In a few days, we’ll be sitting (eagerly) waiting to see who will be the next San Antonio Spur. Before I got there, I felt compelled to add to the numerous articles published on the Internet that shattered potential companies whose names could be mentioned.
I got inspired by reading some of the comparisons I made – especially when The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor compared Jabari Smith Jr. to “two-way Rashard Lewis” and Chet Holmgren to “Gen Z Pau Gasol.” These sets give us insights into what we can expect from this player, both fair and unfair. That’s fair, because most of us (not draft experts) haven’t seen much of a movie about these players, so comparing them to someone we’ve seen helps us better understand their game. This is unfair, because when we hear that player X is like player Y, it sets expectations that the player must then meet or hopefully exceed.
Having said all that, I took the time to watch a movie about 22 players that Spurs could watch in each of their three selections in a draft, and instead of comparing them to someone they remind me of, I compared them to the former Spur. by size / position / sportiness and style of play.
I decided to avoid writing about Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey and the aforementioned Smith and Holmgren, as they will probably make the top 4 (Ivey is the only one who can slip) and these teams will probably not replace them. options (Kings are possible, but I don’t see Spurs jumping to 4). I also tried my best to avoid comparing anyone to the Big Three, but I watched a single player tape that made me break that rule.
Over the next three days, I’ll be releasing a new batch of potential customers, so keep an eye on each of them. And without further ado, here are the initial prospects, but first, keep in mind:
Waiver No 1: They are not perfect. The game has changed so much over the years, as evidenced by the videos I add about a Spurs player with whom to compare a potential opportunity, so a little imagination is needed.
Waiver No 2: Some shots were harder to find than others when it came to Spur, which I compared to the prospect, so I added what I thought was best.
Fashionable foursome
Let’s start by focusing on three players to help fill the front court and add 4 (and potentially a small ball of 5) depth.
Keegan Murray
Comparison: Sean Elliott
During the year, I watched a lot of college basketball, realizing that Spurs would probably end up in the lottery. It so happened that Iowa was pretty much on television, which means I got to see what Keegan Murray had to offer. Wherever you look, you can see that the book about him is relatively the same: he can hit the ball. He led the Big-10 conference with 23.5 points per game, throwing 39.8% of the three-point score. He may not create as many triblamists as Smith and Banchero, but Iowa was able to move him to different positions to open him. Seeing his combination of size, speed and skill, he looks like Sean Elliott would see in today’s NBA. As mentioned earlier, Murray has questions about his ability to make his own punch, but we saw what Sean was able to do by playing with others for years.
Jeremy Sochan
Comparison: Boris Diaw
Maybe it’s my favorite comparison and a player of all the Spurs potentially in the draft. Jeremy Sochan is a Swiss Army striker who should be able to play spur as a small ball. He has good mobility, which allows him to stay with fenders and wings, and big enough to fire with almost everyone in the league (with the possible exception of Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, but that’s all). Bobo’s playing skills made him so important while working at Spurs, and Sochan has the same skills. Socan’s only hit right now is his shot, but if you believe the 90/10 rule, where you get 90% good from a player, you take 10% bad. Plus, if you look around at his touch of the basket and see what Keldon Johnson was able to do in a few years, you can’t help but believe that when he becomes Spur, his girth will be hit.
EJ Liddell
Comparison: DeJuan Blair (jumper)
Liddell gets this comparison with DeJuan Blair, one of my all-time favorite role-playing players, Spurs, mainly because of the size they play. The combine was 6’7 inches long and weighed 243 pounds in Liddell’s shoes, while Blair weighed 6’6.5 inches and weighed 276. That makes Liddell 4 more than Blair ever was, but Blair wasn’t lazy as an athlete. Shooting also makes Liddell more versatile than Blair, who had hit 37.4% of three 3.8 attempts a game in Ohio last year. In terms of his game, he was fourth with 19.4 points, seventh in table balls (7.9) and first in blocks (2.6). One of the main reasons why Spurs may draft Liddell with his later choices is that he will turn 22 in December. However, his size and skills would make him a pleasant addition to Spurs.
Large
Given how great Jakob Poelt was this year, it seems odd that Spurs would go out and pull the center with one of his best picks, especially his ninth pick. However, Poelt has a queue to receive a salary in the near future, which is why there is a buzz about possible transactions. All of this makes one of the following prospects something that Spurs may seriously consider.
Mark Williams
Comparison: Artis Gilmore
One of the few players whose share has soared during the season, Mark Williams has a kind of rebound in his game. He measured 7’9-inch with a 9’9-inch stationary combine, not to mention his 7’6.5-inch wingspan – the highest / longest of all. Williams’ game is a color where he ends with sluggish authority and strikes with careless abandonment. Spurs also once had a long center that controlled the interior with its best. Williams may not have the sweet afro that Gilmore had, but he has a game that could improve Spurs’ lack of depth on the front court.
Jalen Duren
Comparison: David Robinson
I know Big Dave is in the pantheon of all NBA players, but when you see Duren on the field, you get an idea of what kind of athlete he is. His year in Memphis didn’t go quite as planned, but it happens to the raw outlook more often than most would like. And yes, Duren is a little raw for a potential lottery voter, but he has tools you can’t teach. His ability to control a square of his size, his ability to jump and his strength will give his hand to what the Admiral can do on the square. Duren doesn’t become a huge shooter, but he’s not afraid to grab them from time to time. And to be honest, Robinson wasn’t the biggest shooter – in fact, according to their data, for the years that began in the 96-97 season, 39.2% (682/1739) jumped 10 feet. and out. The biggest difference between the two is that Duren will make his NBA debut 5 years younger than Robinson, so there’s plenty of room for growth.
Walker Kessler
Comparison: Defensive LaMarcus Aldridge
Kessler was the NCAA’s second-leading shock blocker this year, an anchor in the top ten of KenPom’s adjusted defense performance rankings. Twice this season, he got a triple-double block. It just shows you what an inner force Kessler was this year. In an attack, it’s hard for a big man to compare LaMarcus Aldridge’s skills, so I’m not saying this is Kessler, but he can hit a few blows from time to time. This comparison is more about how I saw the same body type and movement that Aldridge showed in silver and black while watching the movie.
#designs #Spurs #glasses #Frontcourt