The Sacramento Kings are looking to make a big acquisition at the 2026 NBA Draft, with AJ Dybantsa being an obvious target. Unverified rumors floating around indicate he may pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Kings if drafted. There's no supporting evidence for this, and it makes no sense.
With the NBA Draft Lottery happening tomorrow, the entire league is basically sitting on the edge of its seat. Even teams who aren't in it are excited, as the outcome will still impact their own strategies. That goes for draft day, free agency, and any potential trades through the offseason.
Dybantsa is one of the biggest names coming out of college this season. Most mock drafts have him going in the top three picks, some of which put him at number one. Given his high caliber of play at BYU and an almost unlimited ceiling, whoever drafts Dybantsa is getting a generational talent.
Following the path of an NFL legend
That being said, there might be an issue with the Kings. Unsubstantiated rumors popping up online are suggesting that Dybantsa will "pull an Eli Manning" if the Kings end up drafting him. Not a lot of mock drafts have Sacramento choosing that high, so it's an unlikely scenario.
If you don't know, the two-time Super Bowl champion famously refused to report to the San Diego Chargers when they drafted him in 2004. He felt the organization was in complete disarray and was not a good landing spot for a rookie quarterback. It was a huge story two decades ago.
These concerns stemmed from the Chargers' absolute mishandling of another, at the time, recent top two pick, Ryan Leaf. It ended with the Chargers trading Eli Manning to the New York Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers and three draft picks, one of which was a first-round pick in 2005.
The situation is similar, but not the same
It's fair to say that the Kings have comparable issues. This is a basement-dwelling franchise that lacks stability and has a spotty record at best when it comes to developing rookies. That being said, the rebuild is showing signs of improvement, and they have a strong young core to work with.
While no one wants to denigrate a fellow California franchise, the Chargers back then were somehow in worse shape than the Kings are now. Or they were at least as bad. That being said, the Rivers trade did bring some success to the Chargers, though there were still a few inconsistent years in there.
Keeping in mind this remains an unsubstantiated rumor, the Kings could make a big trade or two if they draft Dybantsa and he doesn't want to stay. That being said, Sacramento has a top-five rookie and a young roster with more big changes on the way. He might want to get in on the ground floor.
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