Kings Rookie On Pace For Sensational Record-Setting Season

There haven't been many bright spots for the Sacramento Kings this season, as they sit at 9-30 and 14th in the Western Conference. But clear at the top of the list is the play of rookie big man Maxime Raynaud.

The second-round pick has exceeded all expectations so far, which were already unreasonably high for the 42nd pick of the NBA draft. As a first-round talent that fell to the Kings, many in the league saw him as a steal of the draft, and the excitement seeped into Sacramento.

Raynaud started the season slowly, and he looked like he would need a season or two to get the needed experience and strength to become a rotational piece or future starter. But then Domantas Sabonis got hurt, and Raynaud was thrust into the starting lineup. The 22-year-old hasn't looked back since.

On the season, Raynaud is averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 55.9% from the field and 30.4% from three. He's the first Kings player to put up those numbers as a rookie since DeMarcus Cousins had 14.1, 8.6, and 2.2 in the 2010-11 season.

Impressive Efficiency

Dec 18, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

When you factor in his impressive FG% of 55.9%, he becomes the only Kings player in the Sacramento Era to reach those numbers. For comparison, Cousins shot 43.0% from the field in his rookie season. The only other player in franchise history to hit the numbers was Otis Thorpe in the 1984-85 season.

Raynaud's efficiency is even more impressive when looking at his shot profile. He's taking just 2.5 field goal attempts per game in the restricted area and doing most of his damage in the floater area with 4.4 attempts there per game. He's shot well in both spots, 69.7% at the rim and 54.0% in the non-restricted paint area.

Of the 152 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the floater area, Raynaud's 54.0% ranks 17th. Over the last ten games, that percentage jumps even higher to 65.3%. For reference, Payton Pritchard leads the league at 62.8%.

It's a shot the Kings are going to over and over again. No matter who the guard or ball-handler is, Raynaud has been vital in the pick and roll for the Kings' offense. They don't have many go to plays that are working outside of isolation scoring, but Raynaud dropping into the paint after a screen and hitting a floater is working.

Quick Improvement

That wasn't always the case with Raynaud this season, though. When he started the year, he looked a little clunky on both sides of the ball, as rookie bigs generally do. But he's shown how coachable he is and already looks more polished after just 31 career games. That's a great sign for someone who has a long NBA journey ahead of them.

There are still areas where he can improve, including his defense and three-point shooting, but the signs of a potential star are there. At the very worst, Raynaud is profiling as a low-end starter or key reserve, but you can see why he had so much buzz coming into the season.

An area where we've already seen improvement is on the boards. It was another one of the knocks on him after the draft, and looked like it could hold him back during preseason and the beginning of the year. But since he took over as the starter, he's averaged 8.9 rebounds per game.

It's his ability to already improve in multiple facets of the game that is so tantalizing. But luckily for us, we don't have to wait to see what Raynaud can bring to the court. We're getting to see him develop right before our eyes, which in a downtrodden season filled with trade rumors and disappointment, is more important than ever.

Impressive Efficiency

Quick Improvement

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