The 2023 NBA Draft is different than usual for the city of Sacramento. For the first time in 16 years, the Sacramento Kings have a first-round pick outside of the lottery, as they are picking 24th overall. While sometimes it is hard for teams to find impressive talent at the end of the first round, there always seems to be a steal of a prospect that falls this far.
There seem to be a few talented prospects for the Sacramento Kings that will fall to the 24th pick, as mock drafts suggest Kings fans will ultimately be happy with the team’s selection. While most fans assume the Kings will not draft a star with the 24th pick, we can look at times when that has happened.
Here are the top five 24th-overall picks of the 21st century:
5. Reggie Jackson, Drafted in 2011
We are starting the list off with a champion, Reggie Jackson. Although he logged just one minute for the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals, Jackson can officially put NBA Champion on his resume. The 33-year-old point guard was drafted 24th overall in 2011 by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After spending his first three seasons in Oklahoma City, Jackson was dealt mid-season to the Detroit Pistons, where he had his career-best years. In the 2015-16 season, Reggie Jackson averaged 18.8 points and 6.2 assists per game, both career highs.
Reggie Jackson is one of the more underrated guards of this generation, as every year he has had a starting job, he has proved his worth. He came into the league backing up Russell Westbrook, including an NBA Finals appearance in his rookie season.
After Detroit, he made his way to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he had a few more impressive seasons. More recently, in the 2021-22 season, Jackson averaged 16.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. Reggie Jackson has been a great role player, whether a backup or starting point guard; Jackson was a steal with the 24th overall pick.