Grading the 3 Sacramento Kings selections in B/R post-combine mock draft
By Logan Struck
With the 2023 NBA Draft being about a month away, there is much to look forward to for the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have the 24th overall pick, with two second-rounders at 38 and 54 overall. This could mean three new faces in Sacramento on draft night, so three new young guys fans can get excited about.
With still this much time until the draft, a lot can change. Many private workouts and interviews will lead to players going lower or higher than we think, but we can still start to look for possible draftees for the Kings.
The NBA Combine was this week, as many prospects’ stock has already risen or fallen. Bleacher/Report gives their updated mock draft after the conclusion of the Combine, and we will grade the three selections made for the Sacramento Kings.
54th Pick: Jaylen Clark – SG/SF, UCLA
Jaylen Clark is one of the best on-ball defenders in the draft. The 6’5″ 21-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game in just junior year. His 2.6 steals per game was good for 5th in the country, proving his impact on the defensive end.
Clark struggled on offense through his three years in college, but his improved stats his junior year showed life. His volume increased, and he occasionally stepped up to the plate with big performances against good teams.
Clark won Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this season for UCLA.
Jaylen Clark is a lockdown defender but is not a two-way player. His struggles on offense will make his NBA career short, but if he can improve at least his shooting, he might not be stuck in the G-League. With a late second-round pick, this is not a horrible selection, but the Kings might be able to get a prospect with more upside here.