Emanuel Sharp #34 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors during a 2026 NBA California Classic game on July 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After Nique Clifford, Darius Acuff Jr., and Emanuel Sharp led the Kings to victory in their first Summer League game of 2026, the Kings elected to sit most of those players on the second night of a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon.

The Kings defeated the Warriors 91-85 in front of a solid Golden 1 Center crowd that filled the lower bowl.

Jonathan Mogbo and Emanuel Sharp were the lone players from Saturday’s starting lineup to start again on Sunday for the Kings. It was Sharp, who was drafted 45th overall by the Kings in this year’s NBA Draft, who truly shined for Sacramento in Sunday’s game.

Sharp led the Kings in scoring with 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Sharp spoke with the media after the game about the mindset he brings into each contest.

“I go into the game and whatever the game plan coach has, I’m just trying to follow that to a T and then just follow my own standards for what I have for myself,” Emanuel Sharp said. “Playing hard, you can’t control whether my shots are going in. Some games it is going in, some games it is not. But I can always control my defense, how hard I’m playing, my energy, my enthusiasm for my teammates, and being a good teammate.”

Isaiah Stevens was another major bright spot for the Kings as the two-way guard put up 18 points in 27 minutes of action.

“I have a lot of confidence that we can speed other teams up with those two [Sharp and Stevens],” Chris Darnell said after the game. “Those are your guys defending at the point of attack. So it takes teams out of their offense and then both of those guys can handle on the other end. You can kind of play one off ball, play one on. You can seek matchups in a different way just depending on who’s guarding those guys. So it’s great to have multiple handlers, but then when they both defend at such a high level, that’s really what you want to see as a coach.”

The Kings will wrap up their California Classic slate on Monday when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. PDT inside Golden 1 Center. Kings coach Chris Darnell could not confirm if Darius Acuff Jr., Emanuel Sharp, or Nique Clifford would play in the last game on Monday.