Well, Kings fans, the 2026 NBA summer league is officially over and the #1 draft choice of the Golden State Warriors Yaxel Lendeborg shined as he led the Warriors to the 2026 championship over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Lendeborg was only the 2nd player to ever play on a NCAA championship and an NBA summer league championship in the same year. The other player? None other than Davion Mitchell in 2021.
Still a sore spot with me, trading Davion away for basically nothing will go down as one of the dumbest moves the Sacramento Kings have ever made.
But on to the more positive parts of this year’s summer league.
The Sacramento Kings got what they were hoping for and so did the Kings faithful. Coming out of the gate strong in the friendly confines of Golden One Arena, Sacramento treated their fans to back-to-back victories and showcased their #1 draft choice Daius Acuff jr.
Darius did not disappoint, averaging 19 points and 4.6 assists throughout, and although his field goal percentage of 35% was less than desirable, Darius comported himself admirably, and considering the hype and his age, I give Darius a B++ for his summer league effort.
At only 19 years of age, Darius showed up and gave the Sacramento fans plenty to cheer for, and without a doubt Golden One will be filled to the brim with the start of the preseason to see what this young baller can bring to this young team.
Not to be overlooked are 3 players that stood out and surprised many fans. Drafted late in the first round, Emanuel Sharp showed Kings fans why GM Scott Perry traded down to snatch this young guard who shined in every aspect on both ends of the floor.
Sharp scored 15.7 points per contest, boasting 2.6 steals and 3 rebounds, while looking more like an NBA veteran than the rookie he is. Look for Sharp to make a significant contribution to the full squad in the upcoming season.
Likewise, newcomer Jonathan Mogbo made a splash as he seemed to be all over the court and gave the Kings a much-needed defensive effort in the paint. At 6’ 9” and 225 lbs., Mogbo is a great complement to crowd favorite Dylan Cardwell, and suddenly an area of great concern appears to be getting noticeably better.
The Kings are looking balanced for the first time in memory, as their once weak backcourt is showing up and giving fans a real reason for optimism.
One player that every Kings fan should be watching with real excitement is rookie Marquel Sutton who at 6’9” and 225 pounds came out of nowhere to literally steal the show. Marquel showed an aptitude for not only rebounding and low post scoring but had no problems hoisting the 3’s with regularity.
Will Dylan take a big step forward this year and not only help Domantas Sabonis on the boards but add to the scoring column as well?
Dylan has had his troubles scoring down low and hasn’t much of a midrange game, but can he improve in this area and learn to shoot free throws? He needs to, and as much as he represents a crowd favorite, he has the ability to energize the team as well with his tenacious defense and crowd-pleasing enthusiasm.
Fans buy tickets to see players like Cardwell perform, but the name of the game is “getting better.”
The same is true for Keegan Murray who is about to embark on his 5th NBA season, and after a tepid season last year when he was rarely on the court due to injuries, Keegan needs to find his stroke and become the player the Kings have always believed he can be.
Everyone is rooting for Keegan, but 2026/2027 becomes a critical time for Keegan to demonstrate why he was a 1st round draft pick, and another season like the last one will likely end his time in Sacramento.
Have heart Kings fans and get ready to do some significant hand clapping because there is reason to celebrate and we’re just getting started.
What will a healthy Sacramento Kings team look like and can some of the young veterans up their game. That’s why we buy tickets, and although the pundits are already predicting a less than stellar year for Sacramento, I remain the eternal optimist.
All the best!
V.G. Harris
Vince Harris is an area resident and the author of Kings Corner, in which he contributes to Folsom Times, giving readers a look at the happenings on the court and behind the scenes of the Sacramento Kings
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