Raynaud keeps rising
Rookie Maxime Raynaud scored 30 in Sacramento’s recent loss and has now posted back‑to‑back 30‑point games — the first Kings rookie to do that since Walt Williams in 1993. ( ) He’s averaging about 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds this season and is being pushed as a legit All‑Rookie candidate as the team skews younger. (news.ssbcrack.com)
Sacramento selected Raynaud with the 42nd overall pick in the 2025 draft and signed him to a three‑year, $5.95 million rookie contract that is fully guaranteed for the first two seasons. (sactownsports.com) The 7‑foot‑1, 250‑pound center was born April 7, 2003, and played his college season at Stanford before entering the NBA. (basketball-reference.com) Across the 15 games since the All‑Star break he’s averaged 17.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 blocks, a clear uptick from earlier in the year. (rotowire.com) His season shooting profile shows strong efficiency — 56.8% from the floor with a 58.3 eFG% — and he has begun to stretch the floor recently, going 5‑for‑9 from three over his two‑game heater. (basketball-reference.com) The NBA’s Kia Rookie Ladder moved Raynaud into the Top 5 in March, even as national rookie rankings still list Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg ahead of him. (nba.com) A frontcourt injury wave in Sacramento opened opportunity — his minutes have climbed into the mid‑20s per game and that increased role has put him among the rookie leaders in total rebounds and double‑doubles. (rotowire.com)
