Five Spurs Sleeper Candidates for the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery
Ja’Kobe Walter is a sleeper pick for the Spurs in the lottery (Photo via Twitter)
When it comes time to make a selection in the lottery at No. 4 and No. 8, the San Antonio Spurs will most likely pick one of the 13 players mentioned in the comprehensive breakdown of their draft strategy. However, since we’re dealing with the same team that shocked the basketball-loving universe by picking Joshua Primo in the lottery a few years back, it’s prudent to make sure no potential lottery candidates fall through the cracks when considering their options.
The five lottery sleepers mentioned below all share the two most important Primo-like qualities. All five played only one year at college and all five graded extremely well in analytics models. I don’t think the Spurs will reach for any of these players in the lottery … but you never know.
Ja’Kobe Walter
First of all, I love Walter’s shooting stroke. It’s quick, compact and buttery smooth. As a freshman at Baylor, he did a great job getting to the free throw line. Walter also takes defense seriously and has the size (6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan) to eventually be really good on that end.
The flaws that will likely keep Walter out of San Antonio’s lottery picture begin with his shooting accuracy. He shot only 37.6% from the field as a freshman and was 34.1% from three-point range. He’s also not a playmaker and he lacks high-end athleticism.
Overall, Walter has a chance to be a valuable 3-and-D player down the line — but his ceiling appears to be limited.
Jared McCain
McCain garners rave reviews for his work ethic, professionalism and toughness. This side of Reed Sheppard, he might also be the best shooting prospect in the draft. He hit 41.4% of his threes, 88.5% of his free throws and 46.2% of his field goals. He’s also an excellent rebounder for his size who limits his mistakes on both ends of the court.
Unfortunately, McCain is 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-3 wingspan. Since he doesn’t have any point guard skills at all, he’ll need to play away from the ball. While McCain is very strong, he doesn’t have the measurements you want out on the wing.
McCain is a great shooter who scores high character-wise but his limitations are real.
Kyshawn George
George is a 6-foot-8 wing with a 6-foot-10 wingspan who was born in Switzerland and spent one season at the University of Miami. He’s an above average passer for someone his size but what should make him a first round draft pick is his three-point shooting. His volume was high and he shot better than 40% from deep.
Everything else about George is underwhelming. He lacks athleticism, grittiness and coordination. His defense leaves a lot to be desired. His offensive repertoire is also very limited for someone with NBA aspirations.
Johnny Furphy
While all these players look very good under the microscope of an analytics model, Furphy grades out as the best of these five players and one of the best in the entire draft. That said, it takes some squinting to see why the machines love him.
Efficiency is the name of the game for Furphy. He shot well from nearly every zone on the court. He also limited his turnovers, rebounded well and shot a lot of threes.
Furphy is 6-foot-8 but needs to keep working on his athleticism to make it in the NBA. His ability to read what’s happening needs to quicken. Furphy also needs to focus more on the defensive end.
Bub Carrington
In the post-Duncan and pre-Wembanyama days, the sun didn’t shine as bright in Texas sky and the bluebonnets weren’t as vivid. The Spurs spent many of those drafts searching out untapped upside. Back then, Carrington would be a no-brainer of a pick. He reminds me of a Blake Wesley who isn’t as athletic but has ten times more innate basketball skill.
I like Carrington as a ball-handler and passer. He’s not a true point guard but he can set the table for his teammates. His most impressive skill, however, is his ability to get defenders off-balance and then drain pull-up jumpers. That jumper off the dribble looks like a potential weapon — even on the NBA level.
Carrington does have some issues, however. He’s a bit too ball-dominant to be an ideal partner for Wembanyama. Driving all the way to the rim and finishing against NBA athletes could prove difficult for him. Carrington is neither strong nor quick, which will make defense a challenge at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan.