After lighting up the Big Ten with explosive scoring and clutch performances, this dynamic combo guard brings his high-octane offensive game to Sacramento for a pre-draft evaluation.
On Friday, the Sacramento Kings hosted their next group of NBA hopefuls, with players like South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson and Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso participating in pre-draft workouts.
Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd was also one of the players invited for a closer look, coming off of a solid graduate transfer season with Wisconsin.
Making the Jump
Boyd, who began his career at FAU, showed real growth as a senior at San Diego State.
In the 2024-2025 season, Boyd cracked a double-digit scoring average for the first time in his career, averaging 13.4 points per game.
The 6-foot-3 combo guard began to look much more comfortable as a scorer, while posting career-bests in rebounding (3.9) and steals (1.0) per game.
After graduating from SDSU, Boyd joined the Badgers as a graduate transfer, taking his game to the next level in the Big Ten.
Boyd jumped up to 20.7 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, while leading Wisconsin to multiple marquee wins.
In early January, Boyd scored 22 points against then-unbeaten Michigan, handing the Wolverines their first loss in the process.
Just one week later, Boyd dropped 32 points and nine assists against Rutgers, marking four 20+ point performances in five games.
Playing Up to the Competition
Boyd displayed the ability to show up in Wisconsin's toughest moments throughout the season, scoring 38 against eventual Final Four participant Illinois, 23 in a win over Purdue, and 29 against then-ranked No. 10 Michigan State.
After a semifinal run in the Big Ten Tournament, Boyd scored 27 points in Wisconsin's 83-82 March Madness defeat against High Point.
Despite the loss, Boyd once again lived up to the moment. In his five games against top-10 opponents, the grad transfer posted 21.8 points per game.
Areas For Improvement
Boyd can score from anywhere on the court, but has some deficiencies on the defensive end.
While already undersized, Boyd can sometimes get lost in rotation, leading to late closeouts or blow-bys.
To stay on the court at the next level, Boyd needs to improve as an off-the-ball defender.
Draft Projection
Boyd has appeared as a late-second rounder on some mocks, but will likely be a high-priority UDFA.
On ESPN's big board, Boyd is ranked as the No. 77 overall prospect.
Are Kings a Fit?
Explosive scoring in the backcourt was hard to come by for Sacramento last season.
While the Kings will likely address this need with the No. 7 overall pick, Boyd would be a nice addition to the bench unit.
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