Spurs Select Kyle Anderson in the 2014 NBA Draft (30th Overall)

[TheDoctor]

I can imagine some of those kids wondering "The happened to his head?"

[GSH]

Jokic has the potential to be better than all of those guys and Fathead isn't even past Austin Daye if you compare each's best games. One of the worst players in franchise history. If he scores 2 points that gets him a B- in the game grades because of how ing low his expectations are.

On top of that being a weak draft, the options were scarce and RC still missed.

Show me one post before this season where you were talking about how Jokic might be better than all those guys. One single post. Then you'll have the right to talk that kind of smack. Until then, you're just another asshole claiming he knew the Patriots would win all along.

Nobody saw Jokic being this good, before this season. Nobody. Just like 59 GM's passed on Isaiah Thomas. And a bunch of assholes on ST were still bad-mouthing Thomas until this season. You were probably one of them. Late draft picks are late draft picks because nobody sees them coming. Period.

[ceperez]

I'm kind of disappointed in KA, but considering he's a 30th pick and has a cheap contract. Then's he's an okay serviceable player. Not spectacular but good enough.

[SAGirl]

Show me one post before this season where you were talking about how Jokic might be better than all those guys. One single post. Then you'll have the right to talk that kind of smack. Until then, you're just another asshole claiming he knew the Patriots would win all along.

Nobody saw Jokic being this good, before this season. Nobody. Just like 59 GM's passed on Isaiah Thomas. And a bunch of assholes on ST were still bad-mouthing Thomas until this season. You were probably one of them. Late draft picks are late draft picks because nobody sees them coming. Period.

I posted in the general forum a piece Sports Illustrated did on Jokic. In 2014 he was over 50 pounds overweight, he wasn't taking basketball seriously, and he almost withdrew his name from the draft bc he wasn't really committed and didn't get interest. It was actually Denver who convinced him to stay so they could draft him and they were really gambling on him bc they saw him in a game and saw his special passing skills, but he was hardly dominating at all. It makes sense when one realizes he was passed over not only by the Spurs who scout foreign talent religiously we are told, but by 29 other teams, some of them twice. Heck you'd still could have taken him in the second round after Anderson if you are RC, if they bought an early second round pick. It's clear he wasn't in their radar (or many other teams.)
http://www.si.com/nba/2017/02/08/nik...-darko-milicic

And he was not only overweight, but wait for it: he was also unathletic, and with serious commitment issues to the sport and he wasn't having any eye opening games. He seemed lazy and unfocused at the time. It wouldn't surprise me he was discarded as a prospect bc of the lack of work ethic coupled with uninspired play at the time, if they ever saw him. Heck who knows if he's drafted and left in Europe maybe he does become someone we don't see for 3 more seasons. It was Denver pushing him to come over that finally motivated him to get in shape etc... according to that article. He improved remarkably.

Then if we are talking about picks that were real wastes... Livio hasn't played a single regular season game for the Spurs and is earning his rook salary for two seasons as mandatory per the CBA in the dleague without the Spurs ever getting any kind of production out of that. There have been picks that didn't play that much for the Spurs bc they got injured and their careers were cut early like James Anderson. There were others like Mahinmi who also got injured for an entire season and then Pop gave up on.

Kyle is paid a very small salary and has already played over 100 games for the Spurs in seasons that they have had a very high win percentage. It's not due to him bc he's a roleplayer, but the Spurs have been able to play him at several spots and gotten more than their money's worth with him filling in through the RS and them being able to maintain their winning while playing him.

He's a roleplayer, but getting a roleplayer at the 30th pick is just fine... definitely not the worst pick in Spurs history.

But you can't reason with TGY... you just can't. He's irrational with his schticks and sticks with them no matter what.

[UZER]

They would had brought him over in 2023 and by then, he would had been 28 year old Spurs rookie Nikola Jokic coming in from Europe with two busted ACLs and people would had wondered how good he would had been if he actually got some time with the Spurs early in his career.

Man, I would've loved to have seen him in 2023 starting with Parker running the pick n roll.

[GSH]

I posted in the general forum a piece Sports Illustrated did on Jokic. In 2014 he was over 50 pounds overweight, he wasn't taking basketball seriously, and he almost withdrew his name from the draft bc he wasn't really committed and didn't get interest. It was actually Denver who convinced him to stay so they could draft him and they were really gambling on him bc they saw him in a game and saw his special passing skills, but he was hardly dominating at all. It makes sense when one realizes he was passed over not only by the Spurs who scout foreign talent religiously we are told, but by 29 other teams, some of them twice. Heck you'd still could have taken him in the second round after Anderson if you are RC, if they bought an early second round pick. It's clear he wasn't in their radar (or many other teams.)

Jokic was just a kid when he was drafted. He looked like he still had baby fat. I thought the talk about being 50 lbs. overweight was a bit much, but it sounds like he packed on more weight in his first year here. I thought he could be a Tiago, which is saying a lot.

I will say this - Kyle also looked like he still had baby fat. And he hasn't transformed himself the way Jokic did. He looks better, but he still looks like he's carrying some baby fat. I have to think that if he had put in the same work as Jokic, he would be a better player now. If Kyle wants to stick, he really needs to get on a strength program. I've been saying it for a long time, but he's halfway through his third year.


I don't care about TGY's shtick. But I'm not letting him get by with acting like the Spurs "should have known" that Jokic was going to break out this way.

[GSH]

Man, I would've loved to have seen him in 2023 starting with Parker running the pick n roll.

I posted it above, but the Spurs could have had Marc Gasol. It took him a couple of years, just like it does most NBA bigs. But imagine him playing next to Duncan, for the last 8 years of Duncan's career. Even if he was just learning in the first 3, he would have had 5 seasons of top-notch play with Tim. And the Spurs would have at least 1 more LOB.

Start playing "what if" and it will make you all itchy-like.

[SAGirl]

Jokic was just a kid when he was drafted. He looked like he still had baby fat. I thought the talk about being 50 lbs. overweight was a bit much, but it sounds like he packed on more weight in his first year here. I thought he could be a Tiago, which is saying a lot.

I will say this - Kyle also looked like he still had baby fat. And he hasn't transformed himself the way Jokic did. He looks better, but he still looks like he's carrying some baby fat. I have to think that if he had put in the same work as Jokic, he would be a better player now. If Kyle wants to stick, he really needs to get on a strength program. I've been saying it for a long time, but he's halfway through his third year.


I don't care about TGY's shtick. But I'm not letting him get by with acting like the Spurs "should have known" that Jokic was going to break out this way.

Kyle has a strong work ethic.. from every report they have done on him... he works hard on his game. He's not going to grow 2 more inches to be 6'11 like Jokic.. Imagine Pop playing Jokic as a SG... that's basically how Pop has set up Kyle to look great by the way. The overweight bit about Jokic I didn't make up, it was in that interview/report about him. He was chugging coca colas and cheesy breads when he was younger.

[SAGirl]

I posted it above, but the Spurs could have had Marc Gasol. It took him a couple of years, just like it does most NBA bigs. But imagine him playing next to Duncan, for the last 8 years of Duncan's career. Even if he was just learning in the first 3, he would have had 5 seasons of top-notch play with Tim. And the Spurs would have at least 1 more LOB.

Start playing "what if" and it will make you all itchy-like.

This was probably the gist of it.

If anything, I think Spurs just haven't been gambling enough with their late first round picks or trying to buy early seconds hoping to get some talent...

[UZER]

I posted it above, but the Spurs could have had Marc Gasol. It took him a couple of years, just like it does most NBA bigs. But imagine him playing next to Duncan, for the last 8 years of Duncan's career. Even if he was just learning in the first 3, he would have had 5 seasons of top-notch play with Tim. And the Spurs would have at least 1 more LOB.

Start playing "what if" and it will make you all itchy-like.

I was joking. I was pointing out that Parker will still be the Spurs starting PG in 2023.

[dabom]

I was joking. I was pointing out that Parker will still be the Spurs starting PG in 2023.

I can't believe that got didn't get that. I sure laughed.

[TheGreatYacht]

But you can't reason with TGY... you just can't. He's irrational with his schticks and sticks with them no matter what.

Yeah okay guy that's why you take any chance to diss Simmons. I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with him taking vending machine head's minutes

anyone who criticizes my scrub is a troll

Stop mentioning me, troll.

[dabom]

Yeah okay guy that's why you take any chance to diss Simmons. I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with him taking vending machine head's minutes

anyone who criticizes my scrub is a troll

Stop mentioning me, troll.

Like literally all the bolds, except maybe 3 people, want him gone.

"But but but ... trolls"

[TheGreatYacht]

Like literally all the bolds, except maybe 3 people, want him gone.

"But but but ... trolls"

Seriously

The ultimate agenda poster calling other posters "trolls" lmfao

[GSH]

I was joking. I was pointing out that Parker will still be the Spurs starting PG in 2023.

2023. Sorry I missed that. I guess I had my Stupid- -O-Meter turned off.

You bring so much to a basketball discussion.

[GSH]

I can't believe that got didn't get that. I sure laughed.

[raybies]

Let's see where we stand

[DAF86]

Just teach him to not be flat footed and give effort on defense and he could be of use. On offense he could be Diaw-esque (big SF/stretch PF that can knock down the three or create with craftiness on catch and drive situations).

Meh, close enough.

6'9'' guy that shoots 48% from 3's? I'm loving him already.

He fooled me with that last flukey shooting season he had on college though.

[raybies]

Love the Kyle Anderson pick - savvy point forward who will fit the system perfectly.

Versatile tall player with handles who can play on the wing and lead the break. Nice.

Kwahi/Diaw need a quality backup and this is it, bulk him up a little bit and another good passer for the engine. Love his height and wingspan.

Spurs is the best team in the league at developing role players, maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Can do a lot worse with 30th pick.

I like the pick

If there's one franchise that can work with such an unique player, it's San Antonio. He can definitely play.

At #30 you can't go wrong with a guy like Anderson. If he develops into Diaw 2.0 you've hit a homer, if he fails to develop it was only a #30 pick.

Love it, typical Spurs steal. I think this kid will be very useful in a few years.

The happiest Spur should be Mills right now. Anderson gives hope for the bench post-Manu. The idea of Patty as the back-up PG in a few years no longer seems scary.

They say he is the best passer in the draft. Can shoot the 3. Defense can be taught especially with his size.

I can see him as a versatile backup forward. Probably can play small ball 4. High IQ point forward. The only thing that concerns me is his defense. He has great size but is so slow. Really slow, like super slow.

some gems from the first 5 pages

[Hoops Czar]

I doubt they cut Anderson next year. He's gone after his rookie contract.

I wouldn't put money down on that one just yet.

[Hoops Czar]

some gems from the first 5 pages

He's still massively underachieving according to people in the know.

People excited about Kyle Anderson
Bill Walton "He's a comet shooting across the universe in the Pacific Northwest."
Vitale “Should be a lock top 15 – Kyle is a mini version of MagicJohnson & that is high praise.”
Bob Hurley Sr "Modern-day Magic Johnson"
Bobby Hurley "If you think about what his potential is and his upside is, I think it's as high as any player who has stepped in the door,”
Lebron James "One of the next big things in basketball."
Kevin Durant "The best player in the country."

Don't quite your day job KD.

[raybies]

Bill Walton lol That guy is pure entertainment

[Chinook]

Offensively, Kyle's about where most guys would have assumed he'd be in his second or third year. Defensively, he's far beyond what most people would have ever imagined.

[dabom]

Offensively, Kyle's about where most guys would have assumed he'd be in his second or third year. Defensively, he's far beyond what most people would have ever imagined.

Area defending is fine. Put a guard on him and watch him get abused.

[Thunder1]

Will be interesting to see how Pop finds room to play him once Kawhi returns..