The Sacramento Kings may be enduring a disappointing season, but one bright spot continues to emerge: rookie center Maxime Raynaud.
According to Carmichael Dave and Jason Ross of Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, Raynaud’s impact may be flying under the radar.
“One of the things about this year being so bad… I think that it has a little bit glossed over Maxime right now,” Dave said, pointing out how the team’s struggles have overshadowed what could otherwise be a major storyline.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
More on Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud
Drafted 42nd overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, Maxime Raynaud wasn’t expected to still be on the board that late.
Many analysts projected the former Stanford University standout as a late first-round pick. Instead, Sacramento capitalized on the slide—and it’s starting to look like a steal.
“In another scenario, we would be sitting here saying, hold on a second… With the 42nd pick in the draft, we drafted a guy… Is this our best second-round pick of all time?” Dave asked. While he quickly corrected himself—“Our second best second round pick of all time… can he become the best? Sure.”—the sentiment was clear.
Raynaud’s impressive production in March backs it up.
“He’s averaging 19.2 points, 8.7 boards, two assists (over 11 games)… on 63/42/83 splits… that is efficient,” Dave noted. “It’s not a fluke… his rise is not fluky… we got ourselves a steal.”
Ross echoed that idea, framing Maxime Raynaud as a prime example of strong scouting and development. “Do your job, do your research, find your gems. And the Kings did that,” he said.
Opportunity has certainly played a role. Injuries across the roster opened the door for Raynaud to see extended minutes, such as Domantas Sabonis’ season-ending knee injury, but both hosts emphasized that he’s done far more than just fill in.
“It’s not just that he played 30 minutes. He’s been good for weeks now–a couple months now,” Dave said. “All these injuries… have fast-tracked this.”
In a season where wins and losses have sparked debate about draft positioning, Maxime Raynaud represents the other side of the equation: finding value regardless of where you pick.
As Dave put it, “When you say the steal of the draft, it’s the biggest delta between where the person was picked and how they performed… he’s the steal of the draft.”
Check out the full conversation by scrolling to the top of the page or by clicking here.
Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.
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When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
Maxime Raynaud and the Sacramento Kings will embark on their final road trip of the season with a five-game East Coast swing that begins on Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte.
Sacramento dropped a 117-109 contest to Charlotte at Golden 1 Center on March 11th as the Hornets used a 30-point effort from LaMelo Ball to hold off the Kings.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Charlotte Hornets action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before a 4:00 pm PT tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
- Tuesday, March 24th – @ Charlotte Hornets – 4:00 PM PT
- Thursday, March 26th – @ Orlando Magic – 4:00 PM PT
- Saturday, March 28th – @ Brooklyn Nets – 4:00 PM PT
- Sunday, March 29th @ Brooklyn Nets – 3:00 PM PT
- Wednesday, April 1st @ Toronto Raptors – 5:00 PM PT
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