The Golden State Warriors traded center Damian Jones for forward Omari Spellman on Monday, but the incoming return has been put in question during his rookie year due to issues with his weight. Spellman, a former teammate of four-year Villanova product Eric Paschall — whom the Warriors drafted with their 41st and last selection of the 2019 NBA Draft — knows he will have to get his playing weight sorted out before he can see the floor with his new teammates.
Spellman was sidelined for 19 games with a high-ankle injury in his rookie season, largely in part to being out of shape, reportedly weighing at 293 pounds at one point. He's been listed at 245 pounds, but that number might be far from accurate, considering he had not played basketball for a four-month stretch.
“[I'm] very far from where I want to be,” Spellman admitted, according to Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News. “It’s going to be a tough road to redemption. But I’m definitely looking forward to getting on that road with a new organization and new staff.”
“I’m definitely learning from the mistakes in year one and learning from the mistakes this summer. I’m coming back refocused, revamped and ready to put in some work.”
The 6-foot-9 big man will have the chance to gain some comfort linking up with Paschall, whom he played alongside during his days as a Wildcat.
“It was crazy to be with Eric and playing with him at ‘Nova and seeing how he developed,” Spellman said. “I feel I’m far from a finished product. So the more I can learn and more I can absorb, the more I can grow and get better. That’s what I’m trying to do. Go out there and compete and get better.”
The hope is that the support system will play a role on how Spellman tackles his weight loss this summer, and how game-ready he comes into training camp, as that could ultimately determine if he will see some run this season.
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