Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry introduced the team’s 2026 NBA Draft class to the media on Monday, and he spoke in great deal about why the three selected players, including UConn great Alex Karaban, now will wear purple.

The three of them – first-rounders Karaban and Darius Acuff Jr. and second-round pick Emanuel Sharp – fit what the Kings want out of their players.

“As we approached this year's draft, we had a clear vision of what we wanted to add to this organization. We prioritize talent. Basketball IQ. Competitiveness. Character. And the potential to make a long-term impact. Those traits, those are the traits that we believe are essential to building a long-term sustainable winning organization," Perry said.

“Equally important, we wanted to get players who we knew and believe fit our culture that we're establishing here in Sacramento. Darius, Alex and Emanuel all reflect those values.”

Perry and his three new players sat at a long table on Monday, with Perry at the far left and Karaban at the far right, and Acuff and Sharp in between.

Despite the distance between himself and Perry, Karaban spoke as if they were already on the same page. He talked with confidence about the new system he is entering, one run by Perry and head coach Doug Christie. It’s clear there is no distance between the team leaders and Karaban when it comes to what is most important moving forward.

The discussion in Sacramento has focused on defense, but it isn’t the only primary topic of conversation.

“Culture is probably the second word I've heard a lot, too,” Karaban said. “It's just establishing a culture and a foundation that you could lean back on through the good and the bad times and that's something we've definitely talked a lot throughout this process for myself.”

Perry said Karaban’s physical skill set and mental makeup translate to the Kings.

“Alex Karaban was one of the most accomplished players in college basketball. He's the winningest player of all time in UConn Husky history,” Perry said. “That says a lot. Two-time national champion, so he brings a winning pedigree. He's an outstanding shooter. He's a connector. He does all the little things that are important, when we're talking about winning basketball games.”

Dan Hurley has been a preacher of “culture” since he’s been the UConn head coach, and he’s led the Huskies to three Final Fours, and two national championships, in the past four seasons. The college head coach that the three players learned from was key, too, to their selections, Perry said.

Acuff played for John Calipari at Arkansas, and Sharp for Kelvin Sampson at Houston.

Acuff, Sharp and Karaban all spoke with great reverence for their coaches, and it’s clear they are taking parts of Calipari, Sampson and Hurley with them to the Golden State.

“Coach Hurley, he changed my life and I wouldn't be here without him,” Karaban said. “Just the tough love that he instilled every single day and just pushing me to be a better person, a better person and player at the same time.”

He added: “Just those core values that he instilled in me is something that I want to carry over to this organization. And just really getting better every single day and just knowing how hard it is to win, and that's something I'm excited to bring here.”

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