Kings rookie Colby Jones made NBA history without even stepping foot on the hardwood yet.
Sacramento on Sunday signed Jones, who it selected with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft last month, to a four-year, $8.76 million rookie contract. The deal made Jones the first player signed under the league's new Second Round Pick Exception.
The Second Round Pick Exception is a clause introduced in the NBA's updated collective bargaining agreement. It allows teams to sign a second-round draft pick to a three-year deal with the first season's salary worth up to the minimum annual salary for a player with one year of experience, or sign them to a four-year deal with a first-year salary worth up to the minimum annual salary for a player with two years of experience.
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Jones' contract includes a team option in the final year -- another requirement under the new CBA.
Sacramento traded up four spots in the draft to select Jones, a 21-year-old guard out of Xavier.
His two-way play and work ethic are just a few of the reasons why Kings general manager Monte McNair was so determined to secure the young guard.
After struggling in his first two seasons with the Musketeers, Jones averaged 15.0 points on 50.9-percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 34 minutes per contest. At 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, he is widely known as a solid defender with a high basketball IQ.
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He believes his versatility can help what's growing in Sacramento.
"I'm just going to try to come in and find any way to contribute to the team's success," Jones said at his introductory press conference last month.
Next, he'll hope to break records and make history on the court.