Fresh off an All-Rookie campaign, Sacramento’s seven-foot center joins a stacked French squad to battle NBA talent and cement his status as a versatile, floor-spacing franchise cornerstone.
Sacramento Kings Maxime Raynaud will be a part of France's 16-man squad in preparation for the 2027 FIBA World Cup this summer.
Alongside Raynaud are four other NBA players: Bilal Coulibaly, Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and Guerschon Yabusele. Raynaud will participate in training camp on June 22nd before facing Belgium on July 3 and Finland on July 6.
France national team coach Frederic Fauthoux will trim the roster down to 12 players after camp. It means Raynaud has to compete for a spot on a stacked French squad to become a contributor.
The 7-foot-1 center is coming off a stellar rookie campaign, which ended in a second-team All-Rookie honor. He averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 74 games played.
Cementing himself as a top 10 rookie in the NBA this past season sets the expectation for improvement. Participating in France's World Cup qualifying games could help with that process.
Raynaud will face other NBA players like Ajay Mitchell and Toumani Camara against Belgium, and Lauri Markkanen against Finland. Going up against other NBA players in a relatively high-stakes environment can continue to polish his skill set.
He averaged 17.8 points between March and April to end the season. Raynaud's scoring explosion was partly due to Sacramento's injury-plagued season, as Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine missed most of the season due to season-ending surgeries.
Despite the injuries, Raynaud maximized his extended opportunities. He created a nice pick-and-roll partnership with Russell Westbrook and showcased the ability to space the floor.
Becoming a consistent three-point shooting threat is the next step in Raynaud's game. The 7-foot-1 Frenchman shot one attempt from beyond the arc and converted 32.4% of his shots.
His volume and percentage were higher in March and April, which is a positive sign for development. Raynaud shot 1.2 attempts per game in March and 2 in April, making over 40% of his threes.
Developing a three-point shot could make Raynaud a matchup nightmare in the half-court setting. A dominant pick-and-roll partner who could step out and spread the floor is difficult for other teams to guard.
Progression from Raynaud may heat conversations about Sabonis' future with the organization. Sabonis will become the second-highest-paid player on the team if LaVine picks up his player option.
General manager Scott Perry and the Kings want to become more financially flexible and younger. A leap from Raynaud in the summer heading into his sophomore campaign could cement the French center as a young franchise cornerstone.
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