December 26, 2024

No. 2 pick Brandon Miller and other rookies debuting at Sacramento’s California Classic

Brandon Miller #BrandonMiller

No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama will not play for the San Antonio Spurs in the California Classic at Golden 1 Center, but there will be a number of other intriguing rookie prospects in Sacramento this week.

With Wembanyama out, all eyes will be on Brandon Miller, who was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 2 pick in the draft. Kings fans will be eager to see second-year forward Keegan Murray as well as rookie second-round draft picks Colby Jones and Jalen Slawson.

The two-day, six-team summer league event will feature triple-header action both days. The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Miami Heat at 3 p.m. Monday followed by the Spurs against the Charlotte Hornets at 5 p.m. and the Kings against the Golden State Warriors at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, the Warriors will play the Hornets at 3 p.m. with the Spurs scheduled to face the Lakers at 5 p.m. before the Kings play the Heat in the final game at 7 p.m.

Here are some of the top rookies to watch.

Brandon Miller, Hornets

Miller is a 6-foot-9, 200-pound small forward who came out of Alabama as the second pick in the draft. He averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range for the Crimson Tide.

Jalen Hood-Schifino, Lakers

The Lakers selected Hood-Schifino with the No. 17 pick in the draft. He is a 6-4 ¼, 216-pound point guard with a 6-10 ¼ wingspan. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists at Indiana.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat

Miami took Jaquez with the 18th pick in the draft. The 6-6, 226-pound wing averaged 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds as a senior at UCLA, where he established a reputation as a crafty scorer and pesky on-ball defender.

UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) shoots over Oregon Ducks guard Will Richardson (0) during the second half on March 10, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Brandin Podziemski, Warriors

The Warriors chose Podziemski with the 19th pick in the draft. The 6-5 shooting guard was one of the best shooters in the nation at Santa Clara, where he averaged 19.9 points while hitting 43.8% from 3-point range.

Nick Smith Jr., Hornets

Smith is a 6-5 guard who came out of Arkansas as the 27th pick in the draft. He averaged 12.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Razorbacks.

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James Nnaji, Hornets

Nnaji, the 31st overall pick in the draft, is an 18-year-old international prospect who played for FC Barcelona. He has tremendous size and length at 6-10 and 251 pounds with a 7-7 wingspan.

Colby Jones, Kings

The Kings traded up four spots to select Jones at No. 34. They think they found first-round value in a 6-5 wing who averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists at Xavier.

Xavier Musketeers guard Colby Jones (3) brings the ball upcourt during the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Texas Longhorns in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

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