Skip to main content
Inside The Kings

Two-Round NBA Mock Draft Lands Kings Three Unique Prospects

Here's what a potential two-round draft could look like for the Sacramento Kings this summer.
Eric Sperlazza|
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) holds the ball Penn Quakers guard Cam Thrower (5) in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) holds the ball Penn Quakers guard Cam Thrower (5) in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In this story:

Sacramento Kings

We all know that the Sacramento Kings need a high draft pick more than most teams. Unfortunately, the teams’ recent form has led them to fall to the fourth spot in the lottery, putting pick number eight into play. There are tons of great players in the 2026 draft, but the Kings need to start grasping the reality that they could easily slip out of the top-five, let alone the top-three. To help us all prepare for the worst, I ran a full draft simulation via Fanspo and manually picked for the Kings.

The Setup

Fanspo gives the option of using their rankings, ESPN’s, or NoCeiling’s, and I ended up choosing NoCeiling’s because I really believe in the effort they put into all their prospect analysis. Fanspo also gives the option to run a lottery simulation before the draft, and I took advantage of that to give the most realistic view into what might happen for Sacramento. 

Below, I’ll get into each pick I made, why I took that player, and what it might mean for the Kings’ outlook for next season.

#7: Keaton Wagler 

6’6” Guard, Fr., Illinois

As you can see, the Kings fell to the seventh overall pick in this simulation and that is a very realistic outcome at 16.7%. The good news is that the Brooklyn Nets ended up taking Mikel Brown Jr. and passed on one of my favorite fits for the Kings on the board. Keaton Wagler may not be as highly touted as the guys ranked above him, but he has the chance to be exactly what Sacramento needs.

Wagler was completely off most radars at the beginning of the season, but there were rumblings that Illinois had found a gem outside the SCNEXT 100 rankings. The Kansas native is averaging 18 points per game and shooting 45/41/80 for the second-best offense in the country according to KenPom. In the last 15 games of Illinois regular season, Wagler is averaging over 20 points per game, and had one of the best performances of the year with a 46-point explosion against Purdue.

Wagler’s detractors would point to his lack of explosiveness/athleticism, which is a fair gripe. However, his IQ, shooting touch, and craftiness with the ball more than make up for that in my opinion. 

Defense isn’t his calling card, but the second-team All-American’s DBPM of 3.2 shows that he’s more than holding his own at that end despite his strength limitations. I see Wagler’s shooting and playmaking being exactly what the Kings need offensively, and I love his fit next to Keegan Murray, Nique Clifford, and Maxime Raynaud long-term.

#34: Dame Sarr 

6’8” G/F, Fr., Duke

This was a pick I struggled with a bit. I would’ve ideally wanted to pick a true power forward with some rim protection and/or shooting chops to push Murray to his natural small forward spot. Unfortunately, most of the bigger forwards available didn’t feel like they would fit next to any of Sacramento’s centers. In the end, I considered Billy Richmond III, but Dame Sarr’s length and experience in Europe gave him the edge.

Sarr is one of college basketball's best defenders and boasts a steal percentage of 2.5% and a block percentage of 2%. Despite how impressive that is on its own, Sarr’s defensive impact is even more powerful when you watch him operate within Duke’s number-one-ranked defense. 

His shot is still a work in progress, but the Italian wing shot 38% from three on 37 attempts in Duke’s last 10 regular-season games. If he can ever become a consistent spot-up shooter, Sarr could end up being a steal in the second round.

#44: Alex Karaban 

6’8” Forward, Sr., UConn

Finally, we get to the Kings’ last pick in this simulated draft, and with the 44th pick, they grab one of the most decorated players in college basketball. Alex Karaban is a two-time NCAA champion with the Connecticut Huskies and a career 38% three-point shooter at 6-foot-8. Karaban’s ceiling is probably relatively low for a draft prospect, but his experience means that he has a good chance to come in and fill a role right away.

Karaban is an extremely smart player who knows his limitations and strengths as well as any player in college basketball. Similar to Wagler, Karaban isn’t a great athlete, but his IQ and size have carried him to a respectable 3.3 DBPM this season, and his 2.7% block percentage is very good for someone who is relatively floor-bound. 

He may not be flashy, but his skillset is something the Kings don’t have a lot of right now, and I see a world where he’s much more impactful than expected.

Will This Team Be Any Good?

Falling to seventh in the lottery means the Kings wouldn’t have a chance at any of the major floor risers, but I would still be happy with this haul. Wagler fills the point guard need as well as anyone other than maybe Kingston Flemings, Sarr brings some much-needed wing defense, and Karaban’s pedigree is just what the team needs to continue to build the culture. If the team leans into these players and the rest of their youth, my prediction is that they would nearly double their current total and win 35 games next year.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Eric Sperlazza
ERIC SPERLAZZA

Eric Sperlazza covers the NBA and Sacramento Kings for Sacramento Kings On SI.

Share on XFollow EricSperlazza13
Home/Sacramento Kings News