Best draft picks in Sacramento Kings history
The draft is a seminal moment for many incoming players. Putting aside competitive stakes, each young athlete's life is irreversibly altered by the fame and fortune that comes with being an NBA player. The exorbitant contract values ensures these players almost never have to worry about personal finances. Plus, these young guns get to play alongside some of their basketball idols for a living. With these high stakes, it's easy to see why the draft is so revered.
Likewise, the fortunes of a city and franchise can be completely transformed by a draft pick. LeBron James, for instance, brought Cleveland its first sports championship in 52 years and was also reportedly worth hundreds of millions to the city's downtown economy. It almost goes without saying that Michael Jordan built the Chicago Bulls from the ground up into a championship team whose dynamic would reverberate through the decades.
With that in mind, Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Sacramento Kings history using data from Basketball-Reference.com. Players were ranked according to a formula that approximates their career achievements, career value, and play quality. The formula encompasses Basketball-Reference.com's Hall of Fame probability, career win shares, and value over replacement player, aka VORP. For players drafted before data is available for VORP, half of the player's win shares were used in its place to calculate their Stacker score.
Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were given a minimum of 60% for their Hall of Fame probability, indicating a worthy résumé for their time but not up to par with some modern players. Scores were normalized to 100 based on the scoring leader. Keep reading to see where your favorite players fall on the list.
#50. Spencer Hawes
- Stacker score: 4.1
- 10th overall pick in 2007
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 8.7 PTS, 5.7 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 22.6 win shares, -1.1 box plus/minus, 3.4 VORP
#49. Francisco García
- Stacker score: 4.3
- 23rd overall pick in 2005
- Played eight seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 7.9 PTS, 2.6 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 18.2 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 5.7 VORP
#48. Pervis Ellison
- Stacker score: 4.3
- First overall pick in 1989
- Played one season with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 9.5 PTS, 6.7 REB, 1.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 21.8 win shares, -0.5 box plus/minus, 4.4 VORP
#47. Phil Ford
- Stacker score: 4.4
- Second overall pick in 1978
- Played four seasons with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 11.6 PTS, 1.8 REB, 6.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.3 win shares, -0.8 box plus/minus, 4.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1978-79 ROY
--- 1978-79 All-NBA
#46. Corliss Williamson
- Stacker score: 4.4
- 13th overall pick in 1995
- Played eight seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 11.1 PTS, 3.9 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 34.7 win shares, -2.0 box plus/minus, -0.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2004 NBA Champ
#45. Lionel Simmons
- Stacker score: 4.5
- Seventh overall pick in 1990
- Played seven seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 12.8 PTS, 6.2 REB, 3.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 16.9 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 6.7 VORP
#44. Willie Cauley-Stein
- Stacker score: 4.5
- Sixth overall pick in 2015
- Played four seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 8.7 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.3 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 4.4 VORP
#43. Michael Smith
- Stacker score: 4.8
- 35th overall pick in 1994
- Played four seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 5.6 PTS, 7.1 REB, 1.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.4 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 5.1 VORP
#42. Reggie King
- Stacker score: 4.8
- 18th overall pick in 1979
- Played four seasons with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 8.9 PTS, 6.2 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.8 win shares, -0.4 box plus/minus, 4.6 VORP
#41. Maurice Stokes
- Stacker score: 4.8
- Second overall pick in 1955
- Played two seasons with Rochester Royals and one season with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 16.4 PTS, 17.3 REB, 5.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 16.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1956-57 TRB Champ
--- 1955-56 ROY
--- 3x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#40. Zaid Abdul-Aziz
- Stacker score: 5.3
- Fifth overall pick in 1968
- Played one season with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 9.0 PTS, 8.0 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 17.5 win shares
#39. LaSalle Thompson
- Stacker score: 5.4
- Fifth overall pick in 1982
- Played three seasons with Kansas City Kings and four seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 7.9 PTS, 6.8 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 35.0 win shares, -1.5 box plus/minus, 2.7 VORP
#38. Tyrese Haliburton
- Stacker score: 5.4
- 12th overall pick in 2020
- Played two seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 16.2 PTS, 3.6 REB, 8.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 18.2 win shares, 3.7 box plus/minus, 9.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#37. De'Aaron Fox
- Stacker score: 5.8
- Fifth overall pick in 2017
- Played six seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 20.2 PTS, 3.7 REB, 6.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.1 win shares, 0.5 box plus/minus, 8.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2022-23 All-NBA
--- 1x All Star
#36. Herm Gilliam
- Stacker score: 6.3
- Eighth overall pick in 1969
- Played one season with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 10.8 PTS, 3.8 REB, 3.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 20.8 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1977 NBA Champ
#35. M.L. Carr
- Stacker score: 6.6
- 76th overall pick in 1973
- Career averages: 10.0 PTS, 4.5 REB, 2.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.0 win shares, 0.3 box plus/minus, 8.4 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1978-79 STL Champ
--- 1978-79 All-Defensive
#34. Vinny Del Negro
- Stacker score: 7.3
- 29th overall pick in 1988
- Played two seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 9.1 PTS, 2.3 REB, 3.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 40.6 win shares, -0.7 box plus/minus, 6.1 VORP
#33. Tyreke Evans
- Stacker score: 8.2
- Fourth overall pick in 2009
- Played five seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 15.7 PTS, 4.6 REB, 4.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 28.4 win shares, 0.8 box plus/minus, 13.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2009-10 ROY
#32. John Mengelt
- Stacker score: 8.4
- 21st overall pick in 1971
- Played one season with Cincinnati Royals and one season with Kansas City-Omaha Kings
- Career averages: 9.8 PTS, 1.9 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 27.9 win shares
#31. Walt Williams
- Stacker score: 8.4
- Seventh overall pick in 1992
- Played four seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 11.8 PTS, 3.9 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 33.9 win shares, 0.5 box plus/minus, 11.8 VORP
#30. Brian Grant
- Stacker score: 9.1
- Eighth overall pick in 1994
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 10.5 PTS, 7.4 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 54.5 win shares, -0.8 box plus/minus, 6.2 VORP
#29. Jason Williams
- Stacker score: 9.4
- Seventh overall pick in 1998
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 10.5 PTS, 2.3 REB, 5.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 38.5 win shares, 0.2 box plus/minus, 12.9 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2006 NBA Champ
#28. Flynn Robinson
- Stacker score: 9.4
- 18th overall pick in 1965
- Played three seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 14.0 PTS, 2.5 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 31.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#27. Adrian Smith
- Stacker score: 9.5
- 86th overall pick in 1958
- Played nine seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 11.3 PTS, 2.1 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 31.7 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1965-66 AS MVP
--- 1x All Star
#26. Kenny Smith
- Stacker score: 9.9
- Sixth overall pick in 1987
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 12.8 PTS, 2.0 REB, 5.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 46.8 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 11.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
#25. Larry Siegfried
- Stacker score: 10.0
- Third overall pick in 1961
- Career averages: 10.8 PTS, 2.8 REB, 3.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 33.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
#24. Scott Wedman
- Stacker score: 10.5
- Sixth overall pick in 1974
- Played one season with Kansas City-Omaha Kings and six seasons with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 13.2 PTS, 4.8 REB, 2.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 53.7 win shares, -0.4 box plus/minus, 10.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1979-80 All-Defensive
--- 2x All Star
#23. Hassan Whiteside
- Stacker score: 11.7
- 33rd overall pick in 2010
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 12.6 PTS, 10.8 REB, 0.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 52.0 win shares, 2.5 box plus/minus, 14.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2016-17 TRB Champ
--- 2015-16 All-Defensive
#22. Otis Birdsong
- Stacker score: 11.8
- Second overall pick in 1977
- Played four seasons with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 18.0 PTS, 3.0 REB, 3.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 48.2 win shares, 0.6 box plus/minus, 14.3 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 4.4%
- Accolades
--- 1980-81 All-NBA
--- 4x All Star
#21. Eddie Johnson
- Stacker score: 12.2
- 29th overall pick in 1981
- Played four seasons with Kansas City Kings and two seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 16.0 PTS, 4.0 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 65.6 win shares, -0.7 box plus/minus, 11.0 VORP
#20. Isaiah Thomas
- Stacker score: 12.5
- 60th overall pick in 2011
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 17.7 PTS, 2.4 REB, 4.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 45.3 win shares, 2.1 box plus/minus, 16.1 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 7.0%
- Accolades
--- 2016-17 All-NBA
--- 2x All Star
#19. Jim Fox
- Stacker score: 12.6
- 70th overall pick in 1965
- Played two seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 9.3 PTS, 7.4 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 41.8 win shares
#18. Michael Adams
- Stacker score: 12.9
- 66th overall pick in 1985
- Played one season with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 14.7 PTS, 2.9 REB, 6.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 46.9 win shares, 1.9 box plus/minus, 19.9 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#17. Kevin Martin
- Stacker score: 13.4
- 26th overall pick in 2004
- Played six seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 17.4 PTS, 3.2 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 61.3 win shares, 1.0 box plus/minus, 16.1 VORP
#16. DeMarcus Cousins
- Stacker score: 13.7
- Fifth overall pick in 2010
- Played seven seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 19.6 PTS, 10.2 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 46.8 win shares, 2.4 box plus/minus, 21.6 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.5%
- Accolades
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 4x All Star
#15. Jon McGlocklin
- Stacker score: 14.2
- 27th overall pick in 1965
- Played two seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 11.6 PTS, 2.4 REB, 2.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 47.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1971 NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#14. Jack Coleman
- Stacker score: 14.4
- 24th overall pick in 1949
- Played seven seasons with Rochester Royals
- Career averages: 10.6 PTS, 9.2 REB, 2.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 47.7 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#13. Hedo Türkoğlu
- Stacker score: 14.9
- 16th overall pick in 2000
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 11.1 PTS, 4.0 REB, 2.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 63.3 win shares, 0.9 box plus/minus, 19.6 VORP
#12. Sam Lacey
- Stacker score: 15.3
- Fifth overall pick in 1970
- Played two seasons with Cincinnati Royals, three seasons with Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and seven seasons with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 10.3 PTS, 9.7 REB, 3.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 50.9 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#11. Bob Love
- Stacker score: 15.5
- 36th overall pick in 1965
- Played two seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 17.6 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 50.4 win shares
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.9%
- Accolades
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 3x All-Defensive
--- 3x All Star
#10. Gerald Wallace
- Stacker score: 15.8
- 25th overall pick in 2001
- Played three seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 11.9 PTS, 5.8 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 59.7 win shares, 1.8 box plus/minus, 23.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2005-06 STL Champ
--- 2009-10 All-Defensive
--- 1x All Star
#9. Bob Boozer
- Stacker score: 19.3
- First overall pick in 1959
- Played four seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 14.8 PTS, 8.1 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 64.2 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1971 NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#8. Otis Thorpe
- Stacker score: 20.2
- Ninth overall pick in 1984
- Played one season with Kansas City Kings and four seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 14.0 PTS, 8.2 REB, 2.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 106.4 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 19.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1994 NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#7. Happy Hairston
- Stacker score: 21.1
- 35th overall pick in 1964
- Played four seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 14.8 PTS, 10.3 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 70.0 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
#6. Peja Stojaković
- Stacker score: 21.5
- 14th overall pick in 1996
- Played eight seasons with Sacramento Kings
- Career averages: 17.0 PTS, 4.7 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 82.6 win shares, 1.9 box plus/minus, 26.2 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 11.1%
- Accolades
--- 2011 NBA Champ
--- 2003-04 All-NBA
--- 3x All Star
#5. Bobby Wanzer
- Stacker score: 29.2
- 10th overall pick in 1948
- Played nine seasons with Rochester Royals
- Career averages: 12.2 PTS, 4.5 REB, 3.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 63.9 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1951 NBA Champ
--- 3x All-NBA
--- 5x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#4. Jack Twyman
- Stacker score: 32.6
- 10th overall pick in 1955
- Played two seasons with Rochester Royals and nine seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 19.2 PTS, 6.6 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 75.0 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 6x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#3. Tiny Archibald
- Stacker score: 41.5
- 19th overall pick in 1970
- Played two seasons with Cincinnati Royals, three seasons with Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and one season with Kansas City Kings
- Career averages: 18.8 PTS, 2.3 REB, 7.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 83.4 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1981 NBA Champ
--- 1972-73 Scoring Champ
--- 5x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#2. Jerry Lucas
- Stacker score: 45.6
- Sixth overall pick in 1962
- Played seven seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 17.0 PTS, 15.6 REB, 3.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 98.4 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1973 NBA Champ
--- 1963-64 ROY
--- 5x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#1. Oscar Robertson
- Stacker score: 73.6
- First overall pick in 1960
- Played 10 seasons with Cincinnati Royals
- Career averages: 25.7 PTS, 7.5 REB, 9.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 189.2 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1971 NBA Champ
--- 1963-64 MVP
--- 6x AST Champ
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
