NBA Draft Results: Sacramento Kings select Nik Stauskas eighth-overall

By Andrew Melnick | Jun 26, 2014

Mar 15, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas (11) drives to the basket against Ohio State Buckeyes guard Aaron Craft (4) in the semifinals of the Big Ten college basketball tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Michigan defeats Ohio State 72-69. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Many believed the Sacramento Kings would look to take a point guard like former Oklahoma State Cowboys’ point guard Marcus Smart or former Louisiana-Lafayette point guard Elfrid Payton.

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Smart went off of the board when the Boston Celtics took him with the sixth-overall, leading to the public believing Payton would be the pick as insurance for starting point guard Isaiah Thomas, who is set to hit restricted free agency next week.

Instead, the Kings filled a need while taking arguably the top player on the board by selecting former Michigan Wolverines’ swingman Nik Stauskas.

Stauskas put up 17.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game in his sophomore season. He shot 47.0% from the field, 44.2% from beyond the arc and 82.4% from the free throw line. At the NBA’s Scouting Combine, he measured in at 6’6.5 and 207 lbs. with a wingspan of 6’7.75. He is currently ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the draft.

Stauskas is a fantastic shooter, which is something the Kings obviously need. The Kings can insert Stauskas into a lineup that features Thomas, provided the Kings either re-sign him or match whatever offer sheet he signs with another team, forward Rudy Gay, who recently decided to opt in to the final year of his contract, which is worth $19.3 million and DeMarcus Cousins, one of the league’s most talented centers.

This could spell trouble for Ben McLemore, who the Kings took in the lottery last year, but the team severerly needed and upgrade on the perimeter and Stauskas will provide just that.

Grade: B+