Though the stakes weren’t as high as recent drafts for the San Antonio Spurs, it was a consequential one due to the glaring roster holes revealed during the recently concluded NBA Finals loss. They made an attempt to address them last night by drafting two big, defensive-minded centers using their own pick at 20th and trading for the Denver Nuggets 26th pick:
- 20th selection: Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky) – 6’10” 255 lb.
- 26th selection (via trade with Denver) Tarris Reed, Jr. (UConn) – 6’11” 265 lb.
Below is a review of the entire first round, but first, a few quick observations:
- Gratitude: That the Giannis trade happened (no more speculation on the sports networks and interwebs, AND we only have to play that team twice a season!)
- It was really nice to have them formally introduce the entire draft class (well, the ones that they anticipated would go in this first round) in alphabetical order by last name from A-Z before the festivities began.
- Did not realize that University of Houston’s Chris Cenac, Jr.’s last name was pronounced “SEH-NACK“.”
- Santa Clara’s Allen Graves came in noticeably trimmer than what his highlights showed.
- Coolest names: Labaron Philon, Jr., Dailyn Swain, Anicet Dybantsa (not AJ!)
- Was anyone surprised that Julius Randle was moved so quickly after the Western Conference semis?
- Surprisingly undrafted players: Isaiah Evans (Duke), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee)
And now onto the picks! (For the Spurs-specific comparisons,
the following players were not eligible for actual considerations: Tim Duncan, Victor Wembanyama, and Manu Ginobili.)
1. Washington Wizards
PLAYER: Anicet Dybantsa (BYU)
OBSERVATION: He looked genuinely happy to be taken here and especially to end up with the Wiz!
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: early Tracy McGrady / Spurs: springy Sean Elliott
2. Utah Jazz
PLAYER: Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
OBSERVATION: It feels like this whole rookie campaign for him will be a vendetta against not being the top selection.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Dwyane Wade with a jumpshot / Spurs: Dylan Harper with a reliable outside shot
3. Memphis Grizzlies
PLAYER: Cameron Boozer (Duke)
OBSERVATION: If he can have a career mimicing fellow Dukie Elton Brand, that would be great.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Carlos Boozer with better hair / Spurs: Terry Cummings with playmaking skills
4. Chicago Bulls
PLAYER: Caleb Wilson (UNC)
OBSERVATION: An excellent young man who pours into his community? Future Spur in 2035!
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Antonio McDyess before the knee injuries / Spurs: early David Robinson before he refined his offensive repertoire
5. LA Clippers (via Indiana)
PLAYER: Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
OBSERVATION: I can’t help but to keep thinking of Tyrese Haliburton. It doesn’t seem like he gets rattled.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Tyrese Haliburton / Spurs: Derrick White (after his Austin stints)
6. Brooklyn Nets
PLAYER: Mikel Brown, Jr. (Louisville)
OBSERVATION: Exudes confidence and I’m hopeful that he remains injury-free.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: 3rd year Cade Cunningham / Spurs: Rookie year Stephon Castle
7. Sacramento Kings
PLAYER: Darius Acuff, Jr. (Arkansas)
OBSERVATION: So. many. point. guards. in. this. franchise’s. history.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Damian Lillard / Spurs: What I think San Antonio wanted to turn Dejounte Murray into.
8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)
PLAYER: Kingston Flemings (Houston)
OBSERVATION: It seems like the University of Houston keeps churning out these tough defensive-minded guards over the last decade.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: a merge of VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey / Spurs: running out of excellent point guards here – 2014 Cory Joseph?
9. Dallas Mavericks
PLAYER: Morez Johnson, Jr. (Michigan)
OBSERVATION: Dusty May hired. Morez Johnson, Jr. selected!
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Taller Shawn Marion / Spurs: if Malik Rose were fully realized on defense
10. Milwaukee Bucks
PLAYER: Brayden Burries (Arizona)
OBSERVATION: Best son / father interaction in terms of meaningfulness.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Sacramento-era Harrison Barnes / Spurs: George Hill
11. Golden State Warriors
PLAYER: Yaxel Lendebourg (Michigan)
OBSERVATION: His well-traveled journey woud seem to indicate him ‘getting over himself.’
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Detlef Schrempf with range / Spurs: Boris Diaw (with the weight-based contract conditions)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers)
PLAYER: Aday Mara (Michigan)
OBSERVATION: Goodbye Chet Holmgren AND Isaiah Hartenstein! The highlight dunks for Castle and Harper will look that much more convincing.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Scared that he ends up like Zach Edey (injuries) / Spurs: Futuristic-version of Boban Marjanovic
13. Milwaukee Bucks (via Miami Heat)
PLAYER: Nate Ament (Tennessee)
OBSERVATION: He looks like he can easily fill out to about 235 lb. in several years.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Scottie Pippen / Spurs: early Kawhi Leonard with a jumper
14. Charlotte Hornets
PLAYER: Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
OBSERVATION: It seems like Charlotte has the guy that can pick up after the starting lineups wealth of shooters.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Mo Wagner (now) -> Franz Wagner (later) / Spurs: 2007 Fabricio Oberto
15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland)
PLAYER: Dailyn Swain (Texas)
OBSERVATION: Used his NIL money to pay off his mother’s college loans. That is a good son.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Rip Hamilton / Spurs: Derek Anderson (oof)
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix)
PLAYER: Bennett Stirtz (Iowa)
OBSERVATION: He was later traded to Oklahoma City for 2 second round picks (and swapped first round picks). Perhaps a replacement for Cason Wallace?
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Marco Belinelli / Spurs: 1994-1995 Vinny Del Negro
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia)
PLAYER: Ebuka Okorie (Stanford)
OBSERVATION: This pick was traded to Memphis, and then ultimately ended up in Detroit. Memphis received the 21st pick and 5 future second round draft picks.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Right-handed Jalen Brunson (throwing my keyboard out the window) / Spurs: Taller Patty Mills
18. Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando)
PLAYER: Christian Anderson, Jr. (Texas Tech)
OBSERVATION: I lost track of how many 6’1″ 180 lb guards there were in the top part of the draft by this point.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Daniss Jenkins / Spurs: Tre Jones by the time he left the team
19. Toronto Raptors
PLAYER: Allen Graves (Santa Clara)
OBSERVATION: “Just one selection before ours!” (Cried many Pounders)
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: ground-bound Jaime Jaquez, Jr. / Spurs: Phoenix-era Boris Diaw
20. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta)
PLAYER: Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky)
OBSERVATION: An athletic big 4 with a motor! A second unit of Quaintance and Bryant could help preserve some 2nd and 3rd quarter leads.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Kenneth Faried / Spurs: DeJuan Blair
21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota)
PLAYER: Karim Lopez (NZ Breakers)
OBSERVATION: This pick was part of the previous complicated trade and ultimately went to Memphis – essentially cementing Ja Morant’s departure.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: (ancestrally) Eduardo Najera / (stylistically) Ricky Rubio / Spurs: what they thought Kyle Anderson would turn out to be
22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston)
PLAYER: Labaron Philon, Jr. (Alabama)
OBSERVATION: Not sure of the fit alongside Maxey and Edgecombe – unless they want to have a closing line-up resembling Fox, Castle, and Harper.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Tyler Herro / Spurs: Tall Tony Parker
23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland)
PLAYER: Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s)
OBSERVATION: A really enjoyable player to watch.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Elton Brand with musculature / Spurs: what Charles Bassey could have become
24. New York Knicks
PLAYER: Cameron Carr (Baylor)
OBSERVATION: For all the fanfare that ESPN showed heading into the pick, it ended up being a pick swap with the Los Angeles Lakers (#25).
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Norman Powell / Spurs: I do see the resemblances to Devin Vassell.
25. Los Angeles Lakers
PLAYER: Sergio De Larrea (Spain)
OBSERVATION: I know nothing, but he seems like a decent spot-up shooter.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Reed Sheppard / Spurs: Doug McDermott
26. Denver Nuggets (traded to San Antonio)
PLAYER: Tarris Reed, Jr. (UConn)
OBSERVATION: San Antonio sent Denver a 2026 second round pick (and 2 future seconds) for the UConn big man. The fact that they went after Reed instead of Alex Karaban was an eye-opener.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Nene Hilario / Spurs: college-level LaMarcus Aldridge
27. Boston Celtics
PLAYER: Chris Cenac (Houston)
OBSERVATION: His shooting form looked fairly smooth from the highlights.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Naz Reid / Spurs: Portland LaMarcus Aldridge
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit)
PLAYER: Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State)
OBSERVATION: This selection went to Brooklyn as part of the trade featuring Julius Randle earlier in the week. It is really cool to see when players not featured in the draft room come straight out of the crowd like Jefferson did.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Domantas Sabonis / Spurs: late career Rudy Gay
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio)
PLAYER: Alex Karaban (UConn)
OBSERVATION: Each draft typically fits an ‘ultimate winner’ type and this guy is it.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: Shane Battier / Spurs: Late career Robert Horry
30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City)
PLAYER: Koa Peat (Arizona)
OBSERVATION: As with so many of the preceding picks, this one went to the Phoenix Suns.
UNOFFICIAL PLAYER COMP: Non-Spurs: / Spurs: regular season Keldon Johnson
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I hope you all enjoyed tonight’s recap. I look forward to seeing how Round 2 plays out tomorrow night!
