NBA draft history shows Kings could find impact player at No. 13
NBA draft history shows Kings could find impact player at No. 13 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings didn't get any lottery luck on Sunday and will have the No. 13 overall pick in next month's 2024 NBA Draft, but history shows that might not be the worst position to be in.
Past drafts have shown that teams found impact players at the No. 13 spot, with the Utah Jazz selecting Donovan Mitchell (five-time NBA All-Star) in 2017 and the Phoenix Suns picking star guard Devin Booker (four-time NBA All-Star) in 2015 as just two recent examples.
And on the more notable side in a broader spectrum, Karl Malone, Jalen Rose, Kobe Bryant, Corey Maggette and Richard Jefferson also were all taken with the 13th overall selection.
But back to recent history, here are the past 13th overall picks since 2000, in order from most recent (2023 draft) to oldest (2000 draft).
Kira Lewis Jr. (Pelicans)
Tyler Herro (Heat)
Donovan Mitchell (Nuggets)
Georgios Papagiannis (Suns)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Kendall Marshall (Suns)
Markieff Morris (Suns)
Ed Davis (Raptors)
Tyler Hansbrough (Pacers)
Julian Wright (Hornets)
Sean May (Bobcats/Hornets)
Sebastian Telfair (Trail Blazers)
Marcus Banks (Grizzlies)
Marcus Haislip (Bucks)
Richard Jefferson (Rockets)
Courtney Alexander (Magic)
Of course, some of the players listed fell short of their expectations. But just seeing some of the names listed should give Kings fans hope for the potential of Sacramento's future first-round draft pick.
It might be too soon to evaluate Dick after just one season with the Raptors, but Duren's consistent and steady growth in his sophomore season makes it clear that he was a steal for the Pistons.
When able to stay healthy and on the floor for Miami, Herro has shown flashes of star potential. He is coming off three consecutive seasons averaging at least 20 points, and helped lead the Heat to several deep playoff runs.
Mitchell, who was drafted by the Denver Nuggets and then traded to Utah, spent his first five seasons with the Jazz. He was traded to the Cavaliers before the 2022-23 NBA season and averaged 27.5 points on 47.5-percent shooting, with 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in two seasons with Cleveland.
Booker has spent his nine-year NBA career in Phoenix, averaging 24.3 points on a 46.4-percent clip, with 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists over that timespan.
On the other hand, Papagiannis, was part of a draft-night trade to the Kings in 2016, played just 38 games for Sacramento was out of the NBA by the end of the 2017-18 season.
The list goes on and on, and the Kings, too, hope to hit the jackpot when they're on the clock for the draft that begins June 26.
It will trigger the beginning of what's expected to be a busy offseason for Kings general manager Monte McNair and Co., as Sacramento looks to return to playoff contention next season.
