Yes, I know. I just combined at least three terrible movies together for the title of this post. The San Antonio Spurs might represent how terrible all those things are together this season as they are expected to miss the playoffs and not get particularly close. However, I am here to give them some drafting advice for not only next year’s draft, but the one or two after it.
In simplest terms, the Spurs should be taking swings on big men who show shooting or ball-handling potential. Yes, I know I just described a bit of a unicorn, but with the Spurs likely finding themselves in the top five of the next draft (and maybe more), they have to go big on someone other than a guard.
Fortunately, there’s a list of names for the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft of big men you can get ahead on for now. However, here are some of the names to look for in drafts after that. And you might feel it’s too early for this kind of “nonsense”, but we all know you’re secretly wanting to know. So here is the secret list of big men you should be keeping an eye on in the near future.
Victor Wembanyama
Not only is Victor’s name fun as hell to say, but he is a 7-foot-2, 210-pound unicorn. He played for the U19 French FIBA team this past summer and more than held his own. He is obviously a huge lob target and has good hands. He can also handle the ball on the perimeter and has nice range on his shot as well. He’s an excellent rim protector thanks to his size and he knows his role well on that end of the floor.
Derek Lively
The 7-foot-1, 215-pound center is the No. 2 overall prospect in the recruiting class of 2022. It’s easy to see why as he is an athletic big with some springs in his legs. He’s received comparisons to Tyson Chandler because of his length and athleticism. However, he’s got a budding perimeter game and could prove to be a shooter down the road, unlike Chandler in his career.
Victor Iwuchukwu
The 7-foot, 215-pound San Antonio native is playing at the Montverde Academy until he heads off to college or decides to go the G-League route. He recently committed to USC, which has been a big man factory as of late. That is clearly a good sign and would be a double whammy in a potential draft since he is a local San Antonian as well. He has plenty of room to learn as he is still a bit raw and is still growing into his body.
There will be more names to know once that draft gets closer and more players are able to get scouted properly. So be on the lookout for those profiles over the next couple of years no doubt. Until then, hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this journey to the centers of future past.
(For those wondering, it is a combination of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Days of Future Past” in the title.)
