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Kings Draft Comparisons

Following a Draft that is bringing a bundle of fresh talent to Sacramento, there is much to learn about what each player brings to the court.

Rookies are coming to Sactown with a plethora of potential in tow, each toting a unique skill set that they demonstrated during their collegiate play. An oft-used method to get a better understanding of a player’s game is peer comparison. Therefore, we broke down the newest Kings to try and align them with most similar potential players past and present.

De’Aaron Fox - John Wall

One of the first things spectators notice about Fox is his breakneck speed on the hardwood - a trait that opens up his offensive game for playmaking and scoring. Utilizing agility and quickness allows the former Kentucky guard to cut through defenses in the lane and makes it a tall task for defenders to stay in front of him.

Washington’s All-Star guard Wall has turned himself into one of the premiere point guards in the Association with a similar play style. As Wall has proven throughout his NBA tenure, his offensive and defensive abilities rely heavily on him being one of the fastest players in the League - similar to what Fox has shown during his college tenure.

The similarities showed up in the numbers and background as well, as both guards played a single season at Kentucky. Wall averaged 16.6 points, 6.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals while Fox posted averages of 16.7 points, 4.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals.

As we have seen with Wall for the Wizards, his contributions on both ends - particularly the way he is able to lead the offense with his passing and knack for scoring - a player of this caliber could work wonders in any offense.

Justin Jackson - Rashard Lewis

Wing players who can score on the perimeter are a valuable commodity in the NBA, and that’s one of the primary benefits that come along with Justin Jackson.

Jackson showed steady improvement throughout three campaigns with North Carolina, capped off with a strong junior season. The Texas-native racked up averages of 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists which contributed to him being named ACC Player of the Year.

Much like former two-time All-Star Rashard Lewis, Jackson is a lengthy forward who can drain shots from the perimeter. Jackson shot 37 percent from long range during his junior season while Lewis was a career 38 percent shooter during his lengthy career in the Association.

While adjusting to NBA range is no easy task, Jackson is projected to be able to provide some assistance from beyond the arc and has potential to continue improving as he has shown in past years.

Additionally, both Lewis and Jackson boast notable length in their wingspans, a valuable tool when defending fellow wing players.

“With his ability to read the defense, he can become a weapon reading screens in set plays or finding open spaces in a more free flowing offense,” said Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress regarding Jackson.

Harry Giles - Amare Stoudemire

Though injuries at Duke hampered Giles from truly breaking out during his freshman season, there is plenty of reason to believe that the 19-year-old could potentially become a dominant presence on the next level.

First and foremost, the comparison to Stoudemire begins with sheer physical measurables. Stoudemire coming out of high school in 2002 recorded a wingspan of 7’1” ¾ while Giles boasted an impressive 7’3”¾. Both forwards also stand at 6’10” and their listed weights differed by just one pound (Amare at 233 and Giles at 232).

On top of the bodily similarities, both Giles and STAT have play styles that allow them to use their athleticism to score in the paint - utilizing a combination of length, strength, and agility.

While Giles wasn’t fully able to highlight his strengths in college, he will be looking to bounce back from his injury to establish himself as the talented player that he has been touted since high school.

Frank Mason - Isaiah Thomas

Smaller players can sometimes pack the biggest punch.

Frank enjoyed an outstanding season at Kansas, taking home the John R. Wooden Award while leading the Jayhawks in points (20.9), assists (5.2) and three-point percentage (47.1).

Standing at 5’11”, height did not stop Mason from becoming one of the most dangerous scoring threats in the nation, reminiscent of another guard of similar stature who has developed into one of the most notable scorers in the NBA.

Thomas, who averaged 28.9 points for Boston in 2016-17, has made a living off of combining crafty dribbling, quickness, shooting and creative finishes at the rim. Mason has shown flashes of Thomas in these categories, most notably his shooting range which has become a staple of his offensive game.

As IT has proven recently, height can be overcome by skill in terms of being able to get buckets and Mason will be looking to further prove that as he will soon face the same challenges of longer, taller defenders in the NBA.



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