As the Sacramento Kings endure the final weeks of a disappointing season, focus is beginning to shift toward the 2026 NBA Draft, and Sactown Sports’ Kings Insider Brenden Nunes made it clear there’s more depth than many realize—especially beyond the top four picks.
Joining The Matt & Kayla Show, Nunes pushed back on the idea that the 2026 NBA Draft class drops off quickly, instead pointing to a strong second tier of prospects who could still be available in the middle of the lottery.
“I think that this draft is a lot deeper at the top than maybe what Kings fans have gotten accustomed to,” Nunes said. “There’s a clear top nine… and really, it feels like, you know, there’s the obvious top three that we all know about. I think Caleb Wilson belongs solidly at number four.”
More on the 2026 NBA Draft Class
From there, Nunes highlighted several names Kings fans should keep an eye on if Sacramento lands outside that top-four range.
“But after that, that five to nine, it kind of feels like it’s just—what’s your taste?” he explained. “Like, Acuff has totally climbed the charts… could that mean somebody like Kingston Flemings falls even further? Keaton Wagler, I think, is a really interesting story… Mikel Brown Jr., Nate Ament…”
Those players—Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas guard), Kingston Flemings (Houston guard), Keaton Wagler (Illinois guard), Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville guard), and Nate Ament (Tennessee forward)—represent the tier Nunes believes still holds serious upside.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 15: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
Importantly, he emphasized that landing in that range shouldn’t be viewed as a failure.
“I really think the difference between five to eight or nine is not that drastic in this draft,” Nunes said. “There’s plenty of times where… the future Hall of Famer ends up getting taken a little bit further down the board.”
Fit, not just talent, will play a major role in how teams evaluate this 2026 NBA Draft class.
“A lot of guards, obviously… but I think some scream more Kings than others,” Nunes added. “What do you prefer a little bit? That’s kind of what it comes down to in that range.”
For Sacramento, that means even if lottery luck doesn’t deliver a top-four selection, the 2026 NBA Draft still offers multiple paths to landing a high-level contributor—or potentially even a future star.
Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.
Listen to and watch Sactown Sports’ The Matt & Kayla Show with Matt George & Kayla Anderson, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on Sactown Sports.
More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
The Sacramento Kings will conclude a three-game homestand on Sunday afternoon when they face the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center in a game that has NBA Draft Lottery implications.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 1:30 PM PT on Game Night before a 3:00 pm PT tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
- Sunday, March 22nd vs. Brooklyn Nets – 3:00 PM PT
- 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
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