The Sacramento Kings don’t have much to hang their hat on for this season, but the breakout of second-round draft pick Maxime Raynaud is easily at the top of the list. The Frenchman is coming off of a career-high 32 points in a loss against the San Antonio Spurs, and while the Kings haven’t had much success this season, Raynaud has proven that he already belongs in the NBA.
On the season, he’s averaging 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 56.6% shooting from the field and 25.0% from three. Raynaud still has 12 games left this season for the numbers to change, but odds are they are only going up with him in a prominent starting role for the rest of the year.
He’s the first second-round pick to average at least 11, 7, and 1 since the 2008-09 season, when another young international big was making his debut. The numbers don’t jump off the page, but for a rookie big, especially one from the second round, those are rare numbers that put him with esteemed company.
Marc Gasol’s Rookie Season
Former Grizzlies player Marc Gasol watches a tribute video for his career at the Grizzlies and time in Memphis during his jersey retirement ceremony at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, April 6, 2024. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Raynaud is the first second-round pick with those numbers since Marc Gasol averaged 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for the Memphis Grizzlies. Eerily similar stats to the Kings’ standout rookie.
Much like the Kings, the Grizzlies struggled that year, winning just 24 games and finishing last in their division (when those were still an important thing). But the following year, Gasol took a leap in his sophomore season and upped his averages to 14.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, and his field goal percentage jumped from 53.0% to 58.1%. It’s not outlandish to see a similar jump for Raynaud, as he’s averaging 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 44 games this season as a starter.
And it wasn’t just Gasol that improved in his second year, but the Grizzlies as well. They jumped up to 40 wins, and while they didn’t make the playoffs, it was the start of the grit and grind era in Memphis that led to seven straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2012-13.
It’s not just the stats and team comparison that stand out between Raynaud and Gasol, either. They were both older prospects in their rookie season, with Gasol playing his first year at 24 years old, and Raynaud at 22
Head Start for Raynaud?
Mar 17, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) shoots the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The one area where Raynaud has the slight edge to Gasol is with his shooting efficiency. As stated above, Gasol shot 53.0% from the field in his rookie year, while Raynaud is currently shooting 56.6% from the field.
That doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but Raynaud’s efficiency has been extremely impressive this season. He’s not getting just layups and dunks, either, but showing he already has one of the best float games in the league with his push shot right outside the restricted area.
The key will be his three-point shooting. It took Gasol until the 2016-17 season before he was attempting more than one three-point attempt per contest, but Raynaud is sitting at 0.8 this season and just shot a career-high five against the San Antonio Spurs. If he can knock down the three a reliable clip in the high 30’s, he could put himself in the All-Star conversation for years to come.
And that three-point shot and continued evolution on offense will be crucial, as Raynaud doesn’t project to be anywhere near the defender that Gasol was. He was the 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year, which is an award Raynaud likely won’t ever be up for consideration for. But he has shown improvement on that end, and with his offensive upside, he doesn’t need to be the lockdown defender that Gasol was to make a big impact.
If Raynaud were to have a career anywhere near Gasol’s, that would be an unmitigated success for both him and the Kings. That’s a lofty goal to reach, as Gasol ended his career as a three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA member, and 2019 NBA champion. But if the Kings are going to surprise everyone and make a quick accession back to the playoffs, they’ll have to get help in some unlikely places. And Raynaud already appears like he could be that exact piece to the puzzle after an impressive rookie season.
