Grading the Sacramento Kings Selection of Maxime Raynaud

Stanford's Maxime Raynaud is officially headed to the NBA. On June 26, the Sacramento Kings used the 42nd overall pick to take Raynaud, ending a slide that saw him go from being a projected late first rounder to a mid-second rounder. Now on the Kings, Raynaud will embark on his new journey where he will look to prove himself. But, just how good was the Kings' pick of Raynaud?

Raynaud, who was at one point mocked to go to the Orlando Magic at around No. 28 overall, fell way further than many expected. A big reason for this could be attributed to his age, where as a 22-year-old rookie, he is older than some of the top draft picks. Most of the draftees were between the ages of 18-20. In basketball, teams want younger guys who can evolve into stars by the time they are 22 or 23, not guys who are entering at that age.

So while age was a big reason for his slide, talent wise, Raynaud could be considered one of the best players in the entire draft. Averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds this season and putting up better numbers than top draft pick, Cooper Flagg, Raynaud evolved into one of the best players in college basketball last season and was a big reason why Stanford reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2019-20--surpassing expectations in head coach Kyle Smith's first season.

And once he got to the NBA Combine, Raynaud impressed even more. While his individual drill numbers were strong, it was not until the 5-on-5 scrimmage where Raynaud really impressed, scoring 20 points and recording nine rebounds in what was considered the best performance of any player.

Having practiced alongside numerous elite players, training with the France National Team ahead of its Paris Olympics run last summer--a team that included San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama and Nicolas Batum of the Clippers, Raynaud's performance at the combine does not come as a shock.

But now Raynaud has to shake off the stigma that comes with being a second round pick. Most second round picks are not expected to play big roles out of the gate, with many of them spending some time in the G League to develop their game.

But Raynaud's experience and talent could make him the type of player that Draymond Green and Nikola Jokic became: second round picks that ended up putting together Hall of Fame worthy resumes. The Kings have depth at their big man spot, with Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Jonas Valanciunas headlining that group, but Raynaud has the potential to earn a rotation spot as a rookie.

Known for his physicality on defense and his ability to get to the basket on offense, Raynaud brings two-way talent to Sacramento. With the franchise missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season in 2024-25, they need a major spark. Raynaud provides that and is in a perfect situation to prove to everyone that passing on him was a mistake.

Overall, Raynaud's selection has the potential to be an under-the-radar pick. The talent and experience is there, with the only real question being whether or not his game can translate to the NBA level. But if Raynaud's college career is any indication, he should have no problems adjusting to basketball's highest level.

Grade: A-