Two Duke Prospects That Could Fit the Sacramento Kings

Duke University has two high-end prospects in the 2024 NBA draft.

Dec 12, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) and guard Jared McCain (0). / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NBA draft is nearly 50 days away, and the Sacramento Kings are set to have a lottery selection. Projections have the Kings picking at 13th overall, but there is a slim chance of moving up into the top four.

Sacramento’s season was cut short after falling out of playoff contention in the NBA’s play-in tournament, something that the Kings tried to avoid all year. The season took a turn for the worse when guard Malik Monk suffered an MCL sprain with only 10 games remaining on the schedule.

Malik Monk talks about his uncertain offseason ahead, his desire to be in Sacramento vs. chasing a larger pay-day elsewhere and the disappointment to see his Kings not make the playoffs and not being part of the Play-in-Tournament due to his knee injury. pic.twitter.com/WruPzkoDdm

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) April 22, 2024

A silver lining was to be found though, and it came in the form of retaining a lottery-protected pick that was originally sent to the Atlanta Hawks in 2022 when the Kings traded for G Kevin Huerter. It wasn’t Huerter’s best season, but he may be playing with some new faces next year as Sacramento looks to make a push for the playoffs.

Two interesting prospects that would fit in on the Kings’ roster are Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski, both of whom played at Duke University.

Today I learned that the 14th ranked prospect below, Jared McCain, is a combo guard from Sacramento.

The Kings currently hold the 13th/14th pick in the draft, subject to a coin flip with the Warriors.

They are also on the verge of losing guard Malik Monk to free agency. https://t.co/CRttXd3AMi pic.twitter.com/dzOGAQ0bQ6

— Brett W. Huff (@bretthuff22) April 20, 2024

McCain, 20, is a Sacramento native, making him an instant fan favorite if he’s selected by general manager Monte McNair. The shifty guard averaged 14.3 points and 5 rebounds per game in his freshman year of college while shooting an incredibly efficient 41.4% from three-point land. 

His teammate, Kyle Filipowski, was one of the best big men in NCAA Division I basketball. The 20-year-old out of New York averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. Efficient on both ends of the court, Filipowksi could be the choice if the Kings want to load up their frontcourt that heavily relied on superstar Domantas Sabonis last season.

While it’s tough to say who could be a better fit, it may depend on who the Kings target in free agency. If Monk leaves the team, Sacramento may be in line to draft McCain to boost their backcourt heading into 2024. It’s unclear what direction the Kings will take but McCain’s Sacramento roots may give him the slight edge over Filipowski.

The NBA lottery will take place on May 12th on ABC with the Kings having a .8% chance of moving up in the draft. 

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