With the Spurs being eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth straight year now, it’s once again that time of year when you pull out your big boards and mock drafts and look ahead to the draft season. San Antonio can potentially own two first-round picks, their own and Toronto’s, whose selection is protected at 1-6. This means there’s an outcome where the Spurs can land two of the top prospects in this year’s class.

Sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference at 14-51, the Spurs have the third-worst record in the NBA, just above the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. The result of this porous season is that there will be more ping-pong balls in the Spurs’ favor, with chances to land the top pick in back-to-back seasons.

Kevin O’Connor gives the Spurs the top spot

In Kevin O’Connor’s first edition of mock madness Connor gives the Spurs the rights to the number one overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

Sheppard was just given the honor of SEC Freshman of the Year, averaging 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his rookie season. He is also one of the most efficient scorers in the nation, shooting 54% from the floor and a stellar 52.6% from three-point territory.

The twenty-year-old freshman will be one of the top prospects in this class, but there is no reason for him to land with San Antonio at first overall. The Spurs desperately need a game-changing point guard to manage the game’s pace, see the floor, and score on all three levels. While the Kentucky guard can score in uncanny ways, he thrives more as an off-ball shooter and a guard with a scorer’s mindset once the ball is in his hands.

Reed is an excellent player with a play style similar to Tyler Herro and Austin Reaves, but he’s different from what the Spurs need to invest in if they land the top spot. This draft class is significantly underwhelming compared to recent memory. However, San Antonio would have plenty of eye-popping talent available over a guy like Sheppard.

This year’s class is immensely wing-heavy, with tons of potential among guys like Zacchaire Risacher, Matas Buzelis, Ron Holland, Cody Williams, and more; it would be a real drop of the ball if the Spurs didn’t attempt to get their hands on one of these top-tier talents.

Assuming the Spurs land Toronto’s first-round pick at seven, this would be the perfect draft to address a number of holes on the roster. Taking one of the top players at one through four, whether that’s Risacher, Topic, Dillingham, or Sarr, and pairing them alongside the likes middle of lottery guys like Buzelis, Williams, Sheppard, and more could do wonders for the Silver and Black.

Now, in no way, shape, or form is Reed a lousy pick. He’s very talented and has the potential to become one of the better scorers in the game. He has a strong and versatile range of ways to score the ball. He can put his head down and take it to the rim, catch-and-shoot from anywhere, and pull up in transition or off the dribble in a half-court setting. Sheppard is that guy, and while the Spurs would benefit from his services, number one would be a reach for San Antonio.

The time is now for Brian Wright

San Antonio cannot wait to add talent around Wembanyama. While his rookie season was filled with flashes of brilliance on both ends of the floor, the supporting cast must be upgraded. This is the draft where Brian Wright can do that if they can land a top pick of their own alongside Toronto’s pick outside of the top six.

Regardless of how the Trae Young situation pans out, the draft will arguably be the most crucial off-season phase. If they don’t land Young, they get their point guard through the draft in Dillingham or Topic. Say Young makes his way to the 2-1-0, then you use your picks to add promising prospects to build depth with young talent or acquire proven guys through the trade market. No matter how it all takes shape, it will be intriguing to see what Brian Wright will do with all his current assets.