Kings’ Mike Brown Awards Stamp of Approval to Newcomer Sasha Vezenkov

Without conducting any major tweaks to an already successful team a season ago, the Sacramento Kings did manage to find routes toward improving the roster before heading into a pivotal 2023-24. Among the few decisions made, the most compelling may be bringing on EuroLeague star F Sasha Vezenkov.

Vezenkov was the 57th-overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft but became a draft-and-stash shortly after. Eventually, he landed in Sacramento via trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a part of the 2022 NBA Draft.

After spending his 2022-23 campaign overseas dominating for Olympiacos B.C. and earning the honors of EuroLeague MVP, the time to make his jump to the NBA has come. The Kings signed Vezenkov to a $20M/3-year contract this summer, inking him to a deal through the 2025-26 season if Sacramento accepts his third-year team option.

It’s an addition to the team that many Kings fans, along with HC Mike Brown, are hyped to have on board. In an interview with FOX40 Sports, Brown dove into what type of player the Kings are getting in Vezenkov and what he’s looking forward to seeing from the overseas MVP next season:

“You’re gonna enjoy him. Here’s a guy that plays hard, he’s tough, very, very, very smart, extremely good feel for the game of basketball. He can pass it, he cuts, he knows how to space, and he can shoot the mess out of the ball. He’s got a quick trigger, and I’m looking forward to seeing him out in action against other teams this year."

There looks to be a lot to unpack in what Sacramento will be getting with Vezenkov considering the high praise given from coach Brown. Armed with a collection of offensive attributes to make him a dangerous scoring threat, the Kings may have secured a flamethrower for their rotation.

It’s hard to expect Vezenkov to enter the NBA as a day-one starter, especially as a part of a roster with contending expectations like this Kings team. But with some standout performances potentially on the horizon as the season progresses, a path to substantial minutes may be achievable for the 28-year-old.

Clearly, Mike Brown has outstanding confidence in him with these words of encouragement. Looking into next season, Kings fans should be pumped to add another exciting piece to a franchise hoping to reach new heights in 2023-24.

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