The Sacramento Kings used the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Stanford center. The 7-foot-1½, 237-pound French big man had been projected by many to go in the first round. During his senior season at Stanford, the 22-year-old averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting 46.7% from the field and 34.7% from beyond the arc on 5.5 attempts.
Several players who participated in pre-draft workouts with Sacramento—such as Australian forward Alex Toohey, Serbian center Bogoljub Markovic, Wisconsin forward John Tonje, and Duke guard Tyrese Proctor—were still available at pick No. 42. Nevertheless, the Kings opted for top prospect, who was ranked No. 26 by NBADraftRoom.com, No. 28 by Tankathon.com, and No. 30 by CBSSports.com.
CBSSports.com praised his strong play despite Stanford’s struggles, noting his impressive mobility for his size, shooting range, and ability to handle the ball. NBADraftRoom.com described him as a polished 7-footer with solid ball skills, good shooting touch, and versatility that could allow him to contribute early in the NBA.
This selection came one day after Kings general manager Scott Perry traded with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire the rights to Nique Clifford, the 24th overall pick. In return, Sacramento sent a top-16 protected 2027 first-round pick (via the Spurs), which would convert to two second-round picks in 2027 if not conveyed.
Clifford, a 6-foot-6½, 202-pound shooting guard/small forward from Colorado State, averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals in his senior year. He shot 49.6% from the field and 37.7% from three, earned All-Mountain West Conference first-team and defensive team honors, dropped a career-high 36 points against Boise State, and was named MVP of the Mountain West tournament.