Spurs Select Sidy Cissoko with the 44th Overall Pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

[BatManu20]

Discuss.

[SpursFan86]

Was one of my guys at 33…still a little annoyed we traded away for two more 2nds but if you told me going into tonight we’d land Cissoko in the 2nd round I would’ve been happy with it.

[ATXSpursfan]

Love it!!! I wanted him at 33 if he fell. High energy, athletic, good defender.

[Mr. Body]

Spurs managed to get the one French player Wembanyama has no relationship with.

[timvp]

I like it. Would have been fine with Cissoko at 33.

If Cissoko agreed to sign a two-way contract, that's a really good pick.

[John B]

We got our 2nd French guy, not Bilal, not Rupert but.. Cisso-who??

[Darkwaters]

Vive la France!

Vive les Spurs!

[mikec]

I'm good with the pick either at 33 or 44.

[Gibbz]

Dope

[BatManu20]

Spurs managed to get the one French player Wembanyama has no relationship with.

Thought the same :lol. They were even talking some trash to each other when they faced off this year IIRC. Sochan follows him on the gram though, prob met him this week in NYC.

[Degoat]

Makes trading 33 more redeemable tbh I like him more than Leonard Miller this year tbh

[T Park]

I like it. Would have been fine with Cissoko at 33.

If Cissoko agreed to sign a two-way contract, that's a really good pick.

Late first round guy falls to 44, possible 2 way. good stuff.

[Uriel]

Fuck you, Portland.

First Batum, now Rupert.

Cissoko is like Rupert's ugly sister.

[objective]

Summer League starting 5?

Wesley-Branham-Cissoko-Sochan-Wemby?

Should be fun to watch

[John B]

Seriously he’s a great pick, defensive guard who can facilitate, long and athletic. I like it.

[Darkwaters]

Fuck you, Portland.

First Batum, now Rupert.

Cissoko is like Rupert's ugly sister.

Eh, we got Wembanyama and they had to pick 3rd this year.

Not that Scoot Henderson is a bad player. But he's no Wemby.

[Extra Stout]

My guess is they couldn’t find a taker for the 44th pick and so were forced to draft a player. I bet Cissoko never suits up for the Spurs.

[Seventyniner]

I don't know anything about this guy, but I'm no draftnik.

Another reason the Spurs might be stockpiling future seconds rather than using them now is that once teams like Phoenix start running up against the second apron repeat offender restrictions, they will need ways to fill out their rosters cheaply and second round picks are a great way to do so. I could see the Spurs trying to roll some of their 2024 and 2025 seconds into the future for the same reason. They already have three seconds in each of the next two years.

[Mnky]

Cissoko is as good a prospect as the 15 picks before him. Between him and Rupert, he's way more natural as a basketball player and the offensive side. I think Rupert was more Kawhiish on the defense side, and that's high praise. Kid has that kawhi poke steal man. Timing and reach just amazing.

Cissoko is an exciting prospect. Man body at 19, good body control, has a decent shot and has that attitude you want on your side. Really good pickup in the 2nd. Easy to see why the spurs traded 33. You can make the argument cissoko was as good as any prospect before him in the second for sure, and some 1st rounders.

Looking forward to seeing him develop.

[Kurik]

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/draft-prospects-awe-victor-wembanyama-18106636.php

"Everyone growing up as a kid in France wanted to play for the Spurs," Cissoko said. "When you saw the great things Tony Parker did with (Manu) Ginobili and (Tim) Duncan and Gregg Popovich, you wanted to play for them. And I know Gregg Popovich is going to do a good job with him (Wembanyama), so I am not worried about Victor."
With the Spurs, Wembanyama has a chance to be "one of the greatest players of all time," Cissoko said.
"Wemby is an alien," Cissoko said. "You never see a player 7-4, 7-3 doing the stuff he does. He is special. God gave him good gifts, just an amazing player."

[ace3g]

One of his agents Jim Tanner also represents Sochan and was an agent for Timmy at one point.

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E03AQFWFMD_PqCZAg/profile-displayphoto-shrink_400_400/0/1516238036132?e=1692835200&v=beta&t=HBANBRia3tS3ZqxoChkTDX6cwsdIKJ8IYPl7I0FARtY (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-tanner-14331a?trk=public_post_feed-actor-image)Jim Tanner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-tanner-14331a?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name)
4 mies.




A huge congratulations to Tandem clients Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs) and Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite) on being selected to play in the Rising Stars Game at NBA All-Star Weekend! They both have very bright futures ahead!

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C5622AQF6uSmd-k6c7Q/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/0/1675279036563?e=1690416000&v=beta&t=ekpjM_BVmeEc55ApJndk8y9fKUhRCl2LqZdyatIh-1Y

[Davidicus]

Exciting upside for sure


https://youtu.be/54vNIWlAMFs

[Uriel]

Summer League starting 5?

Wesley-Branham-Cissoko-Sochan-Wemby?

Should be fun to watch
Should win the summer league champiomship.

[Robz4000]

Imokwiththis.png

[ATXSpursfan]

So glad we picked him. He was my favorite non PG to take at 33, getting him at 44 is awesome. Obviously he needs to be in the gym everyday working on his shot but he is already a good enough player to bet on for his defense, size, athleticism and passing. Was almost a 2-1 A/TO guy at only 18 years old. If his shot is respectable hes a rotation player for sure. Great pick

[Mr. Body]

My guess is they couldn’t find a taker for the 44th pick and so were forced to draft a player. I bet Cissoko never suits up for the Spurs.

My feeling is they calculated one of their tier of players would be there at 44 that would be there at 33 and so were okay waiting.

[Degoat]

He kinda reminds me of Marvin Williams who was a pretty solid role player in his career

[BatManu20]

One of his agents Jim Tanner also represents Sochan and was an agent for Timmy at one point.

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E03AQFWFMD_PqCZAg/profile-displayphoto-shrink_400_400/0/1516238036132?e=1692835200&v=beta&t=HBANBRia3tS3ZqxoChkTDX6cwsdIKJ8IYPl7I0FARtY (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-tanner-14331a?trk=public_post_feed-actor-image)Jim Tanner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-tanner-14331a?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name)
4 mies.




A huge congratulations to Tandem clients Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs) and Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite) on being selected to play in the Rising Stars Game at NBA All-Star Weekend! They both have very bright futures ahead!

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C5622AQF6uSmd-k6c7Q/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/0/1675279036563?e=1690416000&v=beta&t=ekpjM_BVmeEc55ApJndk8y9fKUhRCl2LqZdyatIh-1Y

Oh that explains how they know each other. Prob as a good prospect as we were going to get at pick 44. Most mock drafts I saw had him going between 30-40 so I’m more than content with it. I just hope he develops and we actually see him in a Spurs uni at some point.

[Ariel]

I like it. Would have been fine with Cissoko at 33.

If Cissoko agreed to sign a two-way contract, that's a really good pick.
Same. I hated that we traded 33 away, but going through the 2nd round, I can't say with any degree of confidence that he's clearly worse than Walsh, Rupert, Colby Jones, Amari Bailey, etc. Probably they figured no one in the 2nd round is better than Champagnie, Barlow or Wesley, so they didn't feel the need to take someone else that would have pushed a guy already on the roster.

[offset formation]

Anyone know when Wright is gonna come do his presser?

[Ariel]

The deciding factor? Probably that he seems like a good guy and speaks french. If nothing else he'll keep Wemby accompany.

[TekXX]

Portland didn't block us, Rupert was there at 33.

[RC_Drunkford]

Nice pick up. Also fits our playing style and has very advanced handles, court vision, pick & roll and passing skills, is ambidextrous, athletic, long wingspan. Pretty polished for his age. Him being foul prone should be fixable by coaching and gaining experience. Apparently he was a very good shooter as a kid, but has some issues with his shot since he had a growth spurt recently.

[Seventyniner]

Knee jerk quick take after watching a highlight tape


holy terror in the open court
good finisher, though not with his left hand
has the strength to bully through defenders and absorb contact while getting to the rim
not a very willing passer, mainly dumpoffs (albeit some very nifty ones), this could be a consequence of it being merely a highlight tape
reluctant three point shooter (many of the threes in his highlights were at the shot block buzzer)
shot form looks decent
no read on defense, again probably because it's a highlight tape


I look forward to being corrected by those who know more than I do.

[TekXX]

lol you can't put a lucky shot on your highlight reel, cmon

[Mnky]

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/draft-prospects-awe-victor-wembanyama-18106636.php

"Everyone growing up as a kid in France wanted to play for the Spurs," Cissoko said. "When you saw the great things Tony Parker did with (Manu) Ginobili and (Tim) Duncan and Gregg Popovich, you wanted to play for them. And I know Gregg Popovich is going to do a good job with him (Wembanyama), so I am not worried about Victor."
With the Spurs, Wembanyama has a chance to be "one of the greatest players of all time," Cissoko said.
"Wemby is an alien," Cissoko said. "You never see a player 7-4, 7-3 doing the stuff he does. He is special. God gave him good gifts, just an amazing player."

Nice share. Hadn't seen that one. Makes me like him even more.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Spurs selecting strictly Spurs fans now. Cool strategy lol

[DAF86]

from what I know, this guy ended his season with a serious case of the yips on his shooting. Air balling wide open looks and stuff.

[Mr. Body]

Big body for a G/F wing, good athleticism, very strong. Looks like a nice basket of tools. His adv. defensive stats are awful and he fouls all the fucking time on both sides of the ball. He'll bowl people over. Also seems to be chippy in the Zach Collins vein, like try dirty stuff and get into it with opponents.

But there's a good amount of things to work with. Start developing him.

[T Park]

kid is 19. get him in the program.

[RC_Drunkford]

Knee jerk quick take after watching a highlight tape


holy terror in the open court
good finisher, though not with his left hand
has the strength to bully through defenders and absorb contact while getting to the rim
not a very willing passer, mainly dumpoffs (albeit some very nifty ones), this could be a consequence of it being merely a highlight tape
reluctant three point shooter (many of the threes in his highlights were at the shot block buzzer)
shot form looks decent
no read on defense, again probably because it's a highlight tape


I look forward to being corrected by those who know more than I do.

not sure what you were watching but he can finish with his left hand and makes no-look kick out passes to shooters out of pick & rolls. He‘s more than a decent passer

[Davidicus]

Some interesting points around his shooting

https://atthehive.com/2023/05/04/chralotte-hornets-2023-nba-draft-scouting-report-sidy-cissoko/

[Bruno]

Cissoko, Coulibaly and Rupert played together with the U18 french NT last summer and the one with the better stats was Cissoko:
https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18/2022/team/France#tab=profile

[John B]

The more I watch about this guy, the more I like the pick at #44. Cidy could be that defensive PG the Spurs were looking for. Great move to trade that 33rd pick for more 2 SRP’s that they can use later, knowing they could get this guy at #44. Gutsy.

[John B]

Cissoko, Coulibaly and Rupert played together with the U18 french NT last summer and the one with the better stats was Cissoko:
https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18/2022/team/France#tab=profile

Nice

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1595686880061931522/zNii9SYV_normal.jpg
Tom Orsborn Tom_orsborn
(https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn)now (https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1672108350706790401)
Brian Wright on Cissoko: "In Europe, he played a lot on the ball as a big point guard, but over the course of the year (with G League Ignite), you saw him get comfortable playing without the ball and operating as a wing...We were ecstatic that he was there (at No. 44)."

[leo07251413]

A healthier/younger version of Romeo Langford but with less 3pt shooting ability?

[Seventyniner]

not sure what you were watching but he can finish with his left hand and makes no-look kick out passes to shooters out of pick & rolls. He‘s more than a decent passer

Hence my last sentence. I made my list off of 12 minutes of highlights, maybe that was a bad idea.

[spurraider21]

i mean, im fine with a Cissoko dart throw at 44. but doing nothing at 33 with some reasonable guys available like Rupert and Bailey is very wasteful. hell, take a swing at a guy like gg jackson. do somethin

[ATXSpursfan]

A healthier/younger version of Romeo Langford but with less 3pt shooting ability?

Maybe better? Romeo and Sidy at their ages...without looking it up i think Sidy shot better. Romeo always had questions about his 3pt shot.

[Mr. Body]

A healthier/younger version of Romeo Langford but with less 3pt shooting ability?

Cissoko is way bigger than Langford. Langford was pretty much just a SG able to guard 1s and 2s. Cissoko is a wing who can probably guard 2-4.

[Larry O]

The Cissoko Kid, tbh.

[mystargtr34]

Something that stands out about Cissoko’s physical profile is the large hands. 9.25” long and 10” wide. Equal 5th largest off all players measured at the combine.

That should theoretically help with rebounding, ball handling, finishing around the rim. It’s one of the reasons he has a good handle for his size.

Rupert as a comparison has rather small/below average hands for someone his size at 8.5” long and 9.25” wide.

[Kurik]

Something that stands out about Cissoko’s physical profile is the large hands. 9.25” long and 10” wide. Equal 5th largest off all players measured at the combine.

That should theoretically help with rebounding, ball handling, finishing around the rim. It’s one of the reasons he has a good handle for his size.

Rupert as a comparison has rather small/below average hands for someone his size at 8.5” long and 9.25” wide.

Surprisingly Cissoko has been a terrible rebounder with the ignite. Hopefully that changes.

[TekXX]

Apparently Rupert's agent told teams not to pick him because Portland promised a contract.

[John B]

https://youtu.be/AAdFw0jvPPo

Very athletic, likes to take it to rim, nifty passes. Looks really good at 44!

[Mr. Body]

Apparently Rupert's agent told teams not to pick him because Portland promised a contract.

Yeah, I didn't realize how much control SRPs are getting over where they get picked. Feels like the league has to nip that in the bud -- first rounders are stuck with where they get drafted and we have second round picks issuing demands.

[John B]

Timvp has him at #33

[Uriel]

Apparently Rupert's agent told teams not to pick him because Portland promised a contract.
Okay, that makes me feel a lot better. At least know we know why he fell so far. Also explains why we didn't just pick him outright at 33.

[heyheymymy]

Sidy has a locomotive engine and imposing frame

that long reach length, he barely has to elevate on dunks just swings those long arms into the hoop

[intlspurshk]

Any wing without 3 point’s shooting capability will not survive in the NBA. That’s a must skill for him to be excel at

[wildbill2u]

He certainly has the desire*+skill to drive hard downhill to the rim, even if he runs over people or through multiple defenders. Some defenders just let him go when he has a full head of steam, but I bet this is why he picks up a lot of fouls.. But if this is all he has on offense for a highlight film, I'd say he is a one-trick pony. WTF. it can be fun to watch in transition.

[Atl Spur]

He shows heart and a reasonable amount of skill… let’s watch him develop. For the record I like him!!

[duncan2150]

Really happy to have Sidy to our team

I was disappointed, waiting for this 33 pick ( tough i think all the spurs targets were picked before) till 5 a.m here in Paris lol but the Cissoko pick is really ok

Imo we get a solid role player for the future

[JPB]

Spurs just needed another french guy and he was the last available :D

[Mr. Body]

He certainly has the desire*+skill to drive hard downhill to the rim, even if he runs over people or through multiple defenders. Some defenders just let him go when he has a full head of steam, but I bet this is why he picks up a lot of fouls.. But if this is all he has on offense for a highlight film, I'd say he is a one-trick pony. WTF. it can be fun to watch in transition.

His finished product doesn't need to do a ton on offense, just make good decisions, which he's not there yet. He shows flashes in his vision and passing that suggests more.

[Sentenza]

SIDY CISSOKO-1M98 - 91KG - G LEAGUE IGNITE

Hop there, a little bit of chauvinism. I am, personally, very surprised that Cissoko does not appear in many top 20. Maybe average workouts? Interviews not up to par? He can defend several positions, it is his entry ticket on the floor. It will then be necessary to confirm the progress at the address.

What we wrote previously. And three French people in the top 30. Are we homers? Sidy is ranked 35th at ESPN, so the difference is slim. As for Bilal Coulibaly, the question of THE elite skill arises for Cissoko. And as for Bilal, the possible defensive switchability of Sidy will be his asset. Offensively, he knows how to do a lot of things, including handling the ball, but all that will be of little use if he is not able to shoot AND/OR defend at a very high level. You see him doing it more on defense, where he's both slick laterally and strong on the lower body, allowing him to stand up to speed AND power. Add to that real off-ball automatisms and you have the potential of a very good defender, including inside on five small balls. He showed his skills this season against players at the gates of the NBA, in the G-League, we saw him hold duels solidly at the low post. In catch and shoot singles, he has progressed over the year to finish beyond 35% in recent weeks, according to the count made by internet scout Adam Spinella. Promising.

[Dejounte]

The expectation should be low with any second round pick but I do remember watching this guy a few months back and he was becoming a rising sensation at that time. I think it was in the middle of the gleague season. He was nearly everywhere on the court making an impact. Smart heady plays. Main thing that stood out to me was how he would cut to the basket, he will probably be one if the better ones who can do that on the current skill. I said before that Wemby should be surrounded by players who can cut to the basket. Those are one of the types of players that will complement Wemby well.

[Dejounte]

If the reports are to be believed about Rupert signaling to teams not to draft him, then cool. But if the Spurs had a say in the matter and made the choice to draft Sidy instead, then I wonder about the direction of how they’re building the roster. Compared to Rupert, Sidy is more bulky and is stronger so perhaps the goal is to complement Wemby with players that can handle all the physicality on the court.

[Spurs Homer]

he reminds me of primo!

oh shit,wait!

[Sentenza]

During the last European championship of the France u18 team, the best Frenchman was not RAYAN RUPERT, nor BILAL COULIBALY, nor another player but SIDY CISSOKO! (11.3 POINTS, 4.9 REBOUNDS, 3.1 ASSISTS AND 2.4 INTERCEPTIONS AVERAGE IN 22 MINUTES)

[Sentenza]

il me rappelle primo !

oh merde, attends !

Nothing to do, it makes me (a little) think of Luguentz Dort

[Mr. Body]

If the reports are to be believed about Rupert signaling to teams not to draft him, then cool. But if the Spurs had a say in the matter and made the choice to draft Sidy instead, then I wonder about the direction of how they’re building the roster. Compared to Rupert, Sidy is more bulky and is stronger so perhaps the goal is to complement Wemby with players that can handle all the physicality on the court.

I keep trying to make the point that Rupert is similar to Blake Wesley in terms of slot and fill. Maybe a bit taller, a bit longer, but guarding the same players. We'd be drafting Rupert into the same spot where Wesley already is. Rupert might be better defensively (maybe) but Wesley has more going as a facilitator right now.

[mystargtr34]

To me Rupert and Wesley are not the same. Wesley is 6’3” barefoot and is a 1/2. Rupert is 6’6 barefoot and is a 2-3 wing. He also has a 8’10 standing reach which is bigger than most 3’s in the NBA.

If anything Rupert would have overlapped with Vassell/Branham/Keldon.

[Mr. Body]

To me Rupert and Wesley are not the same. Wesley is 6’3” barefoot and is a 1/2. Rupert is 6’6 barefoot and is a 2-3 wing. He also has a 8’10 standing reach which is bigger than most 3’s in the NBA.

If anything Rupert would have overlapped with Vassell/Branham/Keldon.

Maybe so. Wesley and Rupert are playing the same position, SG, who can only guard 1s or 2s. Rupert doesn't really have any plus offensive skills. Maybe I'm thinking wrong that they overlap, but it seems like they do on defense. Wesley is ahead of him on the other side of the court since he brings in PG skills.

[BackHome]

Yeah I would have to agree with mystargt but I see we’re you coming from as far as minutes- My take though I see more of Blake as a PG and Sidy to me is a SG/SF two totally different body types. As far as minutes I don’t see it as an issue as Sidy definitely will be placed in G League

[Mr. Body]

Yeah I would have to agree with mystargt but I see we’re you coming from as far as minutes- My take though I see more of Blake as a PG and Sidy to me is a SG/SF two totally different body types. As far as minutes I don’t see it as an issue as Sidy definitely will be placed in G League

I'll put my comparison to Wesley aside. Doesn't make sense. But Cissoko is very different body-wise to Rupert. He's much bigger and stronger. Frankly, he has a much bigger basket of skills, now that I'm looking at him. Not only can he probably guard a wider range of players, his path to success on the other end seems wider.

[Degoat]

Sidy has a much safer floor imo Rupert seems like ones of those intriguing international players that fizzles out. One has to wonder if given the opportunity Sidy will be able to show even more too because this past season he had to share the court with all g-league ignite guys.

[Darkwaters]

The thing that could put the value of this pick over the top might come down to whether Cissoko is willing to accept a 2-way contract. If he agrees to that then this is a really really nice pick.

Even if he insists on a full roster spot it's still not a bad pick. But the roster crunch will be tighter.

[Mr. Body]

The thing that could put the value of this pick over the top might come down to whether Cissoko is willing to accept a 2-way contract. If he agrees to that then this is a really really nice pick.

Even if he insists on a full roster spot it's still not a bad pick. But the roster crunch will be tighter.

I think Birch or Langford's spots are open?

After this year, the team will have a crazy amount of choices to make.

[Ariel]

Cissoko, Coulibaly and Rupert played together with the U18 french NT last summer and the one with the better stats was Cissoko:
https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18/2022/team/France#tab=profile
I think there's a decent chance in a few years Cissoko ends up the best of the bunch. Or at least the best value, I feel much more comfortable with Cissoko at 44 than I'd feel mortgaging the future to trade up to 7 for Coulibaly.

[Degoat]

Spurs have some tough decisions, maybe guys will move onto other places but I see the roster shaping kinda like this

ZC/Bassey/Barlow
Wemby/Sochan/Mamu
KJ/Doug/Sidy
Dev/Malaki/Julian
Tre/Wesley/Graham

Thats a full 15 man roster as is, that means KBD, Langford, Birch, Dieng are gone.

Guys on the bubble are Barlow, Julian, Mamu, Graham, Bassey, but I think the spurs keep most if not all of them. Guess I could be wrong tho

[Dejounte]

Tre/ Wesley/ Graham
Vassell/ Branham/ Julian
Sochan/ Keldon/ Sidy
Wemby/ Doug/ Barlow
Collins/ Mamu/ Bassey

[Mugen]

Graham is pretty secure IMO. He's due 12mil this year and Spurs could easily cut him before the season after next with little guaranteed money. They're also paper thin at PG and need shooters.

[Mugen]

Tre/ Wesley/ Graham
Vassell/ Branham/ Julian
Sochan/ Keldon/ Sidy
Wemby/ Doug/ Barlow
Collins/ Mamu/ Bassey

Switch Wesley/Graham and Mamu/Bassey around and you'll get what I think should be the opening day rotation. Though I do think they'll bring in a FA this summer that will be penciled in for rotation minutes right off the bat. Probably a big IMO.

But god help this FO if they decide to bring KBD and Dieng back to take up roster spots.

[Ariel]

My guess is they couldn’t find a taker for the 44th pick and so were forced to draft a player. I bet Cissoko never suits up for the Spurs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3am6EKWYQ
Brian Wright speaks on Cissoko at 1:58: "we were ecstatic that he was there, he was someone we were considering if we'd stayed at 33, so to get him at 44 we thought that was great"

[Ariel]

https://youtu.be/AAdFw0jvPPo

Very athletic, likes to take it to rim, nifty passes. Looks really good at 44!
1:08... and they say he can't shoot the 3 :lol

[bluebellmaniac]

Tre/ Wesley/ Graham
Vassell/ Branham/ Julian
Sochan/ Keldon/ Sidy
Wemby/ Doug/ Barlow
Collins/ Mamu/ Bassey

We STAAAAAACKED!!!!!!!

[Extra Stout]

Tre/ Wesley/ Graham
Vassell/ Branham/ Julian
Sochan/ Keldon/ Sidy
Wemby/ Doug/ Barlow
Collins/ Mamu/ Bassey
29-53

[Extra Stout]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3am6EKWYQ
Brian Wright speaks on Cissoko at 1:58: "we were ecstatic that he was there, he was someone we were considering if we'd stayed at 33, so to get him at 44 we thought that was great"
What else is he going to say? “Yeah, we wanted to sell the pick, but there were no takers.”

[bluebellmaniac]

Tre/ Wesley/ Graham
Vassell/ Branham/ Julian
Sochan/ Keldon/ Sidy
Wemby/ Doug/ Barlow
Collins/ Mamu/ Bassey

We STAAAAAACKED!!!!!!!

[JPB]

I think there's a decent chance in a few years Cissoko ends up the best of the bunch. Or at least the best value, I feel much more comfortable with Cissoko at 44 than I'd feel mortgaging the future to trade up to 7 for Coulibaly.

Yeah, Bilal at 7 might be a reach but in a vacuum give me Coulibaly over Cissoko everyday... He clearly has the biggest upside. Sidy is very raw and will never be more than end of bench, 3rd string guy at best, which is what most players picked in that area can hope for, the majority disappearing within the next 3 years. Bilal has elite role player/star potential, a Batum type of potential (but different players ofc).

[NickiRasgo]

Prolly I'm a bit biased but I like Cissoko more than Rupert due to the body frame - I don't have much idea about them prior to the draft.
Seems Cissoko will be a good role player potential like a early years of Jimmy Butler type who's more focused on defensive end with a little bit of offense and can be thrown to opposing stars to defend them physically.
Rupert on the hand seems like a Jonathon Simmons or a better Romeo Langford. lol

[Russ]

Looks like maybe they're looking for this guy to grow a bit into a big wing. He just turned 19.

[exstatic]

Knee jerk quick take after watching a highlight tape


holy terror in the open court
good finisher, though not with his left hand
has the strength to bully through defenders and absorb contact while getting to the rim
not a very willing passer, mainly dumpoffs (albeit some very nifty ones), this could be a consequence of it being merely a highlight tape
reluctant three point shooter (many of the threes in his highlights were at the shot block buzzer)
shot form looks decent
no read on defense, again probably because it's a highlight tape


I look forward to being corrected by those who know more than I do.

I would quibble with the terminology "not a very willing passer". Cam Whitmore, at 0.7 assts/gm is not a willing passer. Sidy, at 3.1 assts/gm is a willing passer. You can pick over if his passes are at an advanced level, or basic, but he does pass the ball frequently and willingly.

[poopbox]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3am6EKWYQ
Brian Wright speaks on Cissoko at 1:58: "we were ecstatic that he was there, he was someone we were considering if we'd stayed at 33, so to get him at 44 we thought that was great"

The "we would have taken him with this pick but we were happy to get him with the later pick" talk is always funny cause if they were that high on the player they would have taken him at 33:rollin

[Extra Stout]

The "we would have taken him with this pick but we were happy to get him with the later pick" talk is always funny cause if they were that high on the player they would have taken him at 33:rollin
“We were really high on the player, but not so high that we wanted to pay him guaranteed money, and not so high that we weren’t willing to risk losing him by passing on him at 33 in exchange for inferior picks years from now.”

[BackHome]

The expectation should be low with any second round pick but I do remember watching this guy a few months back and he was becoming a rising sensation at that time. I think it was in the middle of the gleague season. He was nearly everywhere on the court making an impact. Smart heady plays. Main thing that stood out to me was how he would cut to the basket, he will probably be one if the better ones who can do that on the current skill. I said before that Wemby should be surrounded by players who can cut to the basket. Those are one of the types of players that will complement Wemby well.

That is a good take I remember watching some of the Warriors Playoff games and the games they won they had Steph who was hitting the 3 ball but they had some other players who were just attacking the rim relentlessly. That is one thing that both Blake and Branham need to work on is finishing through contact but something that Sidy does very well.

I really like that Sidy played PG as kid so he has decent handles with court vision which will really help him develop into SG/SF. He is a nice development piece who I think might have a future as a legitimate backup in a Playoff team which would be a home run for us. Man definitely going to have to see Summer League we going to probably see Wemby, Sochan, Blake, Branham, and Sidy playing

[spurraider21]

I think Birch or Langford's spots are open?

After this year, the team will have a crazy amount of choices to make.
langford is a free agent, and i cant fathom them bringing him back.

birch is on a guaranteed contract, but i think there's potential for him to just be ruled out for the year and the team tries to get the disabled players exception which would be worth about 3.5 mil

[Ariel]

What else is he going to say? “Yeah, we wanted to sell the pick, but there were no takers.”
He could have said a lot of things without using the words "ecstatic" and "great" and mentioning #33. Like "he's an interesting player, [random description of his qualities and character] so we thought he was a good option for us at 44". Didn't need to go the extra mile. Wright is careful when he states something, but he doesn't come across to me as full of BS, he's careful with his wording but not deceiving. I believe what he said.

[Ariel]

Yeah, Bilal at 7 might be a reach but in a vacuum give me Coulibaly over Cissoko everyday... He clearly has the biggest upside. Sidy is very raw and will never be more than end of bench, 3rd string guy at best, which is what most players picked in that area can hope for, the majority disappearing within the next 3 years. Bilal has elite role player/star potential, a Batum type of potential (but different players ofc).
But players don't come in a vacuum, there's a price tag attached. So I'm not saying he's necessarily going to be better, but if he's close enough then that makes Sidy a much better value pick for the Spurs.

[Ariel]

The "we would have taken him with this pick but we were happy to get him with the later pick" talk is always funny cause if they were that high on the player they would have taken him at 33:rollin

“We were really high on the player, but not so high that we wanted to pay him guaranteed money, and not so high that we weren’t willing to risk losing him by passing on him at 33 in exchange for inferior picks years from now.”
Or they weren't as high as whatever option they're gunning for in free agency. Doesn't necessarily mean they're super high on him, just that they weren't higher on any guy we could have picked at 33, which makes the point moot.

[Ariel]

I would quibble with the terminology "not a very willing passer". Cam Whitmore, at 0.7 assts/gm is not a willing passer. Sidy, at 3.1 assts/gm is a willing passer. You can pick over if his passes are at an advanced level, or basic, but he does pass the ball frequently and willingly.
He seems to be a WILLING and GOOD passer, I can't say I've followed Ignite closely but watching clips of him he makes some good reads and delivers. He needs to polish his skills and learn the game, but there's a good enough foundation there to be hopeful. In any case, it's a very good option in the 2nd round, at ANY spot, even early.

[Extra Stout]

He could have said a lot of things without using the words "ecstatic" and "great" and mentioning #33. Like "he's an interesting player, [random description of his qualities and character] so we thought he was a good option for us at 44". Didn't need to go the extra mile. Wright is careful when he states something, but he doesn't come across to me as full of BS, he's careful with his wording but not deceiving. I believe what he said.
I don’t believe PR. It’s OK, though. Big picture, what matters are the young players they already have on the roster that might develop into stars, their own draft pick in 2024 which promises to be in the lottery again and might yield a star, and maybe that Atlanta pick in 2025. A marginal rotation player they drafted at 44, and whatever slightly less marginal rotation player they missed out on at 33 are mere trifles.

[Mr. Body]

The FO seems to see things in terms of fields of possibility and opportunity, at least after a certain point, rather than specific targets. They value cap flexibility, maintaining draft assets, and other categories that don't show up conventionally in mock drafts or actual picks. Other than top picks, that is (Sochan, Wemby).

For whatever reason, they valued taking two extra SRPs over swinging on a prospect at 33. Chinook's reasoning that they didn't want to give out guaranteed money is very credible.

They then marched on, seeing what was happening until 44. They probably saw guys they liked get picked. What seems clear, they weren't pressed on grabbing anybody at all. The current roster is jammed with players. No player they could get in the SR was needed.

Ergo... passing on the 33 due to guaranteed money vs. no need for a player.
Ergo... waiting to see on the 44.
If no one they liked was at 44, they probably would have booted it, too.

This is what they mean, it seems, about being prepared for luck. Stick to overall patterns and plans. When things fall your way, you're ready for them.

[bluebellmaniac]

The FO seems to see things in terms of fields of possibility and opportunity, at least after a certain point, rather than specific targets. They value cap flexibility, maintaining draft assets, and other categories that don't show up conventionally in mock drafts or actual picks. Other than top picks, that is (Sochan, Wemby).

For whatever reason, they valued taking two extra SRPs over swinging on a prospect at 33. Chinook's reasoning that they didn't want to give out guaranteed money is very credible.

They then marched on, seeing what was happening until 44. They probably saw guys they liked get picked. What seems clear, they weren't pressed on grabbing anybody at all. The current roster is jammed with players. No player they could get in the SR was needed.

Ergo... passing on the 33 due to guaranteed money vs. no need for a player.
Ergo... waiting to see on the 44.
If no one they liked was at 44, they probably would have booted it, too.

This is what they mean, it seems, about being prepared for luck. Stick to overall patterns and plans. When things fall your way, you're ready for them.

2nd rounders have guaranteed $$$? When did that happen?

[EricB]

2nd rounders have guaranteed $$$? When did that happen?
When the beginning of the second round started being treated as defector first round.

[Seventyniner]

He seems to be a WILLING and GOOD passer, I can't say I've followed Ignite closely but watching clips of him he makes some good reads and delivers. He needs to polish his skills and learn the game, but there's a good enough foundation there to be hopeful. In any case, it's a very good option in the 2nd round, at ANY spot, even early.

I should have at least checked his stats first. I was trying to extrapolate from a highlight video and that wasn't a good idea. Because it's a highlight video, most of the time he's going to be finishing rather than passing anyway. He did have a few nice dimes later in the video and I wrote a lot of what I posted while watching.

[Bruno]

A couple of tidbits regarding Cissoko:

- His dad played basketball at the 1980 Moscow Olympics with the Senegalese team.

- When he was 14 years old, he moved to Spain to a team called Baskonia. He stayed there until being 18 years old. Baskonia is mostly known here for being the team of Splitter and Scola.

[J_Paco]

I love that we ended up acquiring one of the three French wing prospects. Now, Cissoko might be the furtherest away (from being NBA - ready) but he brings an intriguing mix of defensive + playmaking potential with a NBA - ready physique.

As much as I wanted another guard prospect, it just wasn't in the cards.

[duncan2150]

Yeah, Bilal at 7 might be a reach but in a vacuum give me Coulibaly over Cissoko everyday... He clearly has the biggest upside. Sidy is very raw and will never be more than end of bench, 3rd string guy at best, which is what most players picked in that area can hope for, the majority disappearing within the next 3 years. Bilal has elite role player/star potential, a Batum type of potential (but different players ofc).

How do you know that ? Imo he has the tools to become a good role player probably off the bench, but who is right ?

Like you said about cissoko and bilal there is nothing to compare, the upside is more on bilal that's why he's the pick 7 vs pick 44

[JPB]

But players don't come in a vacuum, there's a price tag attached. So I'm not saying he's necessarily going to be better, but if he's close enough then that makes Sidy a much better value pick for the Spurs.

That's where we disagree. that's not even close, to me. I know every rookie a team picks suddenly becomes beautiful and full of talent but Sissoko is a fringe NBA player and he may never really get quality rotation minutes with the big boys, spending most of most his time in Austin. I expect Bilal to have an impact year one with his defense and fast break speed...

Nobody barely even mentioned Sissoko before the draft and I"m not sure he' won't be mentioned that much in the future here. He won't be in a contending, or let's say a competitive version of a spurs team and may end up as a filler in a trade. I see Bilal having a long career as a valuable, productive player thanks to his defense, BBIQ and athleticism.

[Mr. Body]

That's where we disagree. that's not even close, to me. I know every rookie a team picks suddenly becomes beautiful and full of talent but Sissoko is a fringe NBA player and he may never really get quality rotation minutes with the big boys, spending most of most his time in Austin. I expect Bilal to have an impact year one with his defense and fast break speed...

Nobody barely even mentioned Sissoko before the draft and I"m not sure he' won't be mentioned that much in the future here. He won't be in a contending, or let's say a competitive version of a spurs team and may end up as a filler in a trade. I see Bilal having a long career as a valuable, productive player thanks to his defense, BBIQ and athleticism.

Completely untrue.

[JPB]

A couple of tidbits regarding Cissoko:

- His dad played basketball at the 1980 Moscow Olympics with the Senegalese team.

- When he was 14 years old, he moved to Spain to a team called Baskonia. He stayed there until being 18 years old. Baskonia is mostly known here for being the team of Splitter and Scola.

And Calderon, Nocioni, Macijauskas, Rakocevic, Teletovic, Huertas... Bunch of euro all time great played there.

[JPB]

Completely untrue.

That is name popped up, probably like pretty much all the players in this draft, and I believe Timvp had him at 33 in his Big Board, but I really don't remember many members here pimping him or routing for the spurs picking him or even making more than throwing is name ou there..Hell, most peeps were surprised and dissapointed when spurs traded #33 and drafted him (notably before Rupert)... It's there in the draft thread... But feel free to refresh my memory on how high you were on Sissoko before the draft.

[spurraider21]

And Calderon, Nocioni, Macijauskas, Rakocevic, Teletovic, Huertas... Bunch of euro all time great played there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtaSyOSQV88

[BackHome]

You can also make the argument that no one was hyping Bilal before Wemby team started playing in the Playoffs. You have to wonder if he was not on Wemby team where would he realistically be picked? Either way will see who is better in a few years I can say that Sidy is much happier that he is own the Spurs as far as for his future. While Bilal is happy he went so high I feel for him because Washington is a terrible place for him to develop. But who know we might be able to pick him off Washington when his contract ends.

[The Truth #6]

I’m getting up to speed on him. From some of the different scouting reports, there seems to be a wide variance of opinions on certain types of skills he possesses. For example, some say he’s athletic, some say he’s slow footed and unathletic. Some say he has a good handle since he was a point guard, others say he has a poor handle. Some say he is a great defender, some say he lacks lateral quickness.

I suppose the simple explanation is he is raw and lacks consistency. Curious to get opinions from someone who watched him previously.

[RC_Drunkford]

as long as we have Wemby, Bilal will always be willing to sign here tbh

[Ariel]

That is name popped up, probably like pretty much all the players in this draft, and I believe Timvp had him at 33 in his Big Board, but I really don't remember many members here pimping him or routing for the spurs picking him or even making more than throwing is name ou there..Hell, most peeps were surprised and dissapointed when spurs traded #33 and drafted him (notably before Rupert)... It's there in the draft thread... But feel free to refresh my memory on how high you were on Sissoko before the draft.
Rupert asked teams NOT to draft him because he had a long term contract set up with Portland. Most of the prospects talked about here went earlier, there were no notable slides into the 2nd round like there was with Cam Whitmore in the first round, in fact several guys climbed up the boards significantly. In my case, my favorite was Jaquez, who had fantastic workouts and ended up at 18, I also liked Whitehead who went at 22 and Strawther who went 29, some guys (not me) were high on Olivier-Maxence Prosper who went 24, Nick Smith Jr who went 28... again, not a whole lot of talent dropped, but the guys who were supposed to. Would I have liked Colby Jones or Amari Bailey at 33? Sure, but if there was only one spot and they decided to go with Sidy, it's a defensible pick, nothing worth getting worked up over.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

There were some who felt like Cissoko fit the mold of the undrafted or late draft players the Heat have turned into contributors the last couple of years. I'll be curious to see if he develops into an NBA player or not. Not too worried about trading 33. The Spurs probably need to add some horsepower to put around Wemby, and second round projects probably aren't the answer.

[jesterbobman]

Video Scout.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i03mEJoMrUY

I think Sidy is best thought of as similar to Sochan, as a power wing (rather than big forward / Small ball centre) who works as a connective passer with some off the dribble juice, and has the physicality to contest on the outside and defend a range of positions.

Obviously, the shot is the big question and if he can't shoot consistently it's hard for him to fit in, but that's a development question.

Think it's fairly obvious that the Spurs weren't incredibly high on him (as in, a top 20 grade), given the trade at 33.

[Mitch Cumsteen]

I just don't understand the handwringing. His defense alone might be enough to make him a rotation level NBA player. Since nobody really knows exactly what Wemby is going to be, Cissoko is exactly the type of player the Spurs should be targeting -- a 2-5 switchable, long, live body with a high basketball IQ. No matter how Wemby plays, Cissoko is the type who is going to be able to fill in the gaps on either end of the court around him. And if he busts or never gets his shot fixed, so what? What was the opportunity cost? Locking in a G-League lifer like Leonard Miller into a guaranteed contract?

[Russ]

Looks like a guy with an NBA body the Spurs think they may mold into something.

He's pretty mechanical but that may be perfect for the Spurs' clandestine lab (or not).

[RC_Drunkford]

If he can become a reliable shooter and fix his foul issues he‘ll already be more than a 3-and-D player. There‘s a good chance he can become a long term bench piece

[BackHome]

Yeah, for his age he is all ready NBA approved it's crazy to think he was just 18 years old coming to a foreign country and learning how to play NBA type of basketball vs FIBA. A couple of things I like is that he has to be super mature I mean he went to Spain when he was 14 years old to play ball over there and then to be able to make the transition to be drafted as he is just turning 19 years old says a lot about his character. He seems like a very Spurs type of player very hard worker, smart ball IQ, will play to the whistle, has a little dog in him won't back down.

[JPB]

You can also make the argument that no one was hyping Bilal before Wemby team started playing in the Playoffs. You have to wonder if he was not on Wemby team where would he realistically be picked? Either way will see who is better in a few years I can say that Sidy is much happier that he is own the Spurs as far as for his future. While Bilal is happy he went so high I feel for him because Washington is a terrible place for him to develop. But who know we might be able to pick him off Washington when his contract ends.

You're def right about a terrible place to be for Bilal, but even if it's a reach we're talking about a 7th pick vs. a 44th pick... And Bilal reportedly had a promise from Utah (reason why IND reached). Nobody, absolutely nobody in the NBA or this forum would have picked Sidy over Bilal... No one. And there's a whole bunch of guys they would have taken between the two and before even thinking about Sissoko... There's a reason why one is a lottery guy and the other a late second..

Only 20% of all second rounders will still be in the NBA after 5 years max... That's 40% for non lottery FRPs, and a bit less than 80% for lottery guys (Bilal). Basically, Sissoko has 4 chances out of 5 to be out of the league in 2 to 4-5 years. The money they're owned is ofc also a reason why NBA teams insist more on lottery guys than SRPs that can be cut easily...

[TD 21]

Reminds me of Stanley Johnson. Obviously, him sticking in the league is largely dependent on his 3 becoming solid.

The odds are generally against these types of wings, but at 44 (on the heels of giving away 33), it's still a solid pick.

[Eaglenole2002]

Video Scout.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i03mEJoMrUY

I think Sidy is best thought of as similar to Sochan, as a power wing (rather than big forward / Small ball centre) who works as a connective passer with some off the dribble juice, and has the physicality to contest on the outside and defend a range of positions.

Obviously, the shot is the big question and if he can't shoot consistently it's hard for him to fit in, but that's a development question.

Think it's fairly obvious that the Spurs weren't incredibly high on him (as in, a top 20 grade), given the trade at 33.

It’s funny watching Coach Spins videos. You think every prospect is amazing until he shows the weakness clips. Then you think the prospect has zero chance of playing in the NBA.

[Mnky]

It’s funny watching Coach Spins videos. You think every prospect is amazing until he shows the weakness clips. Then you think the prospect has zero chance of playing in the NBA.

The reality of highlight reels impact.

[Uriel]

That's where we disagree. that's not even close, to me. I know every rookie a team picks suddenly becomes beautiful and full of talent but Sissoko is a fringe NBA player and he may never really get quality rotation minutes with the big boys, spending most of most his time in Austin. I expect Bilal to have an impact year one with his defense and fast break speed...

Nobody barely even mentioned Sissoko before the draft and I"m not sure he' won't be mentioned that much in the future here. He won't be in a contending, or let's say a competitive version of a spurs team and may end up as a filler in a trade. I see Bilal having a long career as a valuable, productive player thanks to his defense, BBIQ and athleticism.
You seem to know quite a lot about European basketball. Could you explain why you’re not so high on Cissoko and how he compares with Rupert?

[spurraider21]

Reminds me of Stanley Johnson. Obviously, him sticking in the league is largely dependent on his 3 becoming solid.

The odds are generally against these types of wings, but at 44 (on the heels of giving away 33), it's still a solid pick.
one of the bizarre storylines of last season was how sneaky good johnson was for us

[kobyz]

if he pans out is that a bigger Keldon?

[Mr. Body]

if he pans out is that a bigger Keldon?

A totally different skillset, it seems. Keldon is pure wing, a 3 point shooter who can attack the basket hard on close-outs, also isn't splendid at defense.

Sidy has PG skills and is more of an attacking SG who has great defensive potential but is not a great shooter.

[Guru of Nothing]

I'm buzzed and drawing Jimmy Butler comparisons based upon his physical attributes. His lower body is stout af, and he accelerates his pace suddenly when it suits him. He may not amount to much, but I'm interested in watching his development.

[ace3g]

He sort of reminds me of Marvin Williams + Tyreke Evans.

[sfernald]

Here’s a more in-depth write up of him from the Athletic.

https://i.postimg.cc/RhBw3fq8/IMG-4639.jpg

[Mr. Body]

Hard to find comps with this frame and skillset. Andrew Wiggins with more potential creation?

[superbigtime]

Like the pick!

[playblair]

why is no one giving playblair his :clap for his correct intel on cissoko...........check the second round thread playblair had the info.....

[Kurik]

Hard to find comps with this frame and skillset. Andrew Wiggins with more potential creation?

Wiggins was a much better shooter and scorer coming out of college.

Cissoko reminds me of Herb Jones a bit and their stats are similar in some regards.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/herb-jones-3.html

[Mr. Body]

Wiggins was a much better shooter and scorer coming out of college.

Cissoko reminds me of Herb Jones a bit and their stats are similar in some regards.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/herb-jones-3.html

I'm talking body type and strength. Herb Jones is more stringy.

[objective]

Reminds me of a rich man's Semi Ojeleye

[scott]

Nothing to do, it makes me (a little) think of Luguentz Dort

Just wanted to say, welcome to SpursTalk - love having more French perspective on the board.

[scott]

I watched exactly 1 minute and 41 seconds of the first highlight video posted… and now I’m definitely a Cid Sissocko expert.

Gives me Michael Findley vibes with those one handed tomahawk jams. Put this guy in a #4 jersey.

I predicted going into this draft that we would trade away #33 - just thought we’d be able to maybe get a far off protected (Top 20 probably) FRP. At the end of the day, I really did not think the Spurs wanted an SRP who necessitated a guaranteed deal. Spurs want to maintain that flexibility going into this and future offseason.

Had we picked Sidy at #33 and then sold #44 for cash, people would love it. Instead we traded #33 for two SRPs, got the same guy prolly on a two-way. Good stuff.

Sidy was very exciting in that 1:41 I watched.

[scott]

Also, I never know what to make of any of these French wing prospects. Ouseman Dieng was pretty disappointing for a #11 overall pick who took 3 future FRPs to get.

[rankingtear]

Justice Winslow, Josh Childress, Bigger Dyson Daniels , Better Ant Black?

[kobyz]

Reminds me Walt Williams

[The Truth #6]

Skills and high motor are helpful but he’s way down the pecking order I imagine. If Vic likes him that might help his chances for pt more than anything. We’ll see.

His shooting looks like a weakness but some videos showed comfortability with the corner 3, which might be something to work with. But big picture, defense and making the right pass is in his reach. So yeah, we’ll see.

[JPB]

You seem to know quite a lot about European basketball. Could you explain why you’re not so high on Cissoko and how he compares with Rupert?

Rupert is a smoother, more skilled, with better handlings than Sissoko who is rawer and limited offensively. Both aren't great shooters but Rupert is the better one if you consider Sissoko is really a work in progress in that aspect. Rupert as potential and upside on defense but Sissoko is clearly the best defenser, 1 to 4 (reason why I can understand the comparison with Sochan) mostly because he has better BBIQ than Rupert.

that's although the reason why Sissoko is a better passer, with pretty nice court vision. He can read the game, speciallly in defense, which you can clearly see in his scouting vids. He understands what the offense or his guy want to do, while Rupert is more self-centered with kind of a tunnel vision, as his 1 ass./game in Australia attest, which is a problem for a supposed playmaker, the reason I believe why he drooped in the SR after being projected in the mid-lottery. And truth to be told his handlings and shooting are not that good enough that it would compensate his lack of feel for the game. you can't teach that and Sidy has more of it

And that's where Sissoko will have to earn his minutes, smart defense, hustling, grabbing some rebounds, finishing on a dime (which he's competent at) and hopefully trying to develop a reliable 3 to become det 3&D guy....Rupert would really need to develop elite shooting and driving abilities to become a productive player, which I don't believe he will.

[Atl Spur]

Sid the kid ……. I like him! Appears to be a dog!

[John B]

I really liked Stanley Johnson last year, and I think they needed to grab Champagnie or Mamu(?) so that’s probably why they released him. Like Stanley, Sidy has the big body and a tough defender, can rim run, dish or finish at the rim, and occassionally shoots the 3 pts, 4 attempts per game, not bad meaning I think he knows it’s part of the game that he needs to be strong at to stay in the league. What impresses me (as somebody already pointed out) started playing professional at 13 and worked his way into the G-League and now drafted at 19. This is a consumate professional who works hard on his skills. I doubt we’ll get a Luka attitude with this kid.

He grew up as a PG and has very high bball IQ. Sochan 2.0. He’s another big body who can defend and pass. Pop is recreating his Beautiful Game with as much players who can pass, likewise strong character. I think PATFO started the draft looking for a defensive PG. Sidy is a PG in a PF body. I think Pop will try him as Point-Forward like Sochan and Stanley Johnson before he was waived.

Somebody mentioned Jimmy Butler? I don't think that’s a bad comp. I like the pick a lot.

[mo7888]

I was pretty disappointed in not taking Rupert at #33, but if his agent was telling teams to not take him then I think we did the best that we can do. Sidy has a decent ceiling.

[BatManu20]

Speaks fluent Spanish. Immediately a fan-favorite tbh.

1672626729314025472

[BatManu20]

1672636271800320000

Hates the Mavs already. This kid knows how to play to a crowd.

1672635776364937225

[J_Paco]

A poor man's Andre Iguodala or a Norman Powell - type is exactly what this group of Spurs needs.

He might never reach that ceiling or floor, but the team needed more defense and playmaking. I'm way more excited on making that "gamble" with a late 2nd round pick than an early one (that means guaranteed money).

Guaranteed money that can be saved to bring back Jones and eventually extend Vassell.

Shot creation from a long - term guard/wing is the next thing they'll need.

[timvp]

A couple of tidbits regarding Cissoko:

- His dad played basketball at the 1980 Moscow Olympics with the Senegalese team.

- When he was 14 years old, he moved to Spain to a team called Baskonia. He stayed there until being 18 years old. Baskonia is mostly known here for being the team of Splitter and Scola.

With RC Buford and his sister's connection to Senegal, I wonder if they've come across his dad. Seems pretty likely, tbh.

[timvp]

He sort of reminds me of Marvin Williams + Tyreke Evans.

This is weirdly accurate :lol

[J_Paco]

This is weirdly accurate :lol


I see a bigger Norman Powell with better passing, less shooting.

Hard to say with these French prospects cause a lot of them bust. Still, his skillset is definitely intriguing and hopefully he gets showcased during Summer League.

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ72s_hzuR8&pp=ygUXc2lkeSBjaXNzb2tvIGZyZW5 jaCB1MTg%3D

[NickiRasgo]

I don't mind him if he won't be good offensively but a more on a reliable defender or hopefully a 3-and-D (if he improves his shooting) type. Maybe someone like a PJ Tucker.

[CGD]

Speaks fluent Spanish. Immediately a fan-favorite tbh.

1672626729314025472

This guys just won over SA

[Mr. Body]

Does his Spanish have a French accent, too?

[John B]

Sean is 6’8 and Sidy stood taller than him.

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FzZ2Fv5XwAA7UJn?format=jpg&name=large

[T Park]

Sean is 6’8 and Sidy stood taller than him.

im gonna say Sean isn't 6'8 anymore that age has finally shrunk him down an inch or so.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/HectorLedesmaTV/status/1672671759315656704

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/TeamYouFirst/status/1672648787515383809

[Russ]

Has a pick 44 (maybe even a two-way) ever been so fawned over?

He's being welcomed to SA as Wemby's sidekick purely because of circumstances he never could have seen coming.

Hope his string of good luck continues!

[BatManu20]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FzaXKmlWYAE3VKe?format=jpg&name=large

[slick'81]

Fck how tall he is! can this mf'er play?!

[ace3g]

"When we set out on this draft journey a few years ago, we wanted to find pieces that were very versatile, that could play with different types of players, different offensive systems and styles," Wright said. "And, obviously, a core thing to us and what we do is the unselfishness, the body movement, the ball movement and trying to play an intelligent brand of basketball."

https://twitter.com/Spurs_Nation/status/1672708086837006340

[The Truth #6]

Has a pick 44 (maybe even a two-way) ever been so fawned over?

He's being welcomed to SA as Wemby's sidekick purely because of circumstances he never could have seen coming.

Hope his string of good luck continues!

I was thinking the same thing. I also think it’s gonna be really weird if he doesn’t make the team after all of this.

[Bruno]

Despite being the 44th pick, Cissoko is one of the player that has been the most scouted by Spurs because he was Scoot teammate. The positive side behind that is Spurs know what they have in their hand and won't try to turn him into a kind of player he can't be.

Now, the big question is whether or not he will sign a two way contract.

[exstatic]

Despite being the 44th pick, Cissoko is one of the player that has been the most scouted by Spurs because he was Scoot teammate. The positive side behind that is Spurs know what they have in their hand and won't try to turn him into a kind of player he can't be.

Now, the big question is whether or not he will sign a two way contract.

Normally, if they want someone on a two way, they reach an agreement before they draft them.

[JPB]

Normally, if they want someone on a two way, they reach an agreement before they draft them.

Yep, makes sense.

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fza-HgNXoAAaW_4?format=jpg&name=large

[SpursFan86]

It’s funny: I was pretty high on Cissoko going into the draft and if we would’ve gotten him at 33 I’d have been hyped. But now knowing the FO chose to stockpile two more SRPs years from now over getting him at 33, I can’t help but have my excitement tempered :lol If they really liked him it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t have taken him at 33. Seems more like they just didn’t have much of a choice and had to make a pick at #44.

Fuck it though - I’m still looking forward to seeing him in SL and think he can eventually become a solid NBA rotational player.

[boutons_deux]

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/draft-prospects-awe-victor-wembanyama-18106636.php

"Everyone growing up as a kid in France wanted to play for the Spurs," Cissoko said. "When you saw the great things Tony Parker did with (Manu) Ginobili and (Tim) Duncan and Gregg Popovich, you wanted to play for them. And I know Gregg Popovich is going to do a good job with him (Wembanyama), so I am not worried about Victor."
With the Spurs, Wembanyama has a chance to be "one of the greatest players of all time," Cissoko said.
"Wemby is an alien," Cissoko said. "You never see a player 7-4, 7-3 doing the stuff he does. He is special. God gave him good gifts, just an amazing player."

... ??? And Boris diaw, key player in the 2014 championship

[BatManu20]

Fck how tall he is! can this mf'er play?!

6’6 3/4 barefoot. 6’8 with shoes. And we’re about to find out.

[rascal]

Sid the kid ……. I like him! Appears to be a dog!

You liked Primo too

[kobyz]

6’6 3/4 barefoot. 6’8 with shoes. And we’re about to find out.
6’5.5 barefoot

[BatManu20]

6’5.5 barefoot

Oh so the 6’6 3/4 measurement was with shoes. My b. :tu

[Obstructed_View]

It’s funny: I was pretty high on Cissoko going into the draft and if we would’ve gotten him at 33 I’d have been hyped. But now knowing the FO chose to stockpile two more SRPs years from now over getting him at 33, I can’t help but have my excitement tempered :lol If they really liked him it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t have taken him at 33. Seems more like they just didn’t have much of a choice and had to make a pick at #44.

Fuck it though - I’m still looking forward to seeing him in SL and think he can eventually become a solid NBA rotational player.
That's such a ridiculous attitude it makes me embarrassed for you. The Spurs walk away with a guy you wanted plus two second round picks and you're unhappy. Gotta address that shit, son.

[NickiRasgo]

Ngl but Sidy getting that spotlight because of Wemby. :lol So I assumed he's getting a standard contract instead of having two-way? Spurs has to. Either the Spurs really planned to have Wemby with another French since they didn't able to get Bilal or Wemby already told the Spurs that he want Sidy on the team as a regular.

[exstatic]

Ngl but Sidy getting that spotlight because of Wemby. :lol So I assumed he's getting a standard contract instead of having two-way? Spurs has to. Either the Spurs really planned to have Wemby with another French since they didn't able to get Bilal or Wemby already told the Spurs that he want Sidy on the team as a regular.

Not necessarily, and that might be why he was picked 44 instead of 33, so they could 2way him. Either way, he’s going to spend a shit ton of time in Austin.

[GAustex]

You liked Primo too

Miss Cleo didn’t see into the future on the pervert

[Atl Spur]

You liked Primo too

Lol…….. don’t be that guy rascal. Just for you, I don’t like sid ok? Fixed….

[scott]

It’s funny: I was pretty high on Cissoko going into the draft and if we would’ve gotten him at 33 I’d have been hyped. But now knowing the FO chose to stockpile two more SRPs years from now over getting him at 33, I can’t help but have my excitement tempered :lol If they really liked him it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t have taken him at 33. Seems more like they just didn’t have much of a choice and had to make a pick at #44.

Fuck it though - I’m still looking forward to seeing him in SL and think he can eventually become a solid NBA rotational player.

It’s also possible the Spurs had the same deal with Cidy that Rupert had with the Blazers. Maybe Cidy’s agent was telling teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with the Spurs - so getting him at 44 was “locked”

Not saying this was the case, but it’s possible. We assume the Spurs gambled in trading 33 - but maybe they had their guy Cidy all along.

[Maddog]

It’s also possible the Spurs had the same deal with Cidy that Rupert had with the Blazers. Maybe Cidy’s agent was telling teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with the Spurs - so getting him at 44 was “locked”

Not saying this was the case, but it’s possible. We assume the Spurs gambled in trading 33 - but maybe they had their guy Cidy all along.

I am curious as to what transpired.
First the 44th probably had zero trade value. Given the Spurs success in drafting in the very late 20s why would they trade 33.

I like the guy already
Well spoken, trilingual.
However, at the end of the day he's still the 44th pick, which makes him a statistical long shot to succeed.

[Dejounte]

I’m not gonna call him a PG like how John B is obsessed with calling every player that, but the more I watch the more I see the European flair of passing from Sidy. I think he plays like a wing version of our very own Mamu. There is going to be nice passing this season if Sidy finds himself in the regular rotation. Now, keep in mind that good passing doesn’t equate to being a PG. It’s much more than that.

[xellos88330]

I can't wait until he posterizes someone. I am going to be like.... SIDY'S NUTZ!!!!

[exstatic]

I’m not gonna call him a PG like how John B is obsessed with calling every player that, but the more I watch the more I see the European flair of passing from Sidy. I think he plays like a wing version of our very own Mamu. There is going to be nice passing this season if Sidy finds himself in the regular rotation. Now, keep in mind that good passing doesn’t equate to being a PG. It’s much more than that.

He played for Baskonia in the Spanish ACB for 2-3 years, so he’s not your typical GLI player. That’s pretty good training for fundamental basketball.

[Mr. Body]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgId7MZXr9I

This was before he played for Ignite and was getting used to American basketball. He says it somewhere in the clip -- that European basketball is team-based and US basketball is different. Goes with the theme batting around here that US basketball is kind of a wreck right now due to the iso shit.

[rascal]

It’s also possible the Spurs had the same deal with Cidy that Rupert had with the Blazers. Maybe Cidy’s agent was telling teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with the Spurs - so getting him at 44 was “locked”

Not saying this was the case, but it’s possible. We assume the Spurs gambled in trading 33 - but maybe they had their guy Cidy all along.

Why would his agent turn away teams who might draft him before 44 and have an agreement to go to the Spurs at 44 instead of 33?

[toki9]

Why would his agent turn away teams who might draft him before 44 and have an agreement to go to the Spurs at 44 instead of 33?

One of Sidy's agent is listed as Jim Tanner, whose client list included Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Malik Rose and Jeremy Sochan. So he probably has a long relationship with the Spurs. Maybe he really thought Spurs was the best spot for his client but knew that the team didn't want to use #33. All speculation, though.

[Mr. Body]

The draft was really really strange. Punting the 33 really indicated, in retrospect, that they didn't want any further players OR that they didn't want to be in range of guaranteed contracts, which early SRPs seem to get nowadays, although that doesn't seem entirely true. TJD is getting a guaranteed contract with GSW and required that to be picked.

Either the FO still had players in mind with more contract flexibility as 44 approached OR they were working to sell that one, too. And then a player they valued fell and they said "fuck it, what roster crunch."

[Dejounte]

No matter how much we try to overthink this, the answer is probably very simple… the Spurs recognize what the second round is not: a great source to get players from for building your franchise. As much as we glorify our own pet players and fantasize how great they will become, the team probably doesnt see it that way. Tre Jones is likely an outlier story as opposed to a common one we should expect from second round picks year to year.

that’s not to say that there’s nothing promising about Cissoko. But I believe the Spurs think they can take about any player that has a good head on their shoulders and see how far their Spurs program can take them. I think they have much belief in their player development that they see anyone in the second round as pretty much even with their talent level and it’s all about which players will be receptive to the team building and player development concept.

[toki9]

No matter how much we try to overthink this, the answer is probably very simple… the Spurs recognize what the second round is not: a great source to get players from for building your franchise. As much as we glorify our own pet players and fantasize how great they will become, the team probably doesnt see it that way. Tre Jones is likely an outlier story as opposed to a common one we should expect from second round picks year to year.

that’s not to say that there’s nothing promising about Cissoko. But I believe the Spurs think they can take about any player that has a good head on their shoulders and see how far their Spurs program can take them. I think they have much belief in their player development that they see anyone in the second round as pretty much even with their talent level and it’s all about which players will be receptive to the team building and player development concept.

I think you were pretty high on Rupert, right? I'd be interested in getting your thoughts on Rupert vs. Cissoko.

[Mr. Body]

No matter how much we try to overthink this, the answer is probably very simple… the Spurs recognize what the second round is not: a great source to get players from for building your franchise. As much as we glorify our own pet players and fantasize how great they will become, the team probably doesnt see it that way. Tre Jones is likely an outlier story as opposed to a common one we should expect from second round picks year to year.

that’s not to say that there’s nothing promising about Cissoko. But I believe the Spurs think they can take about any player that has a good head on their shoulders and see how far their Spurs program can take them. I think they have much belief in their player development that they see anyone in the second round as pretty much even with their talent level and it’s all about which players will be receptive to the team building and player development concept.

I'm not sure I agree on either point, if mildly.

My feeling is the Second Round is gaining more importance in two ways. The first has been documented and discussed more, which is that cap-strapped teams are going to value these picks in the coming half decade, if not more, because the contracts are cheap and acquiring the picks are relatively cheap. We've also gotten to a Fallout bottle cap situation where SRPs have acquired a new level of currency now that many teams can't trade their FRPs.

The other note on the Second Round is that the first round has become a quarry for eighteen and nineteen year olds who don't know how to play basketball. We just hope they'll develop. One thing, though, is that they get expensive to just hang around your roster being sucky for a few years until their next contract. A guy like Jalen Green, for example. Won't win more than three games for you, but is like on a #2 salary or whatever.

The late first round and into the second round is becoming a quarry for older players, 'vets,' who can probably contribute faster, if their ceilings aren't quite as high. Better floors, in some cases. Everyone's falling in love with the Christian Braun type. They're having second thoughts about talented idiots like Cam Whitmore and Leonard Miller.

Now, onto the Spurs. I feel they would have taken a flier on someone at 33 if they weren't facing a huge roster crunch right now. Also, Cissoko was regularly discussed in the 20s by a wide range of sources. He touched into low lottery range in some cases, although for the most part that ended and he was mocked in the 20-30s range. IMO it's still a very big, unanswered question why he dropped so very far. It may simply be the reason I stated above -- a lot of teams in the 20-30 range were going for more readymade players. Same reason Rayan Rupert dropped.

Increasingly I don't think we can read how good a player is by where they are actually drafted. Trayce Jackson-Davis was passed by a lot of team but will be impactful, I feel, for the Warriors. Cissoko, IMO, is a good bit better than a normal 44 pick back in the day. He's way more promising than a Jack McClintock type.

[Dejounte]

I think you were pretty high on Rupert, right? I'd be interested in getting your thoughts on Rupert vs. Cissoko.

I saw Rupert as having great defensive potential on quicker guards, something I saw as a need for our team. And I saw his ball handling ability as exceptional. Those were his two main draws for me.

I didn’t follow or focus on Cissoko as much as I did with Rupert. My eyes were glued on Scoot during the Ignite games that I watched. But Cissoko did come up a lot during those games from the broadcast announcers and they were electrified by him. Like I said in an earlier post, he seemingly was at the right places at the right time. I don’t think they play the same role on an NBA basketball team. I think Cissoko will be more of a secondary playmaker similar to Diaw. People are going to hate this but he reminds me a bit of Primo without the mid range fanciness that Primo was trying to develop. Cissoko is very chunky looking and I think he will do a good/ better job than Rupert on the dirty work, which is important with a guy like Wemby who we’d want to take all the physicality from to extend his career. My most recent observations of Cissoko is that he has a knack for stylish passes which I didn’t see from Rupert. I think Cissoko will eventually become our Kyle Anderson, a utility guy that you can play anywhere… if he succeeds.

[Mr. Body]

Also wonder if the G-League Ignite has lost its shine for execs. You won't hear it out loud, as the NBA is strongly trying to tout them but...

Jalen Green
Jonathan Kuminga
Isaiah Todd
Dyson Daniels
MarJon Beauchamp
Jaden Hardy
Scoot Henderson
Leonard Miller
Sidy Cissoko
Mojave King
Daishen Nix

There's some promise here. Jaden Hardy shot much better in a small role for Dallas than with Ignite; we'll see if that continues. Dyson Daniels may eventually be good; he's certainly promising as a defender. But Jalen Green is just a mindless chucker who may never have the mentality to do anything different. Jonathan Kuminga is an arrogant dick who was unplayable in the postseason and is on the block. The rest? Eh.

I have more hope for Cissoko because he does have a professional background with actual teams in Spain and France, a better basis than many of these players do.

Anyway, I wonder if, other than Scoot, teams are sitting back to see about Ignite prospects at this point.

[Cardinal]

Cissoko plays with a really appealing level of strength, speed, and physicality on both ends. And he really loves to yam it. I’m looking forward to watching in a much more team oriented concept with the spurs next season

[John B]

I think you were pretty high on Rupert, right? I'd be interested in getting your thoughts on Rupert vs. Cissoko.

I think the Spurs were ready to take either one, gambled and was able to nab one with a spare future SRP in the process. I like Rupert’s defense better, while I like Sidy’s passing better, for which I think Sidy has the higher ceiling. Pop loves players who can pass, think a shorter Diaw.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Sounds like a couple of teams had this guy penciled in as a below the radar prospect that could become pretty good provided he can fix the hitch in his shot. I never like seeing a guy get the yips, but it's also easy to forget how young these guys are. This pick has grown on me, especially at 44. I wasn't a fan of giving up the third pick in the second round, but Cissoko has a shot at being decent I think.

And with a million second round picks coming up I'm sure the Spurs can bundle those into something decent, even if it's just a few slots up in draft position to grab a targeted player.

[spurraider21]

always try to temper expectations with 2nd rounders. other than Tre Jones, we havent had one be a rotation player since 2009 with Blair and to a lesser degree, Nando

all 2nd rounders since that year which werent immediately traded:

Ryan Richards, Adam Hanga, Marcus Denmon, DeShaun Thomas, Cady Lalanne, Jaron Blossomgame, Chimezie Metu, Quinndary Weatherspoon, Tre Jones, Joe Weiskamp, and now Sidy Cissoko

[toki9]

Thank you for the input on Rupert vs. Cissoko. Appreciate it.

[Mr. Body]

Josh Richardson was a 2nd round draft pick. Devonte Graham was a 2nd round draft pick. Patty Mills was a 2nd round draft pick.

[Dejounte]

Josh Richardson was a 2nd round draft pick. Devonte Graham was a 2nd round draft pick. Patty Mills was a 2nd round draft pick.

Do you realize you’re naming three successful second round picks to a thousand? Three that the Spurs didn’t develop. Three that the Spurs got through free agency or trade. And please note that I didn’t say no second draft pick would ever be successful. I basically said that making a plan where it centers on hoping those selections to be successful is not what the Spurs have in mind, because of the fact that those kinds of players can be found in other avenues and because the hit rate is low. You do this thing where you take super small sample sizes (like taking 10 guys out of the gleague and putting the nail in the coffin because of it) where the point of view could very well be expanded… you can take any 10 busts that came from college basketball, too, and make bad assumptions.

[K...]

the spurs didn't diminish the value of the second round pick, they punted to the future and doubled the number of picks (although not the value since 33 is an exceptionably high pick that can lead to unique scenarios). But just like we were all wanting the spurs to trade into the late lottery or late first round to get another pick, they can always get to 33 with similar deals

[Mr. Body]

Do you realize you’re naming three successful second round picks to a thousand? Three that the Spurs didn’t develop. Three that the Spurs got through free agency or trade. And please note that I didn’t say no second draft pick would ever be successful. I basically said that making a plan where it centers on hoping those selections to be successful is not what the Spurs have in mind, because of the fact that those kinds of players can be found in other avenues and because the hit rate is low. You do this thing where you take super small sample sizes (like taking 10 guys out of the gleague and putting the nail in the coffin because of it) where the point of view could very well be expanded… you can take any 10 busts that came from college basketball, too, and make bad assumptions.

Cissoko was mocked much earlier, as Tre Jones was in his draft. None of those other picks were. It's more likely that this draft was deeper than previous years, as I'm making the case. I'll stick with liking the pick and thinking he dropped in ways that worked out for us. You can hope for the worst.

[BackHome]

Yea, second rounders are fighting against the odds but as one of your mentioned I have hope as Sidy came from playing professional ball in Spain so I think he has a good foundation. I do agree he is not as quick as Rubert and I don't see him being able to guard quick PG, but I do think he can easily guard SG/SF/ as he has the foot speed and at as just turning 19 is built like a truck. Also, I have to remind myself when watching his tape this season he was only 18 years old going up against a lot of grown men and he did not look out of place. Also, have to understand he was kind of the third guy as Scoot and Miller were the main players who got the touches and he was more of doing the dirty work and was playing a new position then what he was playing in Europe.

Based on the few interviews I can tell you that he is going to fit in nicely with the new team I see his personality very close to Sochan as someone who likes to have fun and will bring 100% when he is on the floor. You can tell he is all ready a professional and will take to Pop coaching with no complaints and will do what is necessary for the team vs. for himself. It is very important to surround Wemby with professional minded players as he will not have to worry about dealing with head case or drama queens crying about touches..

[BackHome]

A nice Vid if someone could down load it would be nice to watch - it is by "The Field of 68" Sidy Cissoko Scouting Report - It is an interview with his coach in the G League - Jason Hart

[scott]

Why would his agent turn away teams who might draft him before 44 and have an agreement to go to the Spurs at 44 instead of 33?

Same reason lots of other players do it, including Rupert. Pull your head out of your ass.

[Mr. Body]

A nice Vid if someone could down load it would be nice to watch - it is by "The Field of 68" Sidy Cissoko Scouting Report - It is an interview with his coach in the G League - Jason Hart


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA9RahqfVz4

[Uriel]

How does Cissoko compare with previous wings the Spurs have selected in the 2nd round? Like, say, Jaron Blossomgame?

[Dejounte]

Cissoko was mocked much earlier, as Tre Jones was in his draft. None of those other picks were. It's more likely that this draft was deeper than previous years, as I'm making the case. I'll stick with liking the pick and thinking he dropped in ways that worked out for us. You can hope for the worst.
You’re getting me twisted. I’m a Spurs fan— I wish for every draft pick to become a star. My initial comments were in response to the Spurs logic behind their actions on draft night. I don’t think the Spurs have a mega computer that tells them how every domino will fall… it is quite the contrary. IMO, more credit goes to the environment and development program they have set up than it is their scouting prowess. I don’t think they go into these drafts thinking they are going to discover hidden talent every time. I think the philosophy is that if a kid is intelligent and receptive, they will reach their highest potential because we’re putting them in a position to succeed. The signs are there why this is likely their mindset… a $500,000,000 sign. Another sign would be their emphasis on the gleague. These kids take the proper steps. Pop was recently quoted as such.

In short, the Spurs put themselves and their players where they can be their best. This is the same story over and over. The Spurs purposefully planned for this year to be the year they get a top talent, just the same as they planned to equip whoever they would select in the second round with the tools to succeed.

Cissoko could easily become one of my favorite Spur. But that’s ultimately going to be up to him putting in the work as opposed to secret Manu genes underlying within him that the Spurs knew he would have.

[rascal]

Same reason lots of other players do it, including Rupert. Pull your head out of your ass.

My question is a valid one. The Blazers didn't have two second round picks, the Spurs did.

How do you know Rupert had an agreement?

[Ariel]

My question is a valid one. The Blazers didn't have two second round picks, the Spurs did.

How do you know Rupert had an agreement?
It was reported (I honestly don't remember where) that Rupert's agent told teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with some team, and he was taken by Portland, so... plus, in Portland's press conference Rupert said that his agent told him he had an offer from Portland and he agreed to go there. The difference isn't the picks, lots of teams were able to get into the early 2nd round even without picks, just for future 2nd rounders. However, going by Rupert's words and his agent's actions, Portland probably gives him several guaranteed years unlike other teams, and that's a significant difference.

[Philthemage]

From his highlights he reminds me of KJ McDaniels.

[Maddog]

It was reported (I honestly don't remember where) that Rupert's agent told teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with some team, and he was taken by Portland, so... plus, in Portland's press conference Rupert said that his agent told him he had an offer from Portland and he agreed to go there. The difference isn't the picks, lots of teams were able to get into the early 2nd round even without picks, just for future 2nd rounders. However, going by Rupert's words and his agent's actions, Portland probably gives him several guaranteed years unlike other teams, and that's a significant difference.

This has probably been answered- but what would have happened if say the Spurs with 33 took him?
Do teams tend to respect these so as not to create ill will towards the agents and players?

I remember last year some reports where that Barlow asked not to be drafted because he had a deal with the Spurs for a 2 way and wanted to go to them.

[kobyz]

This has probably been answered- but what would have happened if say the Spurs with 33 took him?
Do teams tend to respect these so as not to create ill will towards the agents and players?

I remember last year some reports where that Barlow asked not to be drafted because he had a deal with the Spurs for a 2 way and wanted to go to them.

if they really like him as a prospect they take him regardless to what the agent say

[Seventyniner]

It was reported (I honestly don't remember where) that Rupert's agent told teams not to draft him because he had a deal in place with some team, and he was taken by Portland, so... plus, in Portland's press conference Rupert said that his agent told him he had an offer from Portland and he agreed to go there. The difference isn't the picks, lots of teams were able to get into the early 2nd round even without picks, just for future 2nd rounders. However, going by Rupert's words and his agent's actions, Portland probably gives him several guaranteed years unlike other teams, and that's a significant difference.

Stuff like this makes me wonder just how much draft order even matters in the second round.

[Russ]

Cissoko plays with a really appealing level of strength, speed, and physicality on both ends. And he really loves to yam it. I’m looking forward to watching in a much more team oriented concept with the spurs next season

What do you think of his lateral mobility?

[Ariel]

What do you think of his lateral mobility?
Watching several clips of him this doesn't seem to be a strength of his, he gets beat or fouls a lot of times, which is why I doubt the assertion that he "can guard 1 through 4". He seems really strong though, he's probably better suited to guard 3s (not the faster ones) and 4s (not the bigger ones). He's got a lot of interesting traits but unless he works on this and his shot, he's going to have an uphill battle for minutes as a no-3,no-D wing.

[slick'81]

Enjoy austin sidy

[HankChinaski]

I have been looking at this pick now for a couple days now and it has the potential to be a solid rotation player in the league.

Sidy's ability to pass and his big body frame going into the paint are the two things that stand out as net positives. He shows promise with his passing skills and his ability to finish with contact as well.
Negatives that need improvement.

Playing in half court sets. He looks amazing in transition but if you watch a lot more film on the guy tends to get hung up with handles in half court sets.

He tends to dribble high.
Inconsistent outside shot

Needs more of a in-between game or at least a go to move that opens up something for himself against opposition.

Most of the flaws you can see are correctable over time.

But as a role player off the bench with his skill set it is a solid pickup at 44 if he can stick.

[JPB]

I have been looking at this pick now for a couple days now and it has the potential to be a solid rotation player in the league.

Sidy's ability to pass and his big body frame going into the paint are the two things that stand out as net positives. He shows promise with his passing skills and his ability to finish with contact as well.
Negatives that need improvement.

Playing in half court sets. He looks amazing in transition but if you watch a lot more film on the guy tends to get hung up with handles in half court sets.

He tends to dribble high.
Inconsistent outside shot

Needs more of a in-between game or at least a go to move that opens up something for himself against opposition.

Most of the flaws you can see are correctable over time.

But as a role player off the bench with his skill set it is a solid pickup at 44 if he can stick.

I'm afraid that's a lot of flaws to overcome and not that easy to fix, reason why he's #44... Watching him, Sidy is just not what you would call a talented player, but more of an hustle transition guy.. As you explained, he can't create for himself, struggles in half court vs. set defense and is not a shooter which is really a problem in spurs ball movement system...He's mostly valuable in transition where he can hustle his way to the rim to finish or for a dime as we can see in his most of highlights.

I truly believe his value resides in defense where he's really versatile thanks his instincts an BBIQ... Then again, developing a decent 3 is where he'll really be able to stay on the floor and be more than an 3rd sting, defensive specialist wing.

[HankChinaski]

I'm afraid that's a lot of flaws to overcome and not that easy to fix, reason why he's #44... Watching him, Sidy is just not what you would call a talented player, but more of an hustle transition guy.. As you explained, he can't create for himself, struggles in half court vs. set defense and is not a shooter which is really a problem in spurs ball movement system...He's mostly valuable in transition where he can hustle his way to the rim to finish or for a dime as we can see in his most of highlights.

I truly believe his value resides in defense where he's really versatile thanks his instincts an BBIQ... Then again, developing a decent 3 is where he'll really be able to stay on the floor and be more than an 3rd sting, defensive specialist wing.

True but he is only 19 years old and isn't going to be expected to play meaningful minutes unless he impresses in summer league and training camp if he is signed.

[Cardinal]

Yeah I don't see great lateral mobility yet and this is in part where the foul troubles come from. I would think it's a matter of technique and training to improve. The issues don't stem from a lack of drive on the defensive end.

[kobyz]

floor: Jarett Culver
middleground: Justise Winslow
ceiling: Caron Butler

[Atl Spur]

Fuck it! Play him at point guard and leave him there the whole year. His handle and passing is better than any recent point guard prospect we’ve had. His defense will be “A” ok.

[GAustex]

You never learn Miss Cleo

[sfernald]

Fuck it! Play him at point guard and leave him there the whole year. His handle and passing is better than any recent point guard prospect we’ve had. His defense will be “A” ok.

Agree 1000%. We need a six foot eight point guard for our seven foot five inch big man or it will look weird. Plus he played point guard in euro league. Give him a shot, Pop, if you’re reading this!

[SpursFan86]

1674830711965073431

Sidy getting a guaranteed contract. Little surprising, no?

[Degoat]

I’m glad! I think he’s much more deserving of that than a 2 way, further complicates the roster crunch tho

[BatManu20]

As expected. Hopefully he surprises this season in the minutes he’s given, though I’m not holding my breath for his Rookie year. Think he’s going to take some time to develop.

[NickiRasgo]

Probably similar to Kennedy Chandler last year but he got waived tho eventually.

[Russ]

Wasn't the point of waiting to draft someone at 44, wasn't the point that you didn't have to do things like offer guaranteed contracts?

How long is this contract?

[exstatic]

Probably similar to Kennedy Chandler last year but he got waived tho eventually.

Chandler couldn’t cut it in the gleague. Ciddy has shown he can do at least that.

[Ariel]

Wasn't the point of waiting to draft someone at 44, wasn't the point that you didn't have to do things like offer guaranteed contracts?

How long is this contract?
Didn't read the specifics, but i doubt it's a long term, fully guaranteed contract. Wouldn't be surprised if it's 3/4 years, but 1/2 fully guaranteed or something like that.

[Bruno]

One way for Spurs to reach the salary floor could be to be very generous with their end of the roster players. They could enter training camp with 16 or 17 players with fully guaranteed contracts and/or give them contracts similar to the ones they gave to Bassey.

[spurraider21]

One way for Spurs to reach the salary floor could be to be very generous with their end of the roster players. They could enter training camp with 16 or 17 players with fully guaranteed contracts and/or give them contracts similar to the ones they gave to Bassey.
suggestion: use your cap space to make improvements

spurs: no.

[Mr. Body]

suggestion: use your cap space to make improvements

spurs: no.

What improvements? Be specific.

Would those 'improvements' get in the way of actual improvements in the near future?

[JPB]

suggestion: use your cap space to make improvements

spurs: no.

"Avoid costly mistakes"

[Atl Spur]

They are hedging their bet….. if he ends up being dope, they will have an option for longer control at a minimal price plus birds rights.

[Atl Spur]

Run him at point!

[Russ]

This guy is stiff as King Tut (and he's only 19).

He makes Kawhi look like a yoga-master.

Of course, I like to lower my expectations and be very, very pleasantly surprised!

[Eaglenole2002]

If true, makes you wonder if they had a deal in place with Cissoko’s agent once the second round started and he helped guide his client to SA.

The second round is so weird with this stuff. Trayce Jackson-Davis supposedly wasn’t interested in Indiana so the Pacers so they passed on him. Their GM said as much.

[timvp]

One way for Spurs to reach the salary floor could be to be very generous with their end of the roster players. They could enter training camp with 16 or 17 players with fully guaranteed contracts and/or give them contracts similar to the ones they gave to Bassey.

Math-wise that works, obviously. But isn't that just wasting money? Better to overpay a useful player on a one-year deal than to just overpay the end of the bench, no?