Maxime Raynaud shines against Victor Wembanyama
Amid injuries and opportunity, Maxime Raynaud keeps growing game after game with the Sacramento Kings: new career-high and rising confidence
Maxime Raynaud continues to be the brightest spot in a difficult and injury-plagued season for the Sacramento Kings. The French rookie, in the team’s 52nd loss of the season, delivered a standout performance, finishing with a career-high 32 points and 9 rebounds.
Context matters in this case: San Antonio needed just a quarter and a half to take control of the game, and the big man under coach Christie padded his stat line mostly in the second half – 24 minutes of pure garbage time.
Still, Raynaud once again showed – if there was any doubt – his ability to seize every opportunity this season has given him. The injury to Sabonis handed him the keys to the paint, while the absence of Keegan Murray allowed him to consistently explore perimeter options.
For him, the Spurs are no ordinary opponent: Victor Wembanyama is a teammate with whom he aims to write important chapters for the French national team, alongside other young stars like Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher.
In a recent interview, Maxime Raynaud didn’t hide the extra motivation of facing him on the court:
I think you’re always motivated when you play against one of the top two or three players in the world right now. And if he’s also a close friend, it’s natural to do a little trash-talking and make an extra effort, even though the first thought is still contributing to your team
Maxime Raynaud
The Stanford product is also fully aware of the main reason behind his increased role – something far from expected at the start of the season: injuries.
It’s not the ideal situation for the team – you always hope everyone stays healthy – but at least for a rookie like me, those absences opened up a spot on the floor that wasn’t guaranteed in preseason, and I’m trying to make the most of it
Maxime Raynaud
Minutes, experience, and new personal milestones to build his confidence: while awaiting the next NBA Draft, Maxime Raynaud is ready to prove he’s the right name to build the foundation of the new Kings project.