Sacramento Kings: Ranking the last 10 first round picks

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 25: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings looks on in the second half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on February 25, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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4. Ben McLemore (2013)

Before this season’s mini-resurgence, the Ben McLemore selection may have ranked lower than this. In another mess of a draft, most people made mistakes. McLemore looked like an NBA-ready scorer coming off a productive season at Kansas. It would be easy to criticize the Kings for not taking Giannis Antetokounmpo or Rudy Gobert, but no one viewed them as a top 10 pick.

McLemore, on the other hand, looked the part coming in. During his freshman season at Kansas, the guard averaged 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He got off to a hot start as a rookie, winning Rookie of the Month in November.

Consistency would be his biggest issue. He would play in every game the first two seasons and was regularly available the next two. Unfortunately, he seemed to peak and would move on that offseason for a fresh start.

He would spend one season with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he got sidetracked by injuries and was traded back to Sacramento the following summer. He would be waived in the middle of that season.

He signed with the Houston Rockets last summer and seems to have found a place for him to succeed. McLemore has been a solid contributor off the bench for Houston, averaging 9.8 points per game while improving his shooting consistency. If this is his role going forward, this makes the pick more worthwhile, especially in a draft with Anthony Bennett and Alex Len in the top five.

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