Being that the Sacramento Kings picked Maxime Raynaud 42nd in the 2025 NBA Draft, it's safe to say some teams are kicking themselves. The Kia Rookie Ladder now show Raynaud taking another major step, putting him at number six and sitting just outside the top five Rookie of the Year contenders.
What's interesting about the January 14 Kia Rookie Ladder is that Raynaud is the only player on the list drafted outside the first round. Most of the other players were in the top ten, with a couple in the top 15. Caleb Love, who went undrafted, actually made his debut on the list this week.
When looking at the stats, it's easy to see why Raynaud is now basically a weekly feature on the list. He's averaging 10.5 points per game on 56.1% shooting from the field. On top of that, he's averaging 6.5 rebounds per game on the season, with plenty of room to grow.
A major factor in his rapid development has been the injury to Domantas Sabonis. With him out, Raynaud took over as the starting center, being forced to play through mistakes and continue getting reps against some of the most seasoned big men in the league. It's a heck of an education.
The future of the Kings' franchise is Maxime Raynaud
Over the next several months, Sacramento will have to deal with the trade deadline, the draft, and free agency. All of this will hopefully play major part in significant renovations to the team leading into the 2026-2027. At the same time, there are current Kings who could play a major role in that process.
The Kings' rebuild has to include Raynaud. His rapid ascension was expected by no one, and driven by the current injury-plagued reality of the Kings. How well Maxime has dealt with this situation proves he deserves his spot on the ladder and in the future of the Sacramento Kings.
How Raynaud progresses from here will depend a lot on how Doug Christie handles the potential Sabonis situation. The Kings are trying to trade him, though that may not be possible before Domantas returns from injury. Christie will have to make a call on who will be the stater.
Again, Maxime Raynaud was the 42nd draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and now sits at number six on the Kia Rookie Ladder. That means several other teams selected other players, particularly other centers, over him and he has eclipsed the vast majority of them.