Being a rookie in the NBA comes with an incredible amount of pressure. There are expectations that can't be avoided. And the higher the player goes in the draft, the worse it is. Plus, getting into the rotation is difficult to say the least. There's always a battle for minutes.
A good mentor can mean everything for a rookie. Finding someone who has been in the league for a minute or two who's willing to help a young player find their way is a big deal. Someone who's been there before, offering guidance, can make all the difference in the world.
Maxime Raynaud is in this exact position. Drafted 42nd in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, Raynaud is going into his first training camp with the Kings and his first season as a rookie. Fortunately, he has found a nearly perfect mentor in Domantas Sabonis.
Domantas Sabonis will be Raynaud's guide
During the Sacramento Kings' recent media day, Maxime talked about how his Summer League experience impacted him. He also highlighted his growing relationship with Domantas Sabonis, someone who has gone through more than a few similar experiences to Raynaud.
Sacramento Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud speaks on his NBA Summer League experience and learning from Domantas Sabonis. pic.twitter.com/z9Cg4J0muD
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) September 29, 2025
Both Sabonis and Raynaud are centers with international backgrounds. Sabonis was born in Portland, Oregon, to a Lithuanian family. They moved to Spain when he was approximately eight years old, where he was raised before returning to the US to play college basketball.
Maxime was born and raised in Paris, France. He started playing basketball there, eventually heading to Stanford for college basketball. Raynaud was named the Pac-12's most improved player in 2024 before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2025.
Sabonis the mentor
Domantas is a center who knows what it's like to transition from Europe to America. That's not an insignificant thing. Plus, the man is a dominant rebounder and scorer, not to mention an efficient passer. Raynaud can learn a lot from Sabonis's experiences and game.
At the same time, Sabonis does have some bad habits that the Kings have to be hoping Raynaud doesn't pick up on. That would particularly be on the defensive end of the court, where Sabonis's game is weak and sometimes even a little lazy.
Raynaud is already not known for his rim protection and Sabonis isn't the right person to help him develop those skills. Regardless, there are a lot of areas Domantas can help Maxime develop and that cannot be undervalued.