3 Second-Round Prospects the Kings Should Have Circled After Draft Workouts

The Sacramento Kings' 2026 NBA Draft process is in full swing, as the franchise has begun doing its homework on prospects who should be available for them in the second round or in undrafted free agency. The Kings own two second-round picks, at spots No. 34 and No. 45, giving them a pair of chances to find another draft steal, as they did with Maxime Raynaud at pick No. 42 last year.

Last week, they hosted a group of projected second-round and undrafted prospects, and a few of them should certainly be at the top of the Kings' board at pick No. 45.

Kings announce pre draft workouts in Sacramento on Friday with:

Emanuel Sharp (Houston), SG
Isaac McKneely (Louisville), SG
Jaden Henley (Grand Canyon), SF
Keyshawn Hall (Auburn), PF
Tre Carroll (Xavier), PF
Maliq Brown (Duke), Center
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) May 21, 2026

They hosted Emanuel Sharp, Isaac McKneely, Jaden Henley, Keyshawn Hall, Tre Carroll, and Maliq Brown. Here are the three they should be keen on ahead of the draft:

Maliq Brown

6'9" | Forward/Center | 22 | Duke

Maliq Brown is hands down one of the best defenders in this draft class. He earned the 2025-26 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and was the anchor to one of the best defenses in college basketball.

Of course, regardless of how incredible a defender Brown is, the concern comes offensively. Brown has a practically non-existent offensive game, although he is fully aware of his weakness on that end, attempting just 3.5 shots per game last season, with nearly all of them coming around the rim. At least he was efficient, though, shooting 62.9% from the field on his limited attempts.

Despite this, he could be worth taking a swing at with pick No. 45 or as an undrafted free agent. For a Kings team that desperately needs help on both sides of the ball, Brown could be a complete game-changer due to his defensive impact. Brown had the best defensive rating (87.2) in all of college basketball last season.

Maliq Brown (2025-2026)
63.5% TS
5.3% STL | 3.9% BLK

Disruptive defensive playmaker who thrives as a switchable forward, blowing up actions without needing usage, and consistently impacts winning in limited minutes. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/2naRpJxyuU
— Dylan (@hoopswdylan) April 23, 2026

However, there is a chance he is unable to hold a spot on any NBA roster due to his severe offensive limitations. Brown is a tricky prospect to evaluate, but giving him a two-way contract could be well worth it for the Kings as they search for defensive help.

Emanuel Sharp

6'3" | Guard | 22 | Houston

Emanuel Sharp is a much more refined two-way prospect, as he has proven he can make a difference on both sides of the ball. As a senior at Houston, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 41.3% from the field, 37.2% from three-point range, and 89.1% from the free-throw line.

Sharp is a high-level shotmaker, knocking down 37.6% of his three-point attempts through four years at Houston. Despite being a reliable spot-up shooter, Sharp's best trait comes on the other end of the court.

Houston’s Emanuel Sharp finished as the leading scorer for his team in the first scrimmage of the day at the NBA Combine (17 points).

Knocked down some threes, played hard-nosed defense, and even had a nice slam in transition. pic.twitter.com/413hj7qyfl
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) May 13, 2026

Sharp is one of the most impressive defensive guards in this class, especially coming from Kelvin Sampson's system at Houston, and his on-ball prowess should translate to the next level. He should be a defensive difference-maker in the NBA, and as a legitimate offensive threat with high basketball IQ, we could see Sharp make an immediate impact.

This would be a low-risk selection for the Kings at No. 45, and he is the exact type of player Doug Christie and Scott Perry are looking for.

Keyshawn Hall

6'7" | Forward | 23 | Auburn

Now, straying away from the defensive-minded prospects, the Kings brought in Keyshawn Hall for a workout, and it would not be surprising if he were the most impressive in the group.

Hall is an offensive game-changer who averaged 19.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game as a senior at Auburn, while shooting 45.1% from the field and 37.9% from three-point range. Hall is a three-level scoring threat with a very impressive frame, measuring 6-foot-6 without shoes at the combine with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, and weighing 227 pounds.

Keyshawn Hall GOES OFF against No. 15 Arkansas:

30 PTS | 11-14 FG | 4-5 3PT | 5 AST pic.twitter.com/9a0inYoXPr
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 11, 2026

Hall undoubtedly has NBA size, and his offensive game should translate, but scouts likely wish he were more impressive on the defensive end. Hall is not a terrible defender by any means, but with his size, he is not as prolific on that side of the ball as he could be.

Still, the Kings should be eyeing Hall with the No. 45 pick, or as an undrafted free agent if he falls that far. The Kings have already seen success with underrated Auburn prospects, as they grabbed Dylan Cardwell in undrafted free agency last summer.

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