Rookie Raynaud: 'DeMar DeRozan is still one of the best,' says Q&A

Sacramento Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud used a new HoopsHype Q&A to deliver a blunt verdict on teammate DeMar DeRozan: “he is still one of the best players of all time.” (newsbreak.com) Raynaud made the comment while comparing DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, two Sacramento veterans he called very different personalities despite their close friendship. He said DeRozan “is not going to say a word” and leads “through actions.” (newsbreak.com) He illustrated that with a rookie story from preseason. Raynaud said DeRozan barely scored across Sacramento’s exhibition games, leaving him wondering how this was “a top scorer in the NBA,” before DeRozan followed with roughly 28 or 30 points in the opener. (newsbreak.com) (nbcsportsbayarea.com) NBC Sports Bay Area reported the same anecdote this week from Raynaud’s appearance on “The Old Man and The Three,” where he and fellow rookie Nique Clifford said the bigger lesson from DeRozan and Westbrook was “competitiveness and professionalism.” (nbcsportsbayarea.com) That framing matches DeRozan’s 2025-26 season in Sacramento. NBC Sports Bay Area said he played every game until March 8 despite illness, finished with 77 appearances, and averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals. (nbcsportsbayarea.com) It also matches Raynaud’s rise from the No. 42 pick into one of the Kings’ most productive rookies. By March 23, he was averaging 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds in 64 games, with 16 double-doubles and multiple 30-point games. (sports.yahoo.com) Later in March, Raynaud posted back-to-back 30-point games, including a career-high 32 against the San Antonio Spurs and 30 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Coach Doug Christie said the 7-foot-1 center had “smashed through the ceiling.” (sports.yahoo.com) Raynaud’s recent media run has leaned heavily on those rookie-adjustment details. In another interview from the same podcast circuit, he said his “welcome to the NBA” moment came when Jonas Valančiūnas physically moved him under the rim in a November win at Denver. (sports.yahoo.com) DeRozan has returned the praise publicly. In March, he said Raynaud belonged in the Rising Stars game and pushed for him to make an NBA All-Rookie team after the rookie’s 22-point, 10-rebound game against Brooklyn. (sports.yahoo.com) So the Q&A landed as more than a compliment from a rookie to a veteran. It read like a snapshot of how Raynaud learned, very quickly, what DeRozan’s quiet routine actually looks like when the games count. (newsbreak.com) (nbcsportsbayarea.com)