U.S. Presswire

File March Virginia guard Sean Singletary (44) goes higher in the draft than in mock drafts.

Sacramento was thought to be in such desperate need for a point guard that many NBA Draft analysts believed the Kings would select one with their No. 1 pick Thursday night.

The Kings ended up using their first pick -- the 12th overall -- on 6-foot-11 Patrick Thompson from Rider. But, that didn't diminish their need for a point guard.

That was the silver lining for Virginia graduate Sean Singletary, who was chosen 42nd by Sacramento but had hoped he would go higher.

"When I saw guards going earlier to places to where I had worked out, I knew I would go later and probably to the Kings," said Singletary in a Friday conference call from his Philadelphia home. "I was a little disappointed, but I got over it quickly because I know I'm in a great situation.

"No matter where I was drafted, I couldn't be in a better situation."

Third-year pro Beno Udrih from Slovenia was Sacramento's starting point guard for most of the 2007-08 season but can opt out of his contract Tuesday.

Sacramento's president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie described Singletary as "a very solid point guard with defensive ability," but conceded that the Kings "still need to do more at our point guard position than just one draft pick."

Singletary's aim is to prove to the Kings that they don't need a veteran to mentor him.

"I'm not really worried about that," he said. "I just know I'm in a situation now where I can earn minutes as soon as I get there."

In a variety of mock drafts that Sacramento posted on its Web site, the only ones that listed Singletary were ESPN.com, which had him going to Utah on the 53rd pick, and hoopvibe.com., which had him going 55th to Portland.

"I'm proud and happy that Sean was able to take one step closer to realizing a lifelong dream of playing in the NBA," UVa coach Dave Leitao said in a prepared statement.

"If you look at what they have on paper at his position, it looks like a situation that he is going to be able to go into and make work for himself and for the team. I know that's all Sean wanted."

Singletary said he knew that Charlotte liked him and was in the market for a point guard, but the Bobcats used the 10th overall pick on Texas underclassman D.J. Augustin, generally considered the best pure point guard on the board.

Indiana was another team that had shown interest, but the Pacers drafted Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless. Indiana subsequently traded Bayless to Portland, but only because the Pacers had gotten T.J. Ford in a trade with Toronto earlier in the day.

"The next team up [with a need at point guard] was Sacramento," Singletary said. "I knew I was going to Sacramento. I knew four or five or six picks before."

By that point, he had turned off the television. He was at a friend's house when his agent, Raymond Brothers, called to say that his selection by Sacramento was imminent. Singletary's friend didn't have cable.

"I wouldn't say I was annoyed," said Singletary of a nearly four-hour wait, "but, me being the competitor that I am, this will give me motivation to show I'm better than the pick I was picked at."