San Antonio Spurs Mock Draft: Isaiah Collier Fills Position of Need
After landing the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and snagging the highly touted Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs are once again lottery-bound. Sitting at 3-14 and dead last in the Western Conference, the Spurs have excellent odds to secure another top pick.
A recent mock draft by Bleacher Report had the Spurs drafting third overall. With every draft, the age-old debate of Best Fit vs. Best Player Available always consumes fanbases. With the third overall pick, the Spurs are able to make both crowds happy, selecting point guard Isaiah Collier from USC.
Jeremy Sochan has been the starting point guard for the Spurs this season.
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In six games so far with the Trojans, Collier is scoring 18.2 points on 41 percent from deep. Yes, he is averaging over five turnovers per game, but he manages four assists and just over one steal per game as well.
Collier has all the tools to excel as a lead guard in the NBA. Admittedly turnover-prone, his 6-5, 210-pound frame has drawn comparisons to Baron Davis.
His strengths largely focus on his ability to get to the rim and distribute the ball, two things desperately needed in San Antonio. He has already shown that he is adept at the pick and roll, so pairing him with Wembanyama would be a match made in heaven.
Despite his physical strength, he is not an elite athlete. For the Spurs, that doesn’t matter. His shot selection is also questionable, but at 19 years old that is to be expected. In his rookie year, he would be a place-setter for Wemby and Devin Vassell, who would be the scorers.
After seeing the point-Sochan experiment utterly fail, drafting the best point guard on the board should be the top priority for the Spurs. Collier just so happens to be the ideal running mate for Wembanyama, and would immediately propel the Spurs forward.
