6 Sacramento Kings Draftees Who Had Better Careers Elsewhere

#3. Hassan Whiteside

Aside from the player in our top spot, Hassan Whiteside is the biggest statistical swing-and-miss for the Kings draftees. The 2010 second round pick out of Marshall made just 19 appearances for the Kings in his two seasons in Sacramento, totaling just 111 minutes played. He was waived in 2012.

Whiteside signed with the Miami Heat in 2014 and made an immediate impact. During the 2015-’16 season, he averaged 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds while leading the league in blocks with 3.7 per game. The next season, Whiteside upped his scoring average by three points and was a league leader again, this time in rebounds with 14+ per game.

After five seasons in Miami, Whiteside was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers before the 2019-’20 season, and he was able to continue his high level of play. He was brought in as a stand in during the injuries to Portland’s front line, but ended up leading the league in blocks (again) and putting up a career high 14.2 rebounds per game.

Despite his inflated numbers, Whiteside has never made an All-Star team and lacks any kind of awards, aside from being on the All-Defensive Second Team in 2015-’16.

Whiteside’s story is not completely written. He still has years to play and the potential to pad his resume. The next player on our list might not have had the stats that Whiteside has, but he has a little bit of hardware.