All-American forwards from Kansas and Indiana headline Sacramento Kings’ pre-draft workout

Two college All-Americans headlined a group of prospects who participated in a pre-draft workout with the Kings on Monday.

Kansas junior Jalen Wilson and Indiana senior Trayce Jackson-Davis were part of a Memorial Day workout in Sacramento, a league source told The Sacramento Bee. Both players could be within range for the Kings, who hold picks No. 24, 38 and 54 in the June 22 NBA draft.

Jackson-Davis is a 6-foot-9, 245-pound power forward with a reported 7-1 wingspan. He averaged 21.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.0 blocks, helping Indiana go 23-12 to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Jackson-Davis was a first-team All-Big Ten Conference selection and a consensus first-team All-American. He also received the Karl Malone Award, which is awarded to the nation’s best power forward.

Jackson-Davis is projected as high as the No. 20 pick by NBADraft.net. Tankathon has him going at No. 33, writing: “(He is) an overpowering force inside, despite not having elite center size. He’s become an advanced passer and play-maker.”

That could be highly intriguing for the Kings, who could benefit from having a shot-blocking, playmaking big man who can mimic All-Star center Domantas Sabonis’ role in the offense when he goes to the bench.

Jackson-Davis had 17 double-doubles and one triple-double this season. He grabbed 24 rebounds in a game against Northwestern and blocked nine shots against Kansas. He shot 56.5% over four seasons at Indiana, but he can’t be expected to shoot from outside. He went 0 of 3 from 3-point range in his college career with all three attempts coming during his junior campaign.

Wilson is a 6-foot-8, 225-pound combo forward who averaged 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals to win the Julius Erving Award, which is presented to the nation’s best small forward. He helped the Jayhawks win a national championship in 2022 before they were ousted in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Wilson shot 43% from the field, 33.7% from 3-point range and 79.9% at the free-throw line as a red-shirt junior. He averaged 7.4 rebounds or more each of his last three seasons after his first year was cut short by a broken ankle in the second game of the season.

Wilson was the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American after leading the Jayhawks to a 28-8 record this season. Tankathon projects him as the No. 31 pick in the draft. NBA Draft Room has him at No. 56 while noting: “Wilson has expanded his game and become a complete player. He’s not an above the rim player but is a nice scoring talent on the wing. He looks very NBA ready.”