NBA – Kings fans react to the draft of Frenchman Maxime Raynaud: “Finally”

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Once expected to be a first-round pick in the draft, Maxime Raynaud ultimately had to wait until the middle of the second round before Sacramento decided to acquire him. His arrival sparked a reaction from fans of the Californian franchise.

This year’s draft was once again a source of celebration for French basketball. While no French players were able to secure a spot in the Top 10, Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher were the last two first-round picks to date. But in total, six players from the “bleu-blanc-rouge” country heard their names called on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

The distribution was also very balanced, with three players (Noa Essengue, Joan Beringer, and Nolan Traoré) drafted in the first round and three others in the following. There was, however, a small surprise, namely the selection of Maxime Raynaud in 42nd position. Indeed, everything suggested for several weeks that the center from Stanford had a chance of being called as soon as the the first night.

Despite his best season in 2024-25, the big man saw everyone snub him in the first round and had to wait a long time before finally being chosen by a team, landing between his compatriots Noah Penda and Mohamed Diawara. He is now a Kings player, which allows him to stay in California as he completed his entire university studies there.

Kings fans delighted with the arrival of Maxime Raynaud

So, what should we expect from Maxime Raynaud in a Sacramento jersey? If he ended up falling lower than expected in the draft, it’s partly due to certain defensive weaknesses, particularly related to his mobility, which scared off NBA scouts. On the other hand, he remains a very decent rim protector, and above all, the prototype of the modern offensive center with a nice arsenal, also including a mid-range shot.

It remains to be seen how his new coach, Doug Christie, will want to use him, but he will have the opportunity to learn from one of the best players in the league in Domantas Sabonis. For their part, Sac-Town fans seem to fully approve of this selection by the management, even though they haven’t always been very good at drafting a big man in recent years:

@MarcelasHoward: WE FINALLY GOT OUR RIM PROTECTOR AND PICK AND POP BIG… OMG

@Beast_BB_3: How did he go so late in the draft?

@MrRMonty28: Outstanding pick

@Jdre_housenut: How was this guy not a top 10 pick!?! WTF! I would’ve been ok with the Kings taking this kid with this 1st pick.