Last year the Sacramento Kings got a great player in Brian
Grant and almost made the playoffs.  Like Dallas, this is a
team on the rise.  They are represented by:

    Joyce Junior ,

who selects:

    Randolph Childress, PG, 6-2.  Wake Forest University

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Team Analysis:

	The Kings' needs were point guard and center.  At point
guard, former first round pick Bobby Hurley may never fully
recover his game from the car wreck, much less develop into a
bona fide NBA starting point guard.  Spud Webb is a good
player, but not what a team needs at point guard to be a title
contender.  At center, Olden Polynice is a good rebounder and
plays within himself, but would be better as a backup.
	The forward spots are secure with second year players
Brian Grant and Michael Smith, both of whom played very well
for the Kings last year.  Walt Williams is a good performer who
starts at small forward and plays shooting guard.  Lionel
Simmons is not bad as a backup (when healthy).  Mitch Richmond
is... an All-Star MVP.

Randolph Childress

	Childress was even with Damon Stoudamire on our value
board, and given a choice, we would have gone with Randolph.
Childress is a prime time player, a warrior, a man who wants
control when the game is on the line.  He is mentally tough and
takes on every challenge.  He'll carry a team when he has to,
and get everyone involved when he can.  He will also lead
vocally, taking it upon himself to motivate his teammates.
Randolph has all the mental attributes that winning teams
need.  At playoff time, when the games matter and they go down
to the wire, Randolph will be at his best.
	Childress has a complete game.  He has great range on
his shot, and he can create off the dribble.  He runs the
pick-and-roll well, and can break down the defense by going
into the lane.  He is a good passer who will find the open
man.  He is also a good defender.  At 6-2, Randolph is not too
small, and his quickness is deceptive.  You don't think he's
that quick, and tell yourself that while he's sliding by you
into the lane.
	With players like Richmond and Williams on the
perimeter, and Grant and Smith in the paint, Childress'
effectiveness should be maximized.  When he drives, somebody
has to help.  Even OP has developed an ability to roll to the
hoop and catch a short pass a reasonable percentage of the time.

Other Players Considered.

	None, really.  There were three players in the draft
who we would take without a second thought if available: Bryant
Reeves, Damon Stoudamire, and Childress.  When Randolph was
available, the choice was a no-brainer.  Had Randolph not been
on the board, the decision would have been more difficult.
Others who would have been considered then were Sherrell Ford,
who would have given us a good backup to Richmond and Williams,
Brent Barry, who would be a point guard prospect, but at least
could backup Richmond and Williams, or Bob Sura, whose
all-around game and explosiveness would be hard to pass up.
This draft is thin in what the Kings need, because Wallace and
Reeves are the only sure-fire NBA centers, and Stoudamire and
Childress the only first-rate point guard prospects.  I
consider Tyus Edney a bit of a gamble mostly because of his
size -- one of the reasons I would have taken Randolph over
Stoudamire.

Conclusion

	Randolph was our man.  Childress was the best point
guard in the ACC, and showed in two consecutive ACC tournaments
the kind of warrior he is.  Those intangibles are invaluable in
the hunt for a championship.
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