NBA 2018-19: Top 3 Performers for the Sacramento Kings this season

Jame
Los Angeles Lakers v Sacramento Kings
Los Angeles Lakers v Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are off to a good start. They were expected to again finish in the lottery positions but they have been playing some of the most exciting brand of basketball.

The Kings are pushing the ball up with tremendous pace and are shooting nicely from outside. The Sacramento Kings are currently lying in the 8th place in the loaded Western Conference standings with a 10-10 record.

They have had some good wins under their belt this season. They beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in both the games this season and lost by just one point to the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors.

The Kings haven't made the playoffs in a while but this is some of the best basketball that they have played over the years. They have a good upcoming youth core that may surprise the basketball world in the coming years. Here are the top 3 performers for the Sacramento Kings this season.


#3 Marvin Bagley III

Marvin Bagley has been a terrific addition for the Kings
Marvin Bagley has been a terrific addition for the Kings

Bagley was selected as the #2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings and he has not disappointed so far. Bagley has displayed consistent performances coming off the bench for the Sacramento Kings and has become a vital cog in this young season so far.

Bagley is averaging 13 points and 6.7 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action per game this season. In a recent game against the Golden State Warriors, Bagley became the first teenager in NBA history to put up 20 points and 15 rebounds in a game coming off the bench.

Bagley has become the leader of the bench unit for the Kings. It won't be long before he cracks the starting unit. The energy and motor that he shows makes him a very special player.

#2 Buddy Hield

Buddy Hield is the team's leading scorer
Buddy Hield is the team's leading scorer

Buddy Hield was offered to the Kings as a trade package for DeMarcus Cousins. He has been playing very nicely for the Kings since then.

Buddy Hield is the team's leading point scorer averaging 18.8 PPG on 48.5% shooting from the field. But his most important contribution comes from the 3PT line. Hield has been shooting lights out from beyond the arc this season. He is shooting an astonishing 45.1% from the deep and has come up with some clutch threes for his team.

Hield was drafted in the NBA as an elite shooter. This year he has shown his true shooting potential. The fast pace at which the Kings play also helps his game. He is able to get a lot of transition threes without bothering much about the opposition defense. Hield will continue to grow as a scorer in the coming years.

#1 De'Aaron Fox

Fox has become the leader for the Kings
Fox has become the leader for the Kings

De'Aaron Fox was selected as the #5 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He showed flashes of his potential in the rookie season but this season he has really come to action.

De'Aaron Fox has become the most important player for the Kings. He is currently averaging 17.5 PPG and 7.5 assists per game for the season. He is currently ranked top 10 in the NBA in assists per game. His speed and playmaking abilities have helped his teammates get into open spaces. He is never short of confidence and drives to the basket with aggression.

The biggest improvement for Fox this season has come in the form of 3PT shooting. He didn't have a good outside shot last season but this season he has been shooting above league average 38.1% from beyond the arc. Fox development will be one of the things to watch for the Sacramento Kings this season.

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Edited by Abhinav Munshi