3 Best Sacramento Kings Draft Picks

Two years after the league was formed in 1946, the Sacramento Kings, formerly known as the Cincinnati Royals, joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1948. Since then, the franchise captured a title in 1951 and maximized their NBA championship odds to avoid the list of NBA teams that have never won a championship and established themselves as a contender in the Western Conference.

The franchise has  selected some great talent from the NBA Draft. These players became the cornerstone of the team and helped them to stay competitive. Here are the three best Sacramento draft picks in team history:

Oscar Robertson

Leading the list of Sacramento Kings draftees is Oscar Robertson, who was selected as the top overall pick in 1960 by the Cincinnati Royals. Robertson immediately established himself as the new face of the franchise, averaging 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists in his first year to secure the Rookie of the Year award in 1961.

181-Triple-Doubles All-Time Leader: At 6-5 and 210 pounds, Oscar Robertson was the first "big guard" and during his 14-year @NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks, The Big O became the top-scoring guard of all time, amassing 26,710 points. pic.twitter.com/VhBaSpAlXX

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) December 15, 2017

“The Big O” helped the Royals qualify for the postseason for six seasons from 1962 to 1967. Robertson also bagged the MVP award in 1964 and represented the team in 10 NBA All-Star Games before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970. The 6-foot-5 point guard averaged 29.3 points, 10.3 assists, and 8.5 rebounds for the Royals in 752 games across 10 seasons.

DeMarcus Cousins

In 2010, Sacramento drafted DeMarcus Cousins with the fifth overall pick in the draft. He brought excitement to the fan base through his dominant presence inside the paint. Cousins instantly imposed himself as a force in the shaded area, averaging 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds to earn a spot on the 2011 All-Rookie 1st Team.

Sacramento Boogie Cousins 😤 (2016) pic.twitter.com/q6sNTaFeoF

— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) July 19, 2023

Although he failed to guide the Kings to a playoff appearance during his six-and-a-half seasons with them, the former Kentucky standout became a four-time NBA All-Star from 2016 to 2018. He also cracked a spot in the All-NBA 2nd Team in 2015 and 2016. Before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017, he accumulated an average of 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 470 games.

De’Aaron Fox

Rounding out the list of the best Sacramento draft picks is De’Aaron Fox, who was selected as the fifth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-3 guard out of Kentucky was touted as the next cornerstone of the franchise after the departure of Cousins, and he lived up to that expectation. Although he needed a few seasons to finally flourish in the league, he became Sacramento’s newest superstar.

De’Aaron Fox lights the beam for the very first time 🔥🦊 @swipathefox | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/tTWfjH5iLv

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 31, 2022

Fox had a huge leap during the 2019-20 season, averaging 21.1 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. Since then, he has produced an average of 20 points per game. His biggest contribution so far was helping them snap the longest playoff drought in NBA history by clinching a postseason berth in the 2022-23 season after 16 years. In the same season, he represented the Kings in the NBA All-Star Game.