3 Biggest Sacramento Kings draft fails of the last 15 years
By Logan Struck
2. 2014 – Nik Stauskas, Pick 8
Nik Stauskas, out of the University of Michigan, was one of the best NCAA players in the country entering the draft. It is safe to say his game did not translate to the NBA. Averaging just 4.4 points his rookie year, Stauskas got dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers the following offseason. Stauskas was likely the best shooting prospect in this class, as he was impressively efficient in college with 47/44/82 shooting splits his Sophomore season.
This was not a good pick for the Kings, mainly due to him only playing one season in Sacramento and then getting traded away for practically nothing. His numbers improved in Philadelphia, where he became a near double-digit scorer while showing off his jump shot.
The 2014 draft class was top-heavy, and Sacramento did not pass on that many talented prospects. Some notable names the Kings passed on are Zach Lavine at 13th overall, Jusuf Nurkic at 16th overall, Jerami Grant at 39th overall, and the steal of the draft, Nikola Jokic, drafted 41st overall. While it was unrealistic to draft Nikola Jokic with the 8th overall pick, hindsight is a powerful weapon.
Even though Stauskas spent two years contributing to a 76ers squad, he never found the right spot in his career and eventually found his way out of the NBA.