Would Sacramento take Jalen Williams in a 2022 NBA re-draft, given his success as an NBA champion?
Two draft prospects caught the Sacramento Kings' eye in the 2022 NBA Draft, but one slipped their radar and is now an NBA champion.
Sacramento pondered selecting Keegan Murray or Jaden Ivey as it searched for an immediate contributor. Murray offered rotational balance as a two-way sharpshooting forward, while Ivey was a lightning-quick guard who could generate rim pressure.
The Kings chose Murray with the fourth pick, and the Detroit Pistons selected Ivey fifth.
Jalen Williams, a two-way guard out of Santa Clara, went 12th to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is arguably the best player in the 2022 draft class, and it's worth asking if Sacramento would select him in a re-draft.
Williams made the All-Rookie First Team in his debut season, averaging 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals.
He continued to rise with a young Thunder team, becoming part of their core alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. The 25-year-old averaged 19.1 points, four rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals in his sophomore season as a full-time starter.
Williams had a career year in 2024-25, reaching his peak as a scorer and defender. Oklahoma City's 12th pick averaged 21.6 points, made All-NBA Third Team and All-NBA First Team Defense honors and played a crucial role in the franchise's first title, defeating the Indiana Pacers in a Game 7.
Murray also had an excellent rookie year, helping Sacramento break a 16-year playoff drought. He broke the single-season record for three-pointers made, shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc.
His success lasted no more than two seasons, as the fourth-overall pick's three-point percentage has steadily declined.
He shot 35.8% in 2023-24, 34.3% in 2024-25 and 27.7% last season. It's a concerning sign to see a player who Sacramento views as a franchise cornerstone regress rather than improve.
The Kings held their lottery forward out of trade talks in previous seasons and extended him last October. Murray signed a five-year, $140 million rookie contract extension, which kicked in on July 1 as the new fiscal year began.
Sacramento values him as part of its long-term vision, and he could be the X-factor for the team's success next season.
Comparing Murray and Williams' trajectories, maybe Sacramento would take a proven champion who has improved every season as a two-way player next to a superstar.
It isn't the first time the organization has overlooked talent. The Kings passed on Chris Mullin, who went to the Golden State Warriors, for John Kleine in the 1985 draft.
