The San Antonio Spurs have a bright future ahead. The franchise already has special pieces in the fold in the form of Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. The excitement doesn’t end there as the Spurs will be selecting with the second overall pick at the upcoming NBA Draft.
While San Antonio has shown the knack for successful draft picks, that doesn’t mean they’ve never made mistakes. In fact, not all prospects pan out in the NBA, and the same holds true even for the decorated franchise. Here is a look at the San Antonio Spurs’ 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history.
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1. Joshua Primo – 2021
The latest fumble in Spurs draft history has to be Joshua Primo. Taken in the first round with the 12th overall pick at the 2021 NBA Draft, Primo was expected to have plenty of upside and potential, and the Spurs were the perfect team on paper to develop him. However, the Alabama standout’s transition into the NBA wasn’t smooth. Two years into the NBA, Primo’s off-court conduct only hurt the team, engaging in inappropriate behavior, which opened cases of sexual harassment against him.
2. Luka Samanic – 2019
San Antonio was hoping to bolster their frontcourt by selecting Luka Samanic in the first round with the 19th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft. Samanic had the ability to create from the post, an enticing asset that could’ve been beneficial for the Spurs’ system. However, Samanic had a difficult time translating his international game into the NBA scene, forcing Gregg Popovich to eventually cut him.
3. Nikola Milutinov – 2015
Historically, the Spurs have always been able to maximize their draft picks. However, that wasn’t the case at the 2015 NBA Draft, when they basically wasted a first-round pick on Nikola Milutinov. Drafted with the 26th overall pick, Milutinov confessed that the Spurs front office were never serious about bringing him aboard. Instead, the Serbian big man opted to stay put in Europe to win championships.
4. Nando de Colo – 2009
Nando de Colo is one of the brightest stars in European basketball. And with Tony Parker’s success in the NBA, Popovich had hoped that De Colo would be able to do the same. However, it turned out that the French stalwart was simply not built for the NBA as he was only used in limited minutes. De Colo spent his tenure in San Antonio as the 11th man, forcing him to eventually take his talents back to Europe after a brief stint with the Toronto Raptors.
5. Ian Mahinmi – 2005
Another French player that didn’t pan out with the Spurs was Ian Mahinmi. The wide-bodied 6-foot-11 big man was taken in the first round with the hopes of forming a twin-tower combination with Tim Duncan. Mahinmi offered rim protection and athleticism, potentially giving the Spurs some much-needed frontcourt depth. However, his Spurs tenure was forgettable as he just couldn’t stay out of foul trouble. On the bright side, Mahinmi did eventually win a title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
6. Dwayne Schintzius – 1990
After starring for the University of Florida, while possessing great size at 7-foot-2, the Spurs used their 24th pick of the 1990 NBA Draft to pick up Dwayne Schintzius. Although the sky was the limit for the big man, he turned out to be a huge disappointment, averaging just 3.8 points per game in his rookie year. To make matters worse, a back injury convinced the front office to trade him away in his sophomore year. Chronic back problems continued to hound him for the rest of his career.
7. Alfredrick Hughes – 1985
It’s quite rare for the Spurs to select a bust. However, Alfredrick Hughes was one of the few in franchise history. Selected with the 14th overall pick of the 1985 NBA Draft, Hughes only lasted in the NBA for 68 games before having to take his talents overseas. He only averaged 5.2 points per game in the NBA, which don’t scream first-round pick.
8. DeJuan Blair – 2009
Initially, it looked like DeJuan Blair was looking like another Spurs draft steal after taking him in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Blair provided energy and athleticism off the bench, despite his injury history. However, the 6-foot-7 big man eventually grew unhappy with his role in San Antonio, forcing his way out after just four seasons.
His behavior ultimately sparked a downward spiral to his career. To make matters more interesting, the Spurs were probably better off had they selected later picks Danny Green and Patty Mills. And it certainly showed after the franchise was able to acquire their services down the road to help the team win a championship in 2014.
9. James Anderson – 2010
It’s safe to say that the Spurs had high hopes for James Anderson, who was a star for Oklahoma State. Selected in the first round with the 20th overall pick at the 2010 NBA Draft, Anderson showed a glimpse of his upside as early as his rookie season.
However, his rise was over before it could even start after suffering a foot injury that ultimately derailed his career. Unfortunately, his injury also opened the doors for Kawhi Leonard to fill his void, paving the way for his superstardom. On the other hand, Anderson would eventually leave the NBA.
10. Devin Vassell – 2020
While Devin Vassell is proving to be one of San Antonio’s building blocks, not a lot of basketball fans would select him over All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was taken with the 12th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, just one after Vassell. While heartbreaking, Spurs fans can find solace in the Florida State standout earning his keep.
The post Spurs’ 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history appeared first on ClutchPoints.
