NBA Pre-Lottery Mock Draft: Spurs Get Alpha Scorer in Top 10
The San Antonio Spurs are still getting used to life without annual appearances to the postseason.
But with three first-round picks under the sleeve of general manager Brian Wright, it's hard not to be excited about what's to come in this year's draft - and the Spurs still have a chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick when the NBA Draft Lottery takes place May 17.
NBC Sports released a pre-lottery mock draft Thursday that only includes the 14 teams in contention for the No. 1 pick. The Spurs currently have the ninth-best chances (4.5 percent) at landing the top selection as well as a top-four pick (20.3 percent).
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The Spurs come up a bit short of a top-five pick in this mock draft simulation, but still land at No. 10. The selection? Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis.
Here's what NBC had to say about the pick:
The Spurs have a nice nucleus of young talent and a lot of athletes, so Davis would fit in well as a player who can help right away as a glue guy and over time develop into a standout scorer.
Davis was simply one of the best players in college basketball this past season. One of four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, the 6-5, 194-pound La Crosse, WI. native led the Badgers in points (19.7), rebounds (8.2), and steals (1.2).
He led the Badgers to a 25-8 record and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but fell on the short side of an upset to No. 11 seed Iowa State in the second round. Despite leading Wisconsin in the scoring column with 17 points, Davis struggled in the loss, shooting 4-16 from the field, 0-7 from deep, and committed four turnovers.
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Still, Davis earned the defense's attention due to the stellar performances he had during the regular season. He failed to reach double-digits in only one game, scoring four points in a 51-49 Wisconsin win in early February.
Besides that game, Davis excelled. An exceptional athlete who finds various ways to finish at the basket, the AP Big 10 Player of the Year wowed the country with a handful of vicious dunks and soaring finishes throughout the season.
In order to maximize his NBA potential, Davis will need to become more consistent from 3-point range, as he shot 37-121 (30.6 percent) from deep this past season. While his strength is centered around attacking the lane, these openings won't be easily available at the NBA level.
But under the legendary developmental system of the Spurs and shooting coach Chip Engelland, Davis' athleticism, control, and rebounding ability could make him into a future All-Star should San Antonio take him in the draft.
