The Kings appeared to be making the most of their time at the NBA Draft Combine this weekend.
Sacramento is looking to capitalize on its lottery luck after rising three spots Tuesday night and earning the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA draft — the team’s highest pick since 2018.
And with the chance to make a decision that will impact the future of the franchise for years to come, the Kings are conducting their due diligence after reportedly interviewing 33 prospective draft buyers at the Chicago combine, Jason said Anderson from The Sacramento Bee.
Sources tell me the Kings interviewed 33 prospects at the NBA draft combine and attended pro-day workouts for Shaedon Sharpe, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels, Tari Eason and Ochai Ogbaji, among others. Preliminary design training planned MT in Sacramento; then Pro-Days in SoCal WTF.
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) May 21, 2022
Citing sources, Anderson reported that the Kings have held interviews with prospects including Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe, Iowa forward Keegan Murray, G League Point Guard prospect Dyson Daniels, LSU forward Tari Eason and Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji.
The team also reportedly interviewed Duke forward AJ Griffin, Baylor guard Kendall Brown, Duke forward Wendell Moore, NC State guard Terquavion Smith and former Purdue big man Trevion Williams, according to Fox40’s Sean Cunningham (h/t The Kings herald).
Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe and Duke’s AJ Griffin are among the many draft prospects the Sacramento Kings interviewed in Chicago.
Sources say others include:
LSU’s Tari Eason, Baylor’s Kendall Brown, Duke’s Wendell Moore, NC State’s Terquavion Smith and Purdue’s Trevion Williams.— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) May 20, 2022
Sacramento had just a 32 percent chance of making the top four in Tuesday’s lottery and an 8.5 percent chance of picking the No. 4 pick.
But the ping-pong balls fell in favor of the kings.
Now they’ll be looking to add a crucial piece to their core of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and appear to be keeping their options open after reportedly conducting a string of interviews over the past few days. This week will be filled with pre-draft workouts in Sacramento and pro-days in Southern California, Anderson also reported.
RELATED: Sabonis’ priceless reaction after Kings’ draft lottery luck
If the team doesn’t trade their top pick and stays fourth in the draft, bogus experts have previously predicted the Kings will pick Sharpe or Murray in the first round or Purdue guard Jaden Ivy.
Whoever the Kings pick on draft day has an opportunity to make an instant impression under new head coach Mike Brown and hopefully lead Sacramento to its first NBA playoff appearance since 2006.
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