Kings Might've Found the Steal of the NBA Draft Again

In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings selected Maxime Raynaud with the 42nd overall pick. The 7-foot-1 Frenchman became the only non-lottery pick to be selected to last season's All-Rookie Teams, cementing himself as the steal of the draft and a perfect second-round find for the Kings.

In the 2026 NBA Draft, the Kings selected Emanuel Sharp with the 45th pick, and we could be on our way to a similar story. While it is far too early to say, with only Summer League action to look at, Sharp is already looking like the steal of the draft.

Of course, on paper, there was no reason for Sharp to drop to pick 45. An incredible character with a dangerous three-point shot and tenacious defense, it was hard to imagine Sharp struggling to carve out a role in the NBA. Now, he is showing out for the Kings during the Summer League.

In his Las Vegas Summer League debut, Sharp dropped a game-high 21 points and four steals on 3-8 shooting from three-point range and 7-8 from the free-throw line. Not only did he make an impact offensively, but he was the main reason why fifth-overall pick Keaton Wagler was held to just seven points on 1-7 shooting.

Emanuel Sharp putting on a absolute defensive clinic out here! 🔒

He’s got the clamps on Keaton Wagler so tight he literally can’t breathe.

Absolute lockdown behavior! 😤🔥 pic.twitter.com/j0PTHvgdDs
— Dylan Cardwell Muse (@dcardwellmuse) July 10, 2026

However, this is not new for Sharp. In the California Classic Summer League, he posted 31 points, ten rebounds, four assists, and four steals through two games, while knocking down six three-pointers.

The Kings are now a perfect 4-0 through all of their Summer League games, and Sharp is a huge reason why. In fact, Kings' seventh-overall pick Darius Acuff Jr. gave Sharp the credit, saying he has been the team's best player over the past few games.

Sharp is already carving out a role

Granted, we need to take Summer League action with a grain of salt, but in this case, it is hard to ignore the impact that Sharp is making. For a Kings team that ranked 28th in defensive rating and last in three-pointers made last season, it is obvious that they need a player like Sharp in the rotation.

Emmanuel Sharp - the most obvious steal of a pick in this draft.

Elite shooter.
Elite work ethic.
Elite defender.
Elite character.

21 points & 4 steals in Vegas summer league debut last night pic.twitter.com/sm1IwYQm43 https://t.co/gZ21d98TVc
— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) July 10, 2026

If these Summer League games are any indication, Sharp should be a day-one contributor for Sacramento. While there were initial concerns about his size and athleticism, his game is translating seamlessly so far. If he can start to knock down his shots with more efficiency, he could be the Kings' long-term starter alongside Acuff Jr., although we still need to keep our expectations reasonable for the second-round pick.

It would not shock anyone if Sharp turned into Doug Christie's favorite player due to his defense and overall effort, so we should expect the 22-year-old to get plenty of opportunities during his rookie year. While he might not get enough to earn All-Rookie honors like last year's steal of the draft, Raynaud, he should certainly make a sizeable impact for the Kings and put the NBA on notice.

Nonetheless, Scott Perry deserves his flowers for finding difference-makers in the second round in each of his first two drafts with the Kings.

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