Kansas Jayhawk stars stop by Sacramento before NBA Draft

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SACRAMENTO -- The Kansas Jayhawks showed up in force Wednesday in Sacramento. Point guard Frank Mason III dropped in for his second workout with the Kings. Later in the afternoon, NBC Sports California confirmed that forward Josh Jackson made an appearance at Golden 1 Center for a meeting with the team, but did not workout.
 
Jackson, 19, is considered a top five pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8, 203-pound wing posted 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game last season while helping Kansas reach the Elite 8. 
 
He and Mason made a devastating tandem, leading the Jayhawks to a 31-5 record and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. 
 
Mason is listed as a second-round pick in most mock drafts, but he’s turned heads with his leadership and athleticism. The 5-foot-11 point guard put on a dunking display following the workout, showing that his max vertical of 41 inches from the NBA’s combine last month was no fluke. 
 
The senior guard averaged 20.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 36.1 minutes a night for coach Bill Self. He is the first player to come through Sacramento for a second workout this draft season. According to Mason, he has already worked out for 10 teams, including two separate stops in Orlando. He has four more workouts scheduled between now and next Thursday’s Draft. 
 
“I think it’s a good sign,” Mason said of his second visit with the Kings. “Maybe they’re really interested in me.”
 
Mason is getting comfortable in Sacramento, even taking time to reach out to Kansas fans living in the Capital City via social media. The 23-year-old even invited a young Jayhawks fan and his father down to his hotel in downtown Sacramento where he took pictures and hung out in the lobby.
 
“It’s really cool to know that I’m a role model for kids,” Mason said. “Just for him to meet me and where I’m heading in my career, it’s a pretty big deal for him.”
 
The Kings are looking to add at least one point guard in the upcoming draft, most likely with one of their two top 10 selections. But if Mason makes it to the early second round where the Kings hold the 34th overall selection, he might be an option as a spark plug off the bench. 
 
Jackson is the second potential top five player to visit the Kings during pre-draft build up. Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox made an appearance two weeks ago, spending the night in Sacramento and working out for the team.

The Sacramento Bee was first with the news of Jackson’s visit. 

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