From benchwarmer to Big Ten scoring machine, this relentless Northwestern forward brings sharpshooting and a fiery competitive edge to Sacramento’s pre-draft workouts as a potential stretch-four fit.
With less than a month until draft day, the Sacramento Kings have been active in bringing in players for closer looks.
At KingsRoundtable, we have covered all types of prospects in this year's loaded class, including Missouri's Mark Mitchell, Louisville's Ryan Conwell, and Kentucky's Otega Oweh - three players who have scheduled or partaken in pre-draft workouts with Sacramento.
In this profile, I will highlight Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli, who spoke with the media following his workout on Monday.
Major Development
Martinelli, a 4-year Northwestern player, started his career playing less than 10 minutes per game and ended it as a 23-point per game scorer, eclipsing 1,700 points.
In the 2024-2025 season, Martinelli increased his scoring from 8.8 to 20.5, turning into the Wildcats' No. 1 option.
After a stellar junior year, Martinelli once again took a leap last season, breaking his own records with 759 points and 268 field goals made.
Martinelli's 759 total points are the 15th most in a Big Ten season, while his shooting percentages rose despite increased volume.
The 6-foot-7 forward shot 51.0 percent from the floor, a team-high 41.7 percent from beyond the arc (45-of-108), and 80.9 percent from the free throw line - all career-high marks.
Martinelli closed out the season with eight-straight performances of 22 or more points, including two 25+ showings against Big Ten powerhouse Purdue.
Fiery Spirit
Martinelli plays with 100-percent effort, staying physical on both ends.
In his post-workout interview with Kings media, Martinelli talked about his competitive spirit, saying that he wants to show it in every pre-draft workout.
"Everybody in the league is talented," Martinelli said. "But, I think competitiveness is a skill and being able to bring it every single workout."
Martinelli talked about being a sponge throughout this process, picking up positive tendencies from players he works out alongside.
Areas For Improvement
Martinelli, who is undersized for his typical four position, will need to continue to put on size and improve on the interior.
The four-year Wildcat is a good finisher, but will need to get craftier to score on more athletic bigs at the next level.
Martinelli also needs to keep adding to his 3-point and free-throw shooting efficiency to space the floor.
Draft Projection
Martinelli was taken No. 57 overall by the Atlanta Hawks in ESPN's post-combine mock.
If he was not selected in the top 60, Martinelli would be held in high regard as an UDFA.
Are Kings a Fit?
Sacramento could benefit from Martinelli's stretch-four ability and consistent effort.
Martinelli is also a physical player who could learn from a similar-type left hander like starting big man Domantas Sabonis, who's future in Sac Town is in question.
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