the top of their board, as there is a chance he comes out as the best player in his class.<\/p>\n<p>FanSided: Mikel Brown Jr.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/01kq2gvv44ysjqzyep3m.jpg\" alt=\"Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr.\" title=\"Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr.\" width=\"7256\" height=\"4837\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"91\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Feb 17, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) looks on during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"95\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fansided.com\/nba\/2026-nba-mock-draft-full-2-round-projection-after-early-entrant-deadline\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FanSided&#8217;s Christopher Kline<\/a> predicts the Kings will slide a bit in the lottery, selecting Mikel Brown Jr. with the seventh pick.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"98\">Brown Jr. was another prospect hit with injuries during his freshman season, missing a plethora of games during his freshman season at Louisville due to back issues. Still, as long as that is not a concern heading into the draft, many teams will be looking at him as a high-level point guard.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9b\">Brown Jr.&#8217;s season was highlighted by a 45-point outing in ACC play with ten three-pointers, showing NBA scouts exactly what he is capable of. With an NBA-ready jump shot and improving playmaking, Brown Jr. seems ready to lead an offense at the next level.  <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9e\">While Brown Jr. is not the best guard in his class, he could be worth the chance for this Kings team, in desperate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/kings\/onsi\/three-ways-kings-can-find-long-term-point-guard-this-offseason\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">need of a franchise point guard<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-26\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"9h\">Any of these guys would be a good get for the Kings, and with general manager Scott Perry assuring they will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nba\/kings\/onsi\/kings-official-draft-strategy-is-exactly-what-fans-needed-to-hear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">drafting talent over fit<\/a>, they should be in good hands. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\" class=\"shrink-0\"\/>Add us as a preferred source on Google<a aria-label=\"Follow si.com on Google News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"flex h-[30px] w-[30px] shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary font-group-large text-sm font-medium text-white transition-colors hover:bg-secondary focus:bg-secondary md:w-auto md:gap-2.5 md:px-4 md:py-[5px]\">Follow<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After losing the tiebreaker with the Utah Jazz, the Sacramento Kings are officially going into the NBA Draft&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285627,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-285626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}