The Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics have shown the highest interest, apparently.
Alex Karaban got to see up close just how an NBA team with a championship pedigree functions.
The UConn icon worked out Wednesday for the San Antonio Spurs prior to their Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. The Spurs are seeking their sixth NBA championship.
UConn general manager Tom Moore said Wednesday night at the UConn Coaches Road Show in Southington, Conn., that the Spurs, Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings have shown the highest level of interest in the Huskies’ two-time national champ and program record-setter.
The Field of 68's Vince Wolfram reported Thursday that Karaban also has worked out with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Does Karaban fit with the Spurs?
Definitely.
The trio of Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and ex-UConn guard Stephon Castle are the core of this team – and a young one at that.
Fox, at 28, is the veteran of the group. Wembanyama is 22 and Castle is 21. They have a strong supporting cast in rookie Dylan Harper, who is just 20 and averaged 11.8 points per game, and forward Julian Champagnie. The 25-year-old played in all 82 games and averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Karaban, at 23, could fit right into that group and continue the infusion of youth. He has shown he is an ideal complement to ball handlers as a passer, can shoot from the perimeter and isn’t afraid to tussle for a rebound.
The Spurs have six players due to become free agents, including three veterans: forwards Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk and center Mason Plumlee. Barnes is the youngest at 34.
The advantage for Karaban, should he be drafted by the Spurs, would be winding up with a stable, well-run organization that always seems to have a plan for player development.
The Spurs have the No. 20 picks in the first round and three second-round selections: Nos. 35, 42 and 44.
Does Karaban fit with the Kings?
The better question is this: Do the Kings fit with Karaban?
Not really.
Karaban spent 5 ½ seasons in the stable UConn program, playing for a veteran coach with a strong vision in Dan Hurley.
The same can’t be said for the Kings.
They are led by former NBA player and first-time head coach Doug Christie. The Kings finished 22-60 in 2025-26 and are 49-84 since Christie took over for the fired Mike Brown. That’s the same Mike Brown, who just a season later, has the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
The Kings have one playoff appearance in 20 seasons and have had 13 head coaches in that span.
Sacramento has the Nos. 7, 34 and 45 picks in the draft.
Karaban has spoken enthusiastically about what he could bring to a team.
"I want to make the lives of superstars easier out there," he said recently, according to CT Insider. "Become an elite knockdown shooter, space out the floor, crash the offensive glass, work my butt off defensively and really be a connector out there. I want to help the team win. I have that winning pedigree. Just bring that from Day One, knowing what it takes to win, how hard it is, and really just make superstars’ lives out there easier."
The Kings don’t have any bona fide superstars, and their best players are aging. DeMar DeRozan is 36 and fellow guard Zach LaVine is 31, while center Domantas Sabonis is 30. Because of injuries, LaVine and Sabonis played in just a combined 58 games last season.
Does Karaban fit with the Celtics?
The Celtics have those superstars – at least for now – in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Brown has been mentioned in trade rumors, so he might not be with the Celtics come draft night, when Boston has the Nos. 27 and 40 picks.
In making its draft picks, Boston’s top man, Brad Stevens, will need to determine whether Karaban would be an upgrade over players on the roster, such as Sam Hauser. His game is similar to Karaban’s, averaging 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.8 minutes over 78 games (49 starts).
As a senior at UConn, Karaban started all 40 games for a team that lost the national championship game to Michigan, 69-63. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 34.3 minutes per game.
Hauser made 39.3% of his 3-point attempts, Karaban 37.4%.
Is Karaban a fit for the Celtics? Maybe.
Boston reportedly is seriously considering selecting Karaban’s teammate, center Tarris Reed Jr., with the No. 27 pick. Karaban isn’t needed on the Boston roster as much as Reed is. If the Celtics want Karaban, they likely would need to trade up in the second round, with both the Spurs and Kings drafting ahead of them.
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