An evening of intrigue and suspense started when the Orlando Magic selected Duke power forward Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.
Orlando’s decision came as a bit of a surprise after weeks of speculation that Auburn power forward Jabari Smith Jr. would be the first player off the board. The Oklahoma City Thunder took Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren at No. 2. The Houston Rockets then took Smith at No. 3.
That set the stage for Sacramento, putting the Kings on the clock at No. 4 to choose among a group of prospects that included Purdue guard Jaden Ivey and Iowa forward Keegan Murray. Most mock drafts predicted the Kings would choose Ivey, but Murray was Sacramento’s man.
