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Sacramento Kings: 2017 NBA Draft grades

By Jordan Treske

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky) is introduced as the number five overall pick to the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky) is introduced as the number five overall pick to the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 25, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) goes up for a shot ahead of Oregon Ducks defense during the first half in the finals of the Midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) goes up for a shot ahead of Oregon Ducks defense during the first half in the finals of the Midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 34 – Frank Mason III, PG, Kansas

Selecting one point guard was enough for Kings fans to feel excited over the team’s return on draft night, but the idea of selecting two would have been ideal for a Kings team that had no point guard under contract for next season.

Well, that’s exactly what the Kings did by taking point guard Frank Mason III out of the University of Kansas with the 34th overall pick in the second round.

An accomplished four-year player, Mason is an incredibly prolific and efficient scorer from all levels of the court. Although he looks for his shot more than you might like, there’s no question whether the 23-year-old will be able to translate that in the NBA, due to the variety of ways he’s able to do so.

On the defensive end, the Naismith winner is a tough, hard-nosed defender, one that’s capable of causing turnovers with his active hands and being physical with his assignment.

The knock on Mason is that he is undersized at his position as he stands at 5’11”. How he’ll go about his size concerns will heavily determine what type of player he’ll be when he reaches the next level, whether it’s as a backup point guard or even a possible starter.

This much is clear though: The type of player and person Mason is absolutely fits with the type of player the Kings have started to zero in on now. Although Fox may be the crown jewel of the night, Mason may turn out to be a diamond in the rough in his own right.

Grade: A-

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