Tag: NBA

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. 

Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on July 4, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Darius Acuff Jr. made his debut with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday as the Kings played the Brooklyn Nets in the California Classic.

The Kings and Nets tipped off at 2 p.m. PDT inside Golden 1 Center for the first basketball the arena had seen since the Kings wrapped up their regular season earlier this year.

The Kings defeated the Nets 79-76 on Saturday afternoon in front of a mostly full lower bowl inside G1C.

For the Kings, Alex Karaban did not play in their first California Classic game after spraining his ankle during practice on Thursday.

Darius Acuff Jr. got off to a slow start to his Kings career, as he started 1-for-9 in the first quarter while the Nets buried the Kings in a 21-10 hole. Acuff was able to flip the script a bit in the second quarter as he shot 2-for-5 from the field and had a few nice moves to create space and get to the basket.

Emanuel Sharp got off to a slow start as well in the first half, finishing the half shooting 2-for-9 from the field while hitting two 3-pointers for the Kings. Sharp was active on the defensive end while showing off his 3-point shooting.

In the second half, Acuff Jr. got himself going late to propel the Kings back into the game. Acuff Jr. finished the game shooting 9-for-29 and led the Kings with 25 points.

“I think there was obviously a lot of ebbs and flows in that game,” Kings coach Chris Darnell said after the game regarding Acuff Jr. “We do want Darius to be aggressive, but I think the way he was playing at the start of the game, part of it was the way that they were defending him, but I think he had more of an ability at that point to get to the paint, create for others. I think we can help him as teammates doing that.”

Acuff Jr. spoke candidly to the media about his performance and the speed of the game.

“It was a little rough to start. I think I was getting rushed a little bit, something I don’t normally do, but I’m just glad we got the win. Stayed a little poised down the stretch, and I’m going to be better next time for sure.”

Nique Clifford shined for the Kings in what was the beginning of his second season with the club. Clifford finished the game with 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field, including his game-winning 3-pointer on the Kings’ final possession.

“I thought he [Acuff Jr.] was going to ISO and drive to the rim, but I stay ready,” Nique said after the game. “That’s what I work on every single day, staying ready for those types of shots. He trusted me, passed it to me, and I just made a play.”

The Kings will play again on Sunday at 2 p.m. PDT against the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of the California Classic.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with Darius Acuff Jr. after he is drafted seventh overall by the Sacramento Kings during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Mandatory photo credit: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings introduced their 2026 draft picks on Monday at Golden 1 Center during a press conference hosted at the main entrance of the arena.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, the Kings made three picks in the NBA Draft. The Kings selected Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick in the draft, Alex Karaban with the 29th overall selection, and Emanuel Sharp with their final pick of the draft at No. 45.

The Kings had long been rumored to be in the sweepstakes for Acuff Jr., and the Arkansas alum was widely viewed around the league as one of the better selections of the draft at the seventh position.

“Getting drafted, that’s the ultimate moment,” Acuff Jr. said to the media on Monday. “Just being at a table with your family, seeing them smile, that’s the best part.”

Acuff led the SEC in scoring and assists this past season, averaging 23.5 points per game while adding 6.4 assists. His scoring ability and being the best available player are certainly the main reasons the Kings were so interested in him. He truly has the potential to be one of the best offensive players in the league.

“We prioritized talent, basketball IQ, competitiveness, character, and the potential to make a long-term impact,” Kings GM Scott Perry said Monday.

Acuff Jr. is just as excited as the Kings and their fans to get going heading into this summer.

“It’s a great fan base,” Darius told me on Monday. “They support you no matter what, and they just deserve winning, so I definitely want to bring that here for sure, and I thank them for that support.”

The biggest question mark for Acuff Jr. coming into his pro career is his defense. He wasn’t known for his defensive work at Arkansas, but it will be required of him on the Kings. I asked Darius where he thinks he slots into the Kings’ defensive scheme heading into the 2026 season.

“Definitely on-ball and guard my position for sure,” Acuff said. “You got defensive schemes on teams, so you might have to guard the two, three, whatever. I’m looking forward to anything the coach wants me to do, no matter what the position is or anything. So anything I got to do for the coach — to lock in on defense and get stops as a team — that’s what I’m willing to do.”

Alex Karaban, the Kings’ 29th overall selection in the draft, comes to Sacramento as the winningest player in UConn Huskies history. Karaban made it to three championship games and won two of them in his collegiate career while averaging just over 13 points and five rebounds in his senior year.

I asked Karaban what the most underrated part of his game was, and it will probably not come as a surprise to many people.

“I think it’s the IQ that I play with,” Karaban said. “I think just processing plays and just seeing things develop before they actually happen. I think especially during my time at UConn, we had a bunch of plays, a bunch of sets, and a lot of read and react. So I think definitely the IQ that I could bring to a team.”

With the 45th selection in the draft, the Kings selected Emanuel Sharp from Houston, who averaged just over 37% from deep this past year. Sharp can certainly shoot it, but it’s his defense that will help keep him in the NBA. Sharp told me on Monday that it is the defensive end of the floor where he hangs his hat.

“For me, it’s probably my defense,” Sharp said. “When people see me, they probably think of my shooting, but I like to pride myself on my defense first.”

It’s an exciting new dawn for the Sacramento Kings as they enter the summer to prepare for next season. The Kings’ new additions will participate in the California Classic next week before heading to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League beginning on July 9.