The Spurs are in a beginning stage of a rebuild, loading up on young players. With the benefit of hindsight, how did they do in last year's draft?
The Spurs go into this off-season with a lot of hope. Obviously, they won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. They also have a ton of first-round picks in the coming years. The majority of their extra picks come from the Hawks but they also have first-round picks from the Celtics, Raptors, and Bulls. Yes, their future is extremely bright due to Wembanyama but they certainly have the picks to surround him with a lot of talent.
They also had three first-round selections in last year's draft and, with their rookie seasons behind them, we can grade how well they did.
Re-grading the Spurs 2022 Draft picks: 3. Jeremy Sochan, Grade B+
Jeremy Sochan was selected with the No. 9 overall pick in last season's draft. He came out of Baylor and was selected around where he was mocked in the draft. He was a very solid power forward for the Spurs this season and it seems like he will be able to make a career in the NBA.
You could make the argument that Tari Eason (selected No. 18 was the better player this season) but honestly the difference is so small that it doesn't really matter.
Jeremy Sochan was one of the better rookies in the league this season. He was a solid rebounder and created enough offense to average 11 points per game. In the future, he could be a double-double machine and a very solid player in this league.
He didn't really showcase any star potential in year one. He will most likely not be someone who is a household name but he could be a solid starter/high-quality role player in this league. For the ninth pick in this draft, that is a pretty good return and he could be an important piece going forward.
Re-grading the Spurs 2022 Draft picks: 2. Malaki Branham, Grade B
Malaki Branham was the No. 20 overall pick in last season's draft. He came out of Ohio State and was pretty much selected where he was supposed to go.
In his first year with the Spurs, Branham was a very solid scorer and creator. On a team that isn't rebuilding, he is probably stuck to playing backup guard minutes but still, those minutes will be high-quality. He ended up averaging 10 points per game on 44 percent shooting on the floor.
In due time, Branham could end up as a starting guard in this league. If he is able to be a better play-maker in this league, continues improving on defense and becomes a reliable 3-point shooter he's an excellent complement to Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and the rest of the Spurs other young wings.
Re-grading the Spurs 2022 Draft picks: 1. Blake Wesley, Grade C+
Blake Wesley was selected with the No. 25 overall pick in this last season's draft. He came out of Notre Dame and was selected around where he was mocked. He ended up averaging 5 points per game on 32 percent shooting from the floor, with a lowly 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Hitting on two of their picks isn't bad. Yes, it would be amazing if they were able to hit on all of their picks but it seems like Wesley might have as bright a future be a functional rotation player going forward. Wesley isn't a lost cause at all after year one and as one of the younger players in last year's draft, there is still plenty of time to improve.
One of the other reasons for grading this pick slightly lower is how many other useful players were available when the Spurs drafted. They could have had Andrew Nembhard, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jaylin Williams, Caleb Houstan or Jaden Hardy, all of whom were much more impressive as rookie role players.
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