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So long as Gregg Popovich remains at the helm, the San Antonio Spurs will always be considered contenders. Granted, the past couple of seasons have left a lot to be desired, but despite two consecutive first-round exits, the Spurs remain a perpetual playoff team. The same holds true for the coming season, in spite of all the groundbreaking moves throughout the league.
This has long been the case for San Antonio, and as a result, the team has not been able to get their hands on a lottery pick for the longest time. As a matter of fact, after selecting the legendary Tim Duncan with the first overall pick back in 1997, the highest selection the Spurs have had since then was pick No. 18. This came in the form of Lonnie Walker IV, whom San Antonio selected in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Nonetheless, the Spurs have gained the reputation of snagging some of the best talents late in the draft. This is definitely a nod to their scouting team, who have done tremendously well over the past two decades finding diamonds in the rough.
Manu Ginobili (57th pick, 1999), Tony Parker (28th pick, 2001), George Hill (26th pick, 2008), Dejounte Murray (29th pick, 2016), and Derrick White (29th pick, 2017) are just some of the names San Antonio has acquired using late picks.
In the recent draft, the Spurs seem to have gotten another steal in 29th overall pick Keldon Johnson. The 19-year-old is a 6-foot-6 guard from the University of Kentucky, and as luck may have it, he will be looking to carry on San Antonio's tradition of unearthing gems late in the draft.
Johnson had an outstanding year as a freshman under legendary Kentucky head coach John Calipari, as he put up 13.5 points (on 46.1 percent shooting), 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.8 steals in 30.7 minutes per contest. Johnson was also pretty reliable from distance, logging 1.2 treys per ballgame on a 38.1 percent clip from beyond the arc. For his efforts, the former Oak Hill Academy High School standout was awarded last season's SEC Freshman of the Year.
Prior to the draft, Johnson was projected to be selected much earlier than he actually was, so in this respect, the Spurs are already getting him for a bargain. It is undeniable that Johnson may have felt a bit hard done as he fell all the way to 29th, but surely, becoming part of an esteemed organization like the Spurs is now a best-case scenario for him, all things considered.
In terms of Johnson's upside, he is a high-motor guy who does a lot of things relatively well. He could be a threat for the Spurs from deep, and with his physicality and athleticism in play, he should be able to get to the rim to score some baskets.
However, it is without question that Johnson still has a lot of room for improvement. He dished out under two assists per game last season, which shows that his skills as a playmaker need work. Johnson could also use an upgrade on his defense, but at least he seems to have the right amount of competitiveness and grit to elevate his defensive game.
Right now, Johnson does not really excel in one specific area of the game. We should not expect big things from the youngster in his rookie year, and a role as a backup will likely be the best-case scenario for him.
However, what's great about Johnson's situation is the fact that this is the San Antonio Spurs we are talking about here. If there's any system that can tap Johnson's potential, it would have to be San Antonio.
The Spurs are a well-oiled machine, and they know exactly what they need from each and every player. They certainly did not select Johnson on a whim, and it is without question that they already have a long-term plan for the youngster. Johnson will require a lot of coaching in his rookie year (and beyond) for him to develop into a significant member of the squad, and there is no better place for him to grow than in San Antonio.
