Spurs' 2009 Draft Prospects

I can see Pop using one of the late second round picks to draft a foreigner and then leave him in Europe.

Probably.

What issue should the Spurs be trying to focus on in the draft? An athletic big man/typical big guy, athletic wing man, a shooter, or a backup PG?

I think they should look at small forwards and centers and they need to be athletic.

Sam Young



Height: 6' 6"
Weight: 210 lbs
Birthday: 06/01/1985 (23 Years Old)
Current: SF/PF
NBA: SF
Possible: SF
Best Case: James Posey
Worst Case: Joey Graham

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Sam-Young-1012/
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/sam-young

NBA Comparison: Joey Graham

Strengths: A great athlete, possessing a strong body with a tremendous wingspan … Has shown major improvements through the course of his college career … Has put in serious work on his jumpshot, as a result he has become a reliable threat from the outside … One of the better leapers in college, he is able to finish with a variety of highlight plays … Even though it looks very awkward, his shot fake is surprisingly effective and it allows him to get by the defense … His strong body gives him the luxury of absorbing contact when attacking the basket … For all of his offensive gains, he is still a more valuable asset on the defensive end … His combination of size, length and athleticism allow him to lock down players from a variety of positions … He works extremely hard moving his feet and even though he is very aggressive, he is fairly disciplined and doesn’t take careless gambles …

Weaknesses: He is not the smoothest player, his movements lack fluidity and at times he looks very uncomfortable on offense … Part of the problem is his ballhandling, which is still very questionable, and it limits his ability to create off the dribble … His first step is less than spectacular and it forces him to try to create opportunities that are not always there, often resulting in careless plays … Improvements on his jumper have made him settle for more outside shots, instead of attacking the basket … Even though his shot is more consistent, it is nowhere near a finished product, his release is very herky jerky and his stance is off balance, causing him to shoot fadeways … He is old for his class, which naturally shortens his growth curve …

Borko Popic 12/26/08

It would be great for the Spurs to get Sam Young. He could learn from Bruce. From what I've read his defense is impressive. The Spurs would have to move up to get him. I have isolated some quotes that describe his defense.

For all of his offensive gains, he is still a more valuable asset on the defensive end … His combination of size, length and athleticism allow him to lock down players from a variety of positions

Blessed with athleticism, strength, and an excellent body, Sam Young looks the part and has the work ethic to be a defensive specialist at the next level.

Young is an interesting prospect Libri.

I watched a few Pitt games this year but really don't remember his game too much, which is surprising because according to his stats he played real well in the Tournament this year. Not only does everyone say that he has the tools to become a great defender, the guy doesn't look to shabby on offense end either averaging 19.2 points per game his senior season. I also like that he played 4 years of college ball with his Junior and Senior seasons playing 32 mins a game for a quality program like Pitt. He also shoots good percentages, an efficient player.

Even with all that said, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he falls all the way to 37, it's just not likely. For example, last year nobody thought CDR would fall to 40, but in fact nbadraft.net had him slated to go at 25. Of course Douglas-Roberts didn't exactly light it up for the Nets in his rookie year either.

Tyler Smith would be wise to stay out of the draft and get another year of college, but if he makes a run at the money I would love for the Spurs to draft him if he falls that far or if we can swing a deal. Right now he hasn't signed an agent and is just testing the waters. Right now Draft Express has him going mid second round.

Tyler Smith



H: 6' 7"
W: 210 lbs
Bday: 09/04/1986
(22 Years Old)
NBA: SF

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/tyler-smith
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Tyler-Smith-1180/

I have seen him compared to Renaldo Balkman, Ariza, and even Josh Howard and Stephen Jackson. I have also watched this kid play quite a bit and I don't think he is as good as any of those guys right now. He does have the potential to be as good as them though. His glaring weakness is his outside shot. But if he had the dedication and the right coaches he may be able to turn this around.

He was originally a PF but has been transitioning to the SF position over the last two seasons. His outside shot and his handles need some work but he has a good basketball IQ, and is very aggressive getting to the basket, to the foul line and running out in transition. His arms are crazy long too, much like those other players he is compared too.

One thing that may scare people off about this kid is some of his tattoos he has. Particularly the teardrop tattoos under his left eye. Don't worry, he is a good kid and these tattoos are intended as a way to remember his deceased father, not a sign that he shanked a couple of people in prison.

Yeah, if Tyler is looking to become a first rounder then he will probably go back to college.

San Antonio Spurs

2008-09 Record: 54-28



Draft Picks: 37, 51, 53




Key Free Agents:

Michael Finley (Player option)

Drew Gooden

Fabricio Oberto (Partially guaranteed)

Ime Udoka

Jacque Vaughn



How They Got Here:

For the tenth year in a row the Spurs won at least 50 games, with Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Coach Popovich once again leading the way this season. If it wasn’t for Manu Ginobili missing half the season due to injury, they probably would have won closer to 60 games. As it was, their 54 win total was their worst season since 99/00.



What They Need:

The Spurs are getting old - and injury prone - very quickly, so they need an influx of top-shelf young talent. Unfortunately they don’t have any first round picks this year to accomplish this. Their small forward and center positions are especially old, so they should concentrate on those with their second round picks.



Who They'll Take:

As mentioned, the Spurs need young wing and post players. Among the possibilities in the second round that they should consider would be Danny Green, Victor Claver, Omri Casspi and Alade Aminu. The Spurs tend to do well with their draft picks, so if anyone is going to find a jewel in the second round, its them.

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/san-anto ... aft-166863

Victor Claver

Birthday: 8/30/88
NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: International
Ht: 6-9
Wt: 236
Team: Pamesa Valencia
Hometown: Spain

NBA Comparison: Jorge Garbajosa/Antawn Jamison

Alvaro Paricio - 7/20/2007

Strengths: Very strong mentally with impressive physical characteristics as well ... A long athletic forward, with good agility and smoothness in the open floor ... Has a nice skill set offensively with the ability to face the basket and shoot from outside as well as get by his man to the basket ... His combination of height and agility plus offensive polish makes him a very dangerous player ... He likes to play open and when he has some space he normally eludes his defenders because usually hes faster ... He possesses great confidence as a scorer, with the ability to shoot from distance, especially from the corners where his percentage is best ... In the paint he likes to play facing the basket and doesn't waste dribbles ... He attacks the rim with aggresiveness and often finishes with fantastic dunks. Has developing ballhandling ability and possesses vision to see the floor and find teammates ... he's adept at recognizing double teams and passing out of them ... Similar to Jorge Garbajosa, Claver has a real sense for the game, very smart ... Claver's great length (big wing span) gives him an edge defensively where he's a solid shot blocker and rebounder ... Great leaping ability and a willingness to put his nose in the play make him strong on the boards ... Despite his youth, Claver has already played in the highest level in Europe and has shown great maturity. This year he has played his better games in Playoffs 2007 (11.5 ppg, 2 rpg,. 75 bpg) assuming a very rare offensive responsibility for its age. He is a very intelligent player who knows to choose the best option in offensive game ...

Weaknesses: He needs to add strength although he's very tough and doesn't seem to have any issues with his body, just further developing strength as he's still just going on 19 ... He also needs to improve on defensive rebounds ... Due to his physical development, he is still in the process of defining his position. During a great part of his career he has played as a small forward, but this year in Pamesa Valencia has played his better matches as a power forward ... At this point he lacks the strength to play inside (as a 4) in the NBA and he's a little slow footed with his foot speed laterally on defense ... He's such a talent he should be able to play both forward positions, but finding his best fit either at the 3 or 4 will be of help to him ... He's generally a better offensive player than defender, he should improve his defense because is a little bit soft and less focused there ... As power foward needs to gain muscle and toughness to battle opponents on the boards ... Offensively he needs to improve his mid-range shot and his back to the basket game as he often gets too enamored with drifting away from the basket ... Having an inside/outside game ala Dirk Nowitki would be a big advantage for him ... He is excellent at drawing fouls from his opponents, but his percentage of free throws is just average at 62%, so becoming a better foul shooter will be a great help to him ...

Overall: Despite being a very mature player for his age, Claver needs to gain more experience in Europe, to assume greater responsibilities and to progress technically so he can eventually jump to the NBA with total security.

Omri Casspi - Israel

Birthday: 6/22/88
NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: International
Ht: 6-8
Wt: 225
Team: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hometown: Rehovot, Israel

NBA Comparison: Andres Nocioni/Hedo Turkoglu

Stevan Petrovic - 5/3/2009
Strengths: Since last year Casspi has improved his game both offensively and defensively ... He attacks the basket more. On top of his scoring mentality he has became more aggressive and tough under the rim (his body has not improved that much since last year, but his game definitely has) ... Very long and athletic player with excellent frame, plus leaping and slashing ability ... It’s very difficult to guard him due to his size and ability to play inside/outside ... Casspi will beat bigger opponents off the dribble due to his quickness and take advantage of smaller opponents by posting them up inside ... Improved his shooting ability since last year; Casspi is dangerous from outside and can hit open jump-shots from 16-17 feet (he is much quicker getting his shot off) ... Solid 3 point shooter who does not hesitate to shoot 3’s if he is open (45% 3PT)... His combination of skills and quick first step allows him to beat defenders off the dribble anytime ... (loves finishing with dunks at the rim if possible). Not afraid of contact and draws many fouls (solid free-throw shooter at 76.1 FT%). Casspi possesses great body control when driving to the basket ... Good finisher under the basket 70.8 FG% Very quick at running the transition game and beating his opponents for layups or dunks (he scored many baskets in transition this year). In rebounding, he improved going from 3.2 RPG last year to 4.6 RPG ... Casspi improved his ability to box out and use his long arms when going for rebounds ... His toughness and size makes him solid at the defensive end ... He does a good job at the SF position and staying in front of his man ... His lateral quickness is solid. Competitive player who plays with a great amount of energy every time he steps on the court ...

Weaknesses: Casspi lacks body strength for the NBA (his body has not improved since last year) ... He has difficulty guarding stronger opponents in Euroleague and in the Israeli league ... Has to work to improve his shooting mechanics and be a more consistent outside shooter ... Not good at taking his defenders off the dribble and creating his own shots ... Needs to improve as a help side defender as well as getting better in the passing lanes ... Although he improved his rebounding ability, he needs to become much better ... Limited passing ability; has to learn how to find teammates more ... Gets criticized for being a bit of a prima donna type. Will he be willing to be a team player on the NBA level or will the desire to be a star keep him from being a succesful contributor?


Sami Zelikson - 8/21/2006:
Strengths: Athletic, runs the floor very well, good leaping ability Long arms, can throw it down almost any way Versatile, can either take it to the rim or pull up for long jump shots Good finishing touch, has a good feel for the ball Very strong at penetration, almost unstoppable Excellent mid-range shooter. Has 3 point range, with a very nice touch Strong ball handler, not afraid to run the point Loves to run, excels in the fast break A star from early childhood, well aware of things expected from him Not shy at all, knows what he's worth Always playing with older age groups, played in the U-18 league from 14-17 and played his HS senior year with Maccabi Tel Aviv seniors Shows a high skill level having played point guard as a kid Seems exited to play at the senior level. Next year will be interesting because he'll play outside the warm Maccabi cuddle for the first time in 4 years and a lot of eyes will be watching

Weaknesses: Appears to play for himself ... Seems to have a problematic character, at the youth level he often did whatever he pleased having a number of incidents and clashes Failed to win the Israeli HS league despite being in the most talented team and ended up leaving the school after disagreements with his coach He got his youth coach fired after the team failed to win the national title Never was able to take the junior national team to any remarkable achievements and this year's euro-championship was a real fiasco, despite Casspi's great numbers Often shows a great deal of arrogance and ego Often not aggressive enough, even in the Israeli youth league where he was taller then 95% of the guys, and easily the most coordinated and athletic at his size Doesn't go hard for boards, not fond of the "dirty work" on the court Settles for the outside shot too much, has a too much penetration skill and finishing touch for that Senior level experience, seriously needs floor time, does a lot of things well but still is in a need for "real" game time, unlike the garbage time he was getting in Maccabi Lacks tremendous foot speed

I think Splitter is sitll under contract for another year.

I think so too, until the summer of 2010 I believe.

Rodrigue Beaubois - France

Birthday: 2/24/88
NBA Position: Point Guard Class: International
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 180 Team:
Cholet Basket
Hometown: Guadeloupe, France

NBA Comparison: Rajon Rondo

Nico Van den Bogaerd - 4/25/2008

Strengths: Guadeloupe born point guard who has enjoyed some quality minutes during his teams 3 victorious games at la Semaine des As, as the French Cups final eight phase is called. Quite small with just over 6 feet and still very skinny, he compensates with very solid athleticism, quickness and foot speed ... Also has excellent general speed, long arms, a big and fast first step, added to okay passing and ball handling skills ... As a shooter hes already quite reliable, even from long range with a nice high release ... His huge wingspan allows him to play much bigger than his 6-1 size, and should help him develop into a strong defensive player in the future ...

Weaknesses: Doesnt show much ability and initiative to create his own outside shots off the dribble, despite playing several minutes at the 2 position ... Defensively hes quite average due to a combination of factors. Even with his quick feet, he struggles to get through screens. His lack of body strength doesnt do him any favors either if the opponent drives on him. And what might be the most worrying part, is his below average awareness at both ends of the court ... Average weak side positioning in defense, too often gambling for steals at midcourt. On offense he got called 2 offensive fouls leading the fast break, making really bad decisions ... Hopefully and most probably this aspect will improve considerably as he continues gaining experience, but an important trouble spot to focus on nonetheless.

Outlook: All together hes still quite far away of being able to contribute regularly on any NBA or strong European team. 2 years left to make significant progress in order to convince NBA teams that hes worthy of a draft pick.

Aran Smith - 10/24/2007
Strengths: Incredibly quick and athletic point guard Shows a fearless attitude and competitive nature Extremely long wingspan (6-10) gives him a huge advantage at both ends of the floor Huge hands also give him great control of the ball An excellent ball handler and passer who appers to be on a steep learning curve. Extremely confident. Has a brashness and cockiness rarely found in European players Does a solid job of seperating his on and off court demeanor His length and reflexes make him a potential lock down defender Started playing organized basketball late, but has shown huge improvement in a short period of time

Weaknesses: Has all the physial tools and skills to be a great PG, but must develop his offensive skills and learn to master the PG position Lacks experience. Came out of nowhere during the summer impressing scouts at the Reebok Eurocamp, but an injury cut his camp short Must improve as a shooter. His mechanics are solid, but he must develop better consistency and ability to shoot off the dribble Improved body strength will give him better finishing ability and range on his shot Very shy kid off the court, must learn to be a vocal leader on the court

Notes: Was discovered at an open basketball camp in Guadeloupe (French Islands) sponsored by Mickael Pietrus