After nearly half a decade of watching ping pong balls and waiting for the draft to improve the roster, the San Antonio Spurs finally have a winning team. At 31-15, the Spurs are second in the Western
Conference and on the fast track for a playoff spot. The NBA Draft is out of sight and out of mind for most Spurs fans.
But when you’re a basketball junkie, catching college hoops games and doing deep dives on the next class of NBA players, it’s hard not to think about which exciting young prospect could don the Silver and Black next season. It’s even more exciting when San Antonio has a pick that may be headed for the lottery, despite their success. The Spurs own swap rights with the 23-25 Atlanta Hawks in the upcoming draft. If the season ended today, that pick would be 12th overall.
Experts have praised the 2026 draft class for having top-tier talent and strong depth. If San Antonio lands a pick in the 10-14 range, they could likely grab a rotational player. That’s great news for a Spurs team that could use more high-quality depth at the wing and forward positions to complement Victor Wembanyama and their guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
Of course, trading a lottery pick in a package for a high-quality wing upgrade will still be on the table, but if the Spurs use their pick in the upcoming draft, here are some names to keep an eye on when you flip on a college game.
Thomas Haugh, 6-9 forward, Florida
2026 stats: 17.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals; 46.7% FG, 33.6% 3PT, 74.3% FT
The Spurs have built a long, versatile, tough defensive squad around Wembanyama. They could double down on that team build by taking Haugh in the upcoming draft. The Junior Gator has been outstanding in his first season as a starter for Florida. He’s a big, strong wing who can guard on the perimeter and swat shots away inside. He’s got a high motor, and Florida head coach Todd Golden has trusted him to play 34.3 minutes per game (a college game has 40 minutes).
Haugh has developed a lot offensively over his 3-year career at Florida. He’s great at attacking the rim and has a high basketball IQ, knowing where to be on the floor and making the right passing reads. Here comes the part Spurs fans won’t want to hear – his shot is still developing. It’s a clean release, but it doesn’t always look the most fluid. He’s shooting just under 34% from deep, so he’s not a sharpshooter, but he is a threat when left open.
Betting on Haugh would take belief in his development over the course of his college career. He went from an energy big man off the bench to the sixth man for a National Championship team, to a go-to option on the wing in his junior season. He’d fit into the Spurs roster as a player who could guard bigger players and quicker wings, while giving them another swingman who can finish around the basket and put pressure on the rim. Mix in a high motor on both ends, and he could be a winning player for San Antonio. His jump shot is the final piece that needs to fall into place.
Cameron Carr, 6-6 wing/guard, Baylor
2026 stats: 20.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks; 53.9% FG, 41.6% 3PT, 76.6% FT
The Spurs have gone through anemic offensive stretches this season. When Wembanyama is jammed up, and the paint is blocked off for Fox, Castle, and Harper to do damage inside, the team has struggled to find shots on the perimeter and mid-range. If they want an offensive weapon on the wing, look no further than Carr. The Baylor Junior is a great athlete, fluid with the basketball and drills threes. You’ll see him hit deep contested threes, shots coming off movement, or pull-up threes off the bounce.
He’d fit well into the Spurs system, too. He’s not a primary playmaker, but he’s shown some decent passing chops this season as a secondary ball-handler, tossing 2.5 assists per game. He’s not a great defender right now, but he certainly has the tools to be. His athleticism and long arms let him rise above offensive players for big-time blocks or highlight reel dunks on the other end. With some coaching on attention to detail, the Spurs could unlock Carr as a two-way threat on the wing.
Carr gives me college Zach LaVine vibes. He’s a crazy athlete with a good jumper and shows signs of passing chops. But before this season, Carr was completely off the map. He barely played for Tennessee in his first two seasons. Is this year indicative of who he is as a player? Or is it simply a hot streak? His talent makes it seem like it is the former. If that is the case, he could give San Antonio a real offensive weapon who could develop into a defensive asset as he gets stronger and more experienced.
Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-9 forward, Michigan
2026 stats: 14.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists; 51.4% FG, 32.5% 3PT, 83.8% FT
Many teams shy away from older prospects. The Spurs should not be one of those teams. With most of their young core established, it’s okay to draft a good player with more miles on them. Lendeborg fits the bill.
The Michigan forward is a true modern college player. He’s in his 6th collegiate season, and will be 24 years old when he steps on the NBA floor as a rookie. He’s been great in his sole season for the Wolverines. Lendeborg is a big, strong big/forward who often plays alongside Michigan’s giant big man, Aday Mara. He has a great blend of physicality, athleticism, and skill that make him versatile enough to play inside and out. He can handle the ball to get to the rim, spot up from three, or score in isolation on the interior. Defensively, he’s tough and has created advantages for his team with 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
He’s cooled off a bit from three since starting the season shooting 40% from deep. His jump shot going down is key to his fit in San Antonio. If he’s hitting threes, he’d be an awesome fit next to Wembanyama. He could protect the rim alongside him and further build out the team’s versatile offensive talent. His upside may be capped a bit with his age, but it’s not hard to envision him coming in and contributing to winning on day one.
Keaton Wagler, 6-6 guard, Illinois
2026 stats: 17.5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; 47.7% FG, 43.5% 3PT, 82.6% FT
The Spurs probably don’t need another guard, but they could use a lights-out shooter. Wagler, the freshman from Illinois, would provide exactly that. Wagler made headlines after dropping a whopping 46 points on 9-11 shooting from three against Purdue over the weekend. Despite being a three-star prospect coming out of high school, Wagler has established himself among the elite players in the draft.
Wagler’s highlight skill is his shooting. He’s got a quick release and will make teams pay if they sag off or close out late. He’s getting better and better every game as a primary playmaker, but he can also play off the ball. He isn’t a high-level athlete, and he definitely needs to get stronger to play at the next level, but Wagler brings a high-level skill and one that the Spurs definitely need.
If San Antonio selected Wagler, he could play alongside their other guards off the ball and give the Spurs another ball-handler and passer to get Wembanyama the ball. You could call his selection a triple-down on a team built with multiple, bigger ball-handlers. Unlike the others, this one would give San Antonio the knockdown shooter they’ve been needing.
Joshua Jefferson, 6-8 forward, Iowa State
2026 stats: 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists; 50% FG, 40.4% 3PT, 71.5% FT
Draft experts are torn on Jefferson. Some have him in the lottery; others have him in the second round. The Iowa State senior is one of the most impactful players on one of the best teams in college basketball. He’s a point forward with a high basketball IQ, strong frame, and NBA-level athleticism. He’s a true statsheet stuffer, putting up two triple-doubles for the Cyclones this season.
Jefferson’s shooting ability has been a question mark for his entire career. This season, he’s answered those questions by shooting 40.4% from deep on 2.9 attempts per game. Watching Jefferson, it’s clear he still doesn’t have great touch, including some finishing ability around the basket, but it’s good to see some of these spot-up threes go down for him this year.
Alongside Wembanyama, Jefferson would give the Spurs a smart positional defender who can handle the ball and act as a secondary playmaker. He’d thrive in San Antonio’s transition game and fit right into what they want to do defensively as a smart positional defender. If he can knock down threes at the next level, he could be a long-term NBA starter. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote that he is the closest thing he has seen to Draymond Green’s college tape. Whether he climbs boards and the Spurs have to take him in the lottery or in the second round, Jefferson should be on San Antonio’s radar come draft day.
