The Sacramento Kings made their move in the 2026 NBA Draft, and hundreds of fans packed Golden 1 Center Tuesday night to witness the moment live. The energy was electric—free popcorn, hot dogs, dancers, and the kind of roaring crowd you’d expect at a playoff game, not a draft party. But this wasn’t just about the spectacle. For a fan base that had endured a brutal 22-60 season, this was a chance to believe in something new again.
Kings coach Doug Christie set the tone early, telling the crowd exactly what they needed to hear:“I know one thing from being a Sacramento King and now being the coach of the Kings — you guys show so much love. I expect nothing less as we invite a new family member into the fold.”It was the kind of rallying cry that reminded everyone in that room why they stuck with this team through the lean years. Longtime Kings fan Marsha Danzy, who moved to Sacramento back in 1985 when the team first arrived, was hopeful heading into the night.“I’m excited for the new year, new opportunities, a new person to join the team,”she said,“and I believe that we’re gonna be successful.”
The Kings had the fifth-best odds to land the No. 1 pick after that brutal season, but the lottery wasn’t kind—they slid down two spots and landed the seventh overall selection. Then came the announcement: Darius Acuff Jr., a 6’2″point guard from the University of Arkansas. The crowd erupted. Acuff had put up eye-popping numbers in his one season with the Razorbacks—23 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds a game—while leading the SEC in scoring and finishing third nationally in scoring. He was the SEC player of the year, a floor leader with legitimate star potential. And here’s the connection that sweetened the deal: Acuff’s father, Darius Acuff Sr., played college basketball at Eastern Kentucky under coach Scott Perry, who’s now the Kings’General Manager. Sacramento wasn’t just drafting a prospect; they were drafting someone with a built-in Sacramento link.
But the Kings weren’t done. They traded back into the first round with the Cleveland Cavaliers and snagged Alex Karaban, a 6’7″forward from the University of Connecticut. Karaban is a sharpshooter who helped lead UConn to back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2023 and 2024, and finished as a runner-up this year. He averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists a night—not flashy numbers, but the kind of steady, efficient play that wins games.
Both Acuff and Karaban will get their first taste of NBA action soon enough. They’re expected to suit up for the NBA League Summer League California Classic from July 3-6, where Sacramento fans can get their first live look at the future. For a team that’s been through so much, for fans like Marsha Danzy who’ve been riding out the ups and downs since 1985, this feels like the beginning of something. Whether it actually is? We’ll find out this summer.
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Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
