Historic Look at Raynaud's Company as 2nd Round All-Rookie

The Sacramento Kings received their first bit of good news in quite some time with the announcement that rookie Maxime Raynaud made the All-Rookie second team. While an argument could be made that he should have made the first team, his getting recognition for his strong first season is a lone bright spot from a disappointing year for the Kings.

And it's even more impressive given that Raynaud was a second-round draft pick. Talent is being found more and more in the second round of the draft, but a team hitting on a second day selection can be a franchise altering move for years to come given the value and limited expectations for the player coming into the season.

Even though Raynaud had high expectations coming into last season, few around the league, and even Sacramento, expected him to improve as much as he did throughout the year. He finished the season averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 57.1% shooting from the field and 32.4% from three.

His efficiency is what stands out most, as his 57.1% shooting was tied for 9th-best in the league among 125 qualified players, according to Basketball Reference. It's still early in his career, but Raynaud flashed star potential in his first year in Sacramento, and a look back at previous second-round draft picks who made the All-Rookie teams shows that he could have a bright future ahead of him.

Previous Second-Round All-Rookies

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks on in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Looking back at the last 20 years, there have now been 24 players who were drafted in the second round that made either of the All-Rookie teams. Raynaud was the only one to do so this year, as his nine peers were all selected in the first round.

Maxime Raynaud - 2025, Jaylen Wells - 2024, GG Jackson II - 2023, Herbert Jones - 2021, Ayo Dosunmu - 2021, Eric Paschall - 2019, Mitchell Robinson - 2018, Malcolm Brogdon - 2016, Willy Hernangómez - 2015, Nikola Jokić - 2014, Jordan Clarkson - 2014, Isaiah Thomas - 2011, Chandler Parsons - 2011, Bojan Bogdanović - 2011, Kyle Singler - 2011, Landry Fields - 2010, DeJuan Blair - 2009, Jonas Jerebko - 2009, Marcus Thornton - 2009, Mario Chalmers - 2008, Marc Gasol - 2007, Carl Landry - 2007, Paul Millsap - 2006, Craig Smith - 2006.

Looking at the list, some impressive names stand out. Nikola Jokić obviously sits at the top as a three-time MVP and NBA champion, but there's also Herb Jones who has stood out as a top defender in the league (recent injuries aside), Marc Gasol from 2007, and even former King Isaiah Thomas.

But some had strong starts to their career but fizzled out after the first season, such as Willy
Hernangómez, Eric Paschall, and DeJuan Blair. Making the rookie teams is a good indicator that more success is ahead, but it's no guarantee.

At the very least, most of the players went on to have success at least as role players in the league. Not everyone became All-Stars and NBA champions like Jokić and Gasol, but many had solid NBA careers. As a second-round pick, Raynaud doesn't have to be the Kings' best player, but if he's able to continue to build on his strong start, Sacramento could be set at the center position for the next few years, at least. And that's a pretty great thing to be able to say about a former second-round pick.

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