Draft 2026 NBA Draft Prospects Thread

[spurraider21]

has Cenac declared? i think he'd stand to benefit a lot by playing another year in college.

 

[Exstatic]

The Spurs have plenty of opportunities to fill positions of needs in this very deep draft. Any combinations of Quiantance (if he falls), Jefferson, Mara, Krivas, Zuby or Graves for me.

Krivas is a steal at 2RP. 7’2 big with high IQ who can pass. He doesn’t give up on D, and would sprint back to chase block. I like this kid a lot.

Either Quiantance or Zuby would be awesome at 4 with great motor.

Allen Graves can knock the lights out with 41% beyond the arc.

Quaintance is an interesting project, but right now, has zero skills for the PF position. His only offense is rim running, and he’s like a 45% FT shooter. No one is going to let him finish. No jumper, no handles. If drafted, he will have to spend a year in Austin. A full year.

 

[rascal]

Solid game from sharpe after long time off. Now bring on Lillard!

Solid first half but had two key turnovers which game Phoenix life in the fourth.

 

[rascal]

Quaintance is an interesting project, but right now, has zero skills for the PF position. His only offense is rim running, and he’s like a 45% FT shooter. No one is going to let him finish. No jumper, no handles. If drafted, he will have to spend a year in Austin. A full year.

Not liking what I see from Quaintance. Hope the Spurs don't burn their first on him.

 

[BatManu20]

has Cenac declared? i think he'd stand to benefit a lot by playing another year in college.

Yea he declared last week. I agree about him returning to Houston and said the same a few pages back, but his long-term upside would just make him a steal at 19 imo. I've seen recent mocks that have him going in the 15-18 range too though so he might be gone by the time we pick, esp if he performs well at the combine.

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[rascal]

Still is, AFAIK…

You were the one I most remember saying Sochan was better than Sharpe.

 

[John B]

Yea he declared last week. I agree about him returning to Houston and said the same a few pages back, but his long-term upside would just make him a steal at 19 imo. I've seen recent mocks that have him going in the 15-18 range too though so he might be gone by the time we pick, esp if he performs well at the combine.

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4 chances to get a big or two. I only wish MATFO don’t come out with a tweener PF or a guard

 

[Ariel]

has Cenac declared? i think he'd stand to benefit a lot by playing another year in college.

Or to lose. Right now he's probably going to be picked around 20 based on youth and perceived upside, and there's a big chance he gets to collect his 4 year rookie contract even if he underwhelms, just like Sochan, Wesley and Branham did. If he stays in college and he doesn't take the expected leap, his stock would take a big hit and maybe send him all the way to the 2nd round even if he's not objectively worse than this past season, so it's a double edged sword.

 

[Exstatic]

You were the one I most remember saying Sochan was better than Sharpe.

At the time, Sochan could do a lot, but he couldn’t shoot. All Sharpe could do was shoot, which is still true.. Sochan regressed in a major way, so you’re finally right.

 

[Exstatic]

Not liking what I see from Quaintance. Hope the Spurs don't burn their first on him.

He’s definitely a multi year project. But the thing is, he did pretty darn well as a 17 YO freshman at ASU. He has medical red flags,but if those clear, he cleans up his FTs, and gets a consistent 12-15 foot jumper, he could be a 4 in this league,

I know you’ll disagree, but he’ll probably be gone by the time we draft at 19 or 20. Guys who are top 10 in their HS class, and show even one NBA skill, shot blocking in his case, usually are gone by the end of the lottery, or shortly after. He’ll be 18 on draft night, and is ‘toolsy’. That’s catnip for the typical NBA GM.

 

[scott]

He’s definitely a multi year project. But the thing is, he did pretty darn well as a 17 YO freshman at ASU. He has medical red flags,but if those clear, he cleans up his FTs, and gets a consistent 12-15 foot jumper, he could be a 4 in this league,

I know you’ll disagree, but he’ll probably be gone by the time we draft at 19 or 20. Guys who are top 10 in their HS class, and show even one NBA skill, shot blocking in his case, usually are gone by the end of the lottery, or shortly after. He’ll be 18 on draft night, and is ‘toolsy’. That’s catnip for the typical NBA GM.

Interesting enough, we had a guy (for very cheap) who was Top 10 in his HS class, graded out to be an elite at two NBA skills but we didn't keep him. He's on another postseason team now and has been playing well of late. I'll be curious to see how Quaintance's career compares to his.

 

[OK Computer]

Interesting enough, we had a guy (for very cheap) who was Top 10 in his HS class, graded out to be an elite at two NBA skills but we didn't keep him. He's on another postseason team now and has been playing well of late. I'll be curious to see how Quaintance's career compares to his.

Omg who? This reminds me of those twitter posts that go, “omg this movie scene is the best” and never mention what movie.

 

[scott]

Omg who? This reminds me of those twitter posts that go, “omg this movie scene is the best” and never mention what movie.

It's intentional... but since I posted it, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out

 

[SpursBills]

Interesting enough, we had a guy (for very cheap) who was Top 10 in his HS class, graded out to be an elite at two NBA skills but we didn't keep him. He's on another postseason team now and has been playing well of late. I'll be curious to see how Quaintance's career compares to his.

Both coming off ACL tears too

 

[OK Computer]

It's intentional... but since I posted it, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out

My brain isn’t working today. Seriously, who is it?

 

[scott]

My brain isn’t working today. Seriously, who is it?

I'll DM you the answer

 

[samurai]

Slow Mo. He was a top 5 recruit coming out of high school, and coming from UCLA was a high level passer and rebounder

 

[Correct Crusader]

I'll DM you the answer

screw you man I don't wanna figure it out either

 

[100%Duncan]

Its scott so its Bassey tbh

 

[OK Computer]

My draft board
Nate Ament’s profile
Cameron Carr’s profile
Thomas Haugh’s profile
Hannes Steinbach’s profile
Allen Graves’ profile
Joshua Jefferson’s profile
Tounde Yessoufou’s profile
Karim Lopez’s profile
Aday Mara’s profile
Zuby Ejiofor’s profile

————————————

Jayden Quaintance is high risk, high reward at 20… because of the injury and because of what he could still be if even part of that comes back.

The knee injury is significant and can’t be brushed off. He’s been out for a long time, and that alone introduces a level of uncertainty you have to factor in. But if there’s any chance he returns even half of what he was, you’re still talking about a physical freak with an imposing presence on the court.

When he’s out there, he takes up space in a way that’s hard to describe. It’s not just size, it’s how he uses it with mobility. It gives off that Dwight Howard type of presence, even shades of Shaq in terms of how much attention he demands physically. That combination of size and movement is rare.

Now, based on what I’ve said before about what the Spurs need and don’t need, he doesn’t fit perfectly. He might never be a shooter, which means he’s a big that lives inside. That’s not ideal next to Wemby, especially when the offense depends on spacing and keeping the paint open for guards and Wemby to operate.

So the most straightforward projection is that his role here would be as a backup center. But that’s where it gets tricky. He might not be the type of player you neatly slot into a role. He might be talented enough that you try to figure it out anyway.

It’s hard to explain why he feels like a special talent. It’s more eye test than anything. The same way you can watch a game and immediately tell who the future star is. Like when AJ Dybantsa went up against Joshua Jefferson. As much as I like Joshua, there’s no confusion about who looks like the future star in that matchup. That’s what it felt like watching Jayden. He just stands out.

On the downside, the injury could completely change the trajectory. He could come back as a shell of himself, lose that mobility, and then you’re looking at a player who struggles to stay on the floor or isn’t effective enough to justify the pick. That’s the risk. You could end up with someone who misses time every year or can’t impact the game the same way.

If health is not a concern and you assume a reasonable floor, I still think he can be a playable big. At minimum, he projects as someone who can give you more than guys like Eubanks, Zach Collins, or Bassey (sorry @scott) for us.

The upside is much higher. A defensive presence who can change games just by being on the floor, combined with physical force offensively, even if he never becomes a spacer.

From a character standpoint, there are some things that line up. He comes from a basketball family, which the Spurs have historically valued. And there are small things that stand out, like how he talks about chess and relates it to basketball. With Wemby being into chess as well, that’s the kind of connection that can matter over time.

That’s why it’s high risk, high reward. The injury and fit concerns are there, but the upside is a player you don’t usually get the chance to draft at 20.

 

[BatManu20]

Quaintance won’t be a Spur tbh. If his medicals clear, he’ll be long gone by 19. If they don’t, Spurs won’t take him either. That simple.

 

[CGD]

When do they do the coin flip to see if we get 19 or 20?

 

[mo7888]

When do they do the coin flip to see if we get 19 or 20?

I think it's Monday..

 

[SpursBills]

The best eye test argument for JQ was his first game back against St. John's this season. I have a lot of respect for Zuby Ejiofor for both his defense and his strength-based creation. But there were a couple possessions where JQ just stood him up on defense and powered right through him on offense. To do that against a guy 3 years older than you and one of the best players in the country - that's not something you see everyday.

 

[OK Computer]

The best eye test argument for JQ was his first game back against St. John's this season. I have a lot of respect for Zuby Ejiofor for both his defense and his strength-based creation. But there were a couple possessions where JQ just stood him up on defense and powered right through him on offense. To do that against a guy 3 years older than you and one of the best players in the country - that's not something you see everyday.

Zuby was definitely overpowered by JQ. For much of the latter part of the season I was wondering if Zuby being miscast as a center (St. Johns didn’t have a center on the roster, so it appears he was forced to play that position) made him less effective than he was. Pitino said right after their season ended that his first priority was to find a true center.

Zuby could have played the Jojo Tugler role on St Johns if they had a true center. Jojo, by the way, is a sneaky good player. I was watching for Cenac, but Jojo was there in the middle of most plays which was impressive.