Nerlens Noel signs with Kings, who now have 4 former Wildcats

Former Kentucky Wildcats center Nerlens Noel has signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday. This adds to the Kings’ growing Kentucky presence on the roster.

They exceeded expectations by a wide margin last season, finishing third in the Western Conference, then taking the Warriors to seven games in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

Sacramento is led by former Kentucky star De’Aaron Fox. Malik Monk and Trey Lyles both played large roles in their success as well.

Noel played some with the Nets and Pistons last year, recording three games with Brooklyn and 14 with Detroit. He averaged just 14.3 minutes per game with the Nets and a mere 10.9 per game with the Pistons.

The former top-10 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft hasn’t played consistently since he was on the Knicks during the 2021-2022 season, averaging 22.5 minutes per game and shooting 53.3% from the field.

The 29-year-old was known for his rim protection at Kentucky and should add length to a Kings roster that struggled to protect the rim. This will be Noel’s seventh team of his career and his fourth team in the last three years.

Domantas Sabonis will be the team’s starting center, with Alex Len behind him. Noel should see reps at center after those two and may offer more versatility than Len on the offensive end, especially if his athleticism and can be used well in the pick-and-roll with Fox.

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