The San Antonio Spurs are in a peculiar spot. Rumors have swirled about superstar Kawhi Leonard, who may not be long for San Antonio. No matter what the team does with Leonard, the Spurs will also be contending. As a result, they will select a player that can help them now and fill in on the wing in Keita Bates-Diop.
Bates-Diop exploded in his senior season at Ohio State. He took home Big 10 Player of the Year honors, averaging 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. He was very productive as he got the job done on both ends of the court.
There are some concerns with him, as he needs to get stronger to play power forward full time. He isn’t the most athletically gifted player in the draft, but if there is a team that gets the most of out players and can cover up deficiencies, it is the Spurs.
Developing his 3-point shot will be key to him landing a consistent role in the NBA. He was inconsistent at times in his collegiate career, making 35.2 percent from the 3-point line in his four seasons.
With Rudy Gay, Kyle Anderson and David Bertans all free agents this summer, and Leonard’s status up in the air, the Spurs need help on the wing. Bates-Diop can provide that right away.