Emmanuel Sharp was never a standard NBA prospect. Before his senior year of high school he suffered a severe leg injury, and in his first season at the University of Houston he averaged only 5.9 points while shooting 36.5% from the field. Even as he developed into a college standout, many still saw him as a EuroLeague-type player rather than an NBA guard. Sharp, the American-Israeli guard, had said more than two years ago that he did not view Maccabi Tel Aviv as his goal, telling this outlet: “I would not say that is my target. Right now I am aiming only for the NBA.”
That patience paid off overnight, between Wednesday and Thursday, when Sharp was selected 45th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2026 NBA Draft. Sacramento’s most important pick was Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7, a dynamic Arkansas point guard expected to energize the franchise. Sharp fits the rebuild as a defensive, low-usage wing who can help in the backcourt and provide outside shooting, which the Kings badly needed after finishing last season last in the NBA in three-pointers made per game (10.3), three-point attempts per game (30.2) and three-point percentage (34.0%), tied with Brooklyn.
The Kings also drafted Alex Karaban at No. 29, a 2.03-meter, 104-kilogram forward and two-time NCAA champion with UConn and Donovan Clingan. Karaban turns 24 in November and, like Sharp, is expected to contribute off the bench. Sacramento’s young core also includes Maxime Raynaud, Keegan Murray, Nick Clifford, Devin Carter and Dylan Cardwell.
The challenge for general manager Monte McNair is to sort through a roster still carrying older veterans, including Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk and De’Andre Hunter, while Russell Westbrook has become a free agent. The article notes that if Sharp becomes what his father, former player Derrick Sharp, believes he can be, Sacramento may have found the exact kind of 3-and-D role player it needed.
