The San Antonio Spurs are figuring themselves out in the preseason right now. However, it’s not too early to take a stab at some NBA Draft prospects for 2022. Particularly, some potential sleepers might find themselves available in the second round.
The Spurs are likely to end up with a top-10 pick in 2022 assuming the wins total predictions come true. For those not in the know, that number lands between 28 and 32, depending on which betting service you follow. This would also mean they would be picking somewhat early in the second round. Here are some names to know before that time comes around.
Donta Scott
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward out of Maryland stepped up in a huge way his sophomore season. With Aaron Wiggins and Daryl Morsell leaving, Scott should have greater scoring opportunities. He will move back to his more natural position of power forward and play with his high school teammate, Fatts Russell. All of this should help Scott and improve on his already efficient shooting.
He shot almost 44% from beyond the arch last season on over three attempts a game while also shooting nearly 50% from the floor overall. He is a solid defender who’s stronger than a lot of guys he guards and he likes to use that posting up as well. But he will have to work on his quickness and staying in front of smaller forwards when it comes to his defense.
Max Christie
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound swingman out of Michigan State will have to put on some mass and get stronger, but he has a great base of skills to work with off the bat. He is already a three-level shooter with special mastery in the mid-range. He uses a variety of moves to get his shot inside the arc but is not a particularly strong finisher at the rim yet since he has more muscle to put on for now.
Christie should be a solid defender with his long arms and activity on the defensive end. However, he played mostly in high school and was the middle man. It remains to be seen what he can do in a man-to-man scheme and that will be a key factor in his “sleepiness” ahead of the draft.
Zach Edey
The 7-foot-4, 295-pound sophomore is one of my favorite players in the country. He could absolutely be the next Boban Marjanovic and frankly, who doesn’t want that? He’s not just a big body though. He played for Team Canada at the U19 World Cup in Latvia, averaging 15.1 points and 14.1 rebounds per game. Last season, he was one of three freshmen nationally to average 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds, block 30 shots and shoot at least 57.5 percent from the field with the other two being Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson and USC’s Evan Mobley. The latter of which was a top-5 pick.
Edey is not afraid of contact and being physical with a defender in the post. He has a few good moves he consistently uses well and of course, if that fails, he can go over the top of anyone. Look for his role to grow with Purdue this year as the Boilermakers are expected to be a top-tier team in college basketball this season.