Spurs Pick 2 Bigs, Pass on Johnny Davis in ESPN NBA Mock Draft
When the 2022 NBA Draft begins on June 23, the San Antonio Spurs could either do exactly what everyone expects or pull something out of thin air.
ESPN released its latest complete mock draft Wednesday with the draft eight days away and has San Antonio doing a little bit of both, including passing on Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, who falls below his projection at No. 10 in this mock.
Here are the picks:
9th Pick — Jalen Duren, C, Memphis
Duren has been the talk of the town in a number of mocks leading up to this point, as the Spurs seem like an appropriate fit for the athletic, defensive-minded center with raw offensive upside.
The 6-11, 250-pound Duren averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.1 blocks on 60 percent shooting during his only season at Memphis.
Here’s what ESPN had to say about the pick:
"Duren offers a natural succession plan for Jakob Poeltl, who is entering the final year of his contract. He's arguably the most physically gifted big man in the draft, at 6-10, 250 pounds with a 7-5 wingspan, and has a ready-made role from day one as a lob-catching shot-blocker with the huge catch radius he displays, the excellent timing he shows as a rim-protector and the way he uses verticality to his advantage. Duren also has significant room for growth in terms of skill level as the game slows down for him entering his 20s."
20th Pick — Blake Wesley, Guard, Notre Dame
Although Spurs fans have made it seem like selecting a guard at any point in the draft is doing the team a disservice, taking Wesley, a quick-twitch scoring guard to develop, would add key depth to a backcourt that could potentially lose Lonnie Walker IV in free agency.
Wesley, who has nice size to work with at 6-5, 185 and will only continue to grow, averaged 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.3 steals during one season with the Fighting Irish.
Here’s what ESPN had to say about the pick:
"With three picks in the first round, the Spurs can afford to take a swing on the player with the biggest upside possible, as adding star power to the roster is a major priority for the team. Wesley is one of the most physically gifted guards in this draft, capable of getting into the paint at will with his strong frame and explosive first step. He made strides as the season moved on both defensively and with his ability to create for teammates, and if he can continue to evolve as a shooter, he has the potential to be a real mismatch with the ball in his hands."
25th Pick: E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State
Liddell would make for an interesting pick at this spot. He’s a smart player who stayed an extra year in college to hone his shooting and overall feel, but his natural defensive ability could bring the Spurs the most value at this pick.
At 6-7, 240, Liddell stuffed the stat sheet this past season with 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks on 49 percent shooting. He steadily improved his 3-point shooting each year with the Buckeyes, making 46-123 this past season during his junior year after making just five as a freshman.
Here’s what ESPN had to say about the pick:
"The Spurs could be attracted to the versatility, off-court intangibles, and productivity offered by Liddell. At 6-7, Liddell is undersized for an NBA power forward but makes up for that with a near 7-foot wingspan and chiseled 243-pound frame. He brings a strong defensive versatility with a much-improved shooting stroke that made him a force from beyond the 3-point line."
38th Pick: Khalifa Diop, Center, Gran Canaria
Diop popped up on another ESPN mock earlier this month. At 7-0, 250 pounds, the Senegal native is a highly-energetic big man who can complement Duren and Liddell's selections well. Selecting Diop would be a significant value pick in the second round.
Last season with Gran Canaria, the 20-year-old averaged 6.7 points and 4.3 rebounds on an efficient 63.6 percent shooting in 16.4 minutes per game. A strong paint presence, Diop gets nearly all of his looks at the rim as a roller or a lob threat in the dunker spot, leading to his efficient shooting.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Spurs? Click Here.
Follow Inside the Spurs on Twitter.
