NBA

DJ Steward signs contract with Sacramento Kings

DJ Steward signs contract with Sacramento Kings

DJ Steward has signed a new deal with the Sacramento Kings, according to multiple sources. It’s unknown whether Steward will attend training camp with the Kings or return to Stockton via an Exhibit 10 contract.

The Sacramento Kings have signed 12 players to guaranteed contracts. During the offseason, guard Keon Ellis and center Neemias Queta inked two-way contracts with the team as well.

During the NBA 2K23 Summer League, DJ Steward averaged 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists with Sacramento in three appearances.

In 2021, the 6’1″ guard went undrafted out of Duke. Although he signed a deal with Sacramento, the Chicago native was waived before the start of the 2021-22 season.

With the Stockton Kings, the team’s NBA G League affiliate, in 12 games, Steward averaged 12 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He also shot 39.4% from the floor and 38.3% from downtown.

Last season, Stockton finished 15-18 and eighth overall in the Western Conference.

DJ Steward signs deal with Sacramento Kings

While with Duke in his freshman 2020-21 season, in 24 appearances, Steward averaged 13 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.

Plus, he shot 42.6% from the floor and 34.1% from 3-point range. He was then selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team.

For NCAA rankings, he finished 19th in the ACC for points (312), 18th for points per game (13), 20th for made field goals (113), 13th for made 3-pointers (43), and 19th for points produced per game (12.5).

In Duke’s 81-71 win over Coppin State, the guard ended his performance with a career-high 24 points, along with 9 rebounds in his college debut on November 28, 2020.

Then, on January 9, 2021, in Duke’s 79-68 win against Wake Forest, DJ Steward finished with 21 points and 6 rebounds in 39 minutes of action.

In high school, during the 2019 Nike EYBL circuit, the guard averaged 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

At Whitney Young High School, he was a consensus five-star recruit for the 2020 class. According to the RSCI Top 100 rankings in 2020, Steward ranked 24th in the nation.

Based on Sacramento’s current roster status, DJ Steward will likely be playing with the Stockton Kings in the 2022-23 season.