It’s completely too early to start eager about the 2025 NBA Draft. Except you’re a sicko, who can’t watch a school basketball sport with out eager about what the gamers may appear to be on the subsequent stage. The San Antonio Spurs doubtlessly personal 4 first-round picks within the upcoming draft, so it’s comprehensible for Spurs followers to be eager about the following technology to don the Silver and Black.
This season, Pounding The Rock will chronicle the place the Spurs’ present draft picks may land and what prospects are making waves in faculty and worldwide hoops. With about eight months to go till the NBA Draft, that is the place issues stand.
Potential Spurs picks
San Antonio is off to a strong begin to its 2024-2025 NBA marketing campaign. At 6-8, the Spurs have gained some spectacular video games, like a double-digit victory in opposition to the Sacramento Kings. They’ve struggled in opposition to a few of the Western Convention’s playoff contenders, just like the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Houston Rockets. If something, the workforce appears to be like higher than perhaps some anticipated going into the season regardless of battling accidents.
The Spurs can be slated to have the tenth decide within the draft if the season ended at the moment. In contrast to final season, the late lottery of this yr’s draft nonetheless has some intriguing prospects that might assist construct the prevailing core. Fortunately for San Antonio, they gained’t be reliant on simply their decide winding up within the lottery.
Additionally they personal the Atlanta Hawks unprotected first-rounder. The Jap Convention has been fairly unhealthy to start out the season. The Hawks are 6-8 and can be the seventh seed within the playoffs if the season ended at the moment. The Spurs would get the 18th decide within the draft courtesy of the Hawks. Whereas Atlanta struggled out of the gates, they’ve come alongside these days because of the stellar defensive play of Dyson Daniels, who they acquired within the Dejounte Murray commerce.
San Antonio additionally owns two protected first-round picks from the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets. If the Bulls’ decide falls outdoors of the highest ten, it belongs to the Spurs. If Charlotte’s falls outdoors of the lottery, San Antonio makes the choice. Chicago got here out of the gates robust however has faltered these days. They’re 5-9 and slated to make the eighth decide within the draft. Charlotte is in an identical scenario however is feisty, because of LaMelo Ball. The Hornets are 5-8 and would have the ninth decide within the draft.
With the East struggling total, there’s a actual probability the Spurs may enter this draft with three first-round picks. 4 appears inconceivable, but it surely appears to be like like one in all Charlotte or Chicago may sneak in. Many had been anticipating the Atlanta decide to wind up within the lottery, however except one thing drastic occurs, it doesn’t look like that’s seemingly. Meaning if the Spurs entrance workplace desires a excessive decide within the draft, they’ll be hoping their very own choice will get them there.
Prospects to observe
Duke freshman
Everybody is aware of the title Cooper Flagg at this level. In case you had been unfamiliar, the Duke freshman is without doubt one of the most hyped collegiate prospects since Zion Williamson. Flagg is a 6 foot 9 ahead with loopy useful athleticism, defensive instruments, and a excessive motor. In a number of video games at Duke, he’s popped as a playmaker and confirmed the power to create appears to be like for himself within the half-court. Naysayers will level to his incapacity to hold Duke over the end line in opposition to a superb Kentucky squad, however he hasn’t completed something to lose his standing because the number-one decide within the draft.
Cooper Flagg vs Kentucky in a loss tonight…
26 PTS (9-19 FG, 1-5 3PT, 7-9 FTs)12 REBS2 AST2 BLKS
How we feeling, he nonetheless our #1 PICK??? pic.twitter.com/1NWFrwAgTG
— Frankie Imaginative and prescient (@Frankie_Vision) November 13, 2024
Duke has one other freshman whose elevating eyebrows proper now. Kon Knueppel is a 6-foo-7 guard who can actually shoot the ball. He’s obtained candy contact on the inside and performs with a whole lot of physicality at 215 kilos. The Blue Devils may have a whole lot of eyes on them this season because of Flagg, however control Knueppel as a possible lottery decide if he continues to shoot the ball at a excessive stage.
Egor Demin
One of many first actual surprises within the 2025 draft cycle has been the freshman guard/wing from BYU. Demin was heralded as a superb prospect coming into his freshman season with the Cougars, however there have been a whole lot of questions on his sport and bounce shot would translate to the following stage. He’s answered lots of them in his first 4 video games, averaging 17 factors, 7.5 assists and a couple of.3 steals whereas taking pictures 63.4% from the sphere, 55% from three and 76.8% on free throws.
Granted, BYU hasn’t actually performed any massive time competitors but, with wins over Central Arkansas, UC Riverside, Queens and Idaho. Demin has been superior in these video games although, controlling the sport within the decide and roll, making superior reads and getting his teammates concerned. At 6-foot-9, the Russian has wing dimension however a guards skillset. If his jumper is for actual, we could possibly be a top-5 decide within the draft.
Whilst you’re recovering from Thanksgiving lunch, or preparing for dinner, be certain that to observe BYU tackle Ole Miss on November twenty eighth at 4:30 p.m. This would be the first time Demin will get to play high-major division one expertise. SEC groups are bodily and quick, which is able to check Demin’s potential as a playmaker and defender. This will probably be a superb check to see if the early season hype is for actual.
Tre Johnson
The Spurs scouts gained’t have to journey far to see among the best freshman faculty scorers this yr. The College of Texas has a stud on their fingers with Tre Johnson. The 6-foot-6 wing got here into the yr as one of many draft’s finest scorers, and he’s lived as much as that to date.
In his collegiate debut in opposition to a troublesome Ohio State workforce, Johnson exploded for 29 factors on 10-20 taking pictures, hitting 5 of his 10 threes. He flashed some playmaking with 4 assists and had some strong moments defensively grabbing 2 steals. Johnson jogs my memory a whole lot of Devin Vassell. From the elevation on his jumper to his potential to hit pictures from three and the mid-range, it’s eerie how a lot he appears to be like like Vassell.
In 4 video games, Johnson is averaging 23.5 factors whereas taking pictures 58.9% from the sphere, 58.6% from deep and 78.6% from the free throw line. As convention play begins, watch how Johnson does in opposition to a few of the massive bodily groups within the SEC, and the way he grows as a playmaker and defender. The Spurs actually may use a participant with Johnson’s skillset. He might want to show he could be a constant scorer in a troublesome convention.
