2014 NBA Draft: Sacramento Kings Michigan's Nik Stauskas With No. 8 Pick

SACRAMENTO (CBS13/AP) — The Sacramento Kings looked to fill their shooting void by taking perhaps the best marksman available in the draft when they selected Michigan guard Nik Stauskas with the eighth overall pick.

This marks the second straight season the Kings used a top 10 pick on a shooting guard. But Stauskas is a much more accomplished shooter than last year's seventh pick Ben McLemore, who shot 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from long range as a rookie.

The 6-foot-6 Stauskas became one of the nation's most well-rounded offensive players, averaging 17.5 points last season on the way to winning Big Ten player of the year honors. Stauskas shot 44 percent from 3-point range in two years in college and improved his ball handling and defense considerably in his second season when he took over a big share of the playmaking role with departure of star point guard Trey Burke to the NBA.

Pick Team Player
1 Cavaliers Andrew Wiggins - Kansas
2 Bucks Jabari Parker - Duke
3 76ers Joel Embiid - Kansas
4 Magic Aaron Gordon - Arizona
5 Jazz Dante Exum - Australia
6 Celtics Marcus Smart - Oklahoma St.
7 Lakers Julius Randle - Kentucky
8 Kings Nik Stauskas - Michigan
9 Hornets Noah Vonieh - Indiana
10 76ers Elfrid Payton - Louisiana Lafayette
11 Nuggets Doug McDermott* - Creighton
12 Magic Dario Saric - Croatia
13 Timberwolves Zach LaVine - UCLA
14 Suns T.J. Warren - NC State
15 Hawks Adreian Payne - Michigan State
16 Bulls Jusuf Nurkic - Bosnia
17 Celtics James Young - Kentucky
18 Suns Tyler Ennis - Syracuse
19 Bulls Gary Harris - Michigan State
20 Raptors Bruno Caboclo - Brazil
21 Thunder Mitch McGary - Michigan
22 Grizzlies Jordan Adams - UCLA
23 Jazz Rodney Hood - Duke
24 Hornets Shabazz Napier** - UConn
25 Rockets Clint Capela - Switzerland
26 Heat P.J. Hairston - UNC
27 Suns Bogdan Bogdanovic - Serbia
28 Clippers C.J. Wilcox - Washginton
29 Thunder Josh Huestis - Stanford
30 Spurs Kyle Anderson - UCLA

*Traded to Chicago Bulls  **Traded to Miami Heat

Stauskas is from Mississauga, Ontario, and followed top pick Andrew Wiggins as the second Canadian taken in the draft.

The Kings are coming off their eighth straight losing season but are looking for improvement in the second season under owner Vivek Ranadive, general manager Pete D'Alessandro and coach Mike Malone.

WATCH: Stauskas hits 70.76 3pt shots in rain

IN THE RAIN! Nik Stauskas shoots 92% (70/76) 46 in a row in 5 minutes by StauskasBasketball on YouTube

There was little progress in the first year under the new leadership as Sacramento went 28-54 for a second straight season as Malone was not able to turn the Kings into the defensive-minded team as he had hoped.

Sacramento is looking to build around a core led by temperamental power forward DeMarcus Cousins, small forward Rudy Gay and point guard Isaiah Thomas. Cousins signed a four-year, $62 million contract extension before last season, Gay exercised his $19.2 million option earlier this week and Thomas is expected to stay despite being a restricted free agent.

The Kings have struggled in recent years to add to the core as first-round picks Jimmer Fredette (2011) and Thomas Robinson (2012) are no longer on the team and McLemore struggled as a rookie.

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