SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs will have plenty of picks during the 2022 NBA Draft with their best being the No. 9 pick overall, a pair of late 20s picks, and an early second round pick.
This creates plenty of options for the team should they decide to keep their all picks, and one NBA prospect wouldn't mind wearing the Silver and Black uniform.
And one NBA Draft candidate already made his wish clear when it comes to a team he hopes to play with.
In a 2020 chat with Nets Daily, NBA hopeful Kai Sotto was asked which team he would like to suit up for once he makes it to the league.
Keep in mind that in 2020, the Spurs were not in the playoffs, but nevertheless, Sotto pointed to San Antonio as a team he'd like to join.
"I want to say the Spurs, but the Spurs are not in the playoffs anymore," Sotto said.
The 20-year-old, 7'3" center from the Philippines honed his craft with the G League's Ignite squad last season, but abruptly left due to prior international obligations with the Philippines national team in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
Sotto is projected to fall in the second round of the draft and the Spurs own the 38th pick should they use it on this project player.
Most mock drafts describe him as a good shot-blocking, agile, rebounding, and strength in the post style of an NBA big man. However, he is also described as passive on offense and lacks physical strength.
It's also being reported that one NBA team gave Sotto a promise to draft him.
"And we actually already have commitments from at least one team that said if he stays in the draft, we'll draft him. We have that already," Sotto's agent said.
With the Spurs' reputation for developing foreign players, it will be interesting if the team will go down that path once again.
And if the Spurs take a flyer on Sotto, he will also get a chance to work with Tim Duncan.
Someone he has idolized for a long time.
"I really look up to Tim Duncan. I always see him as this player that doesn’t need to trash talk his opponents, doesn’t complain – that’s just me. Seeing him always locked in, and he’s a winner. That’s what I want to be,” Sotto said.
What do you say, Spurs fans? Should the team take a gamble on Sotto? Let us know on Twitter at @KENS5, and at @JeffGSpursKENS5.