Spurs' Blake Wesley Reveals Major 'Fuel' for Motivation

Spurs guard Blake Wesley revealed why he has major fuel for motivation entering his NBA rookie campaign.

The San Antonio Spurs used the 25th overall pick in this year's NBA Draft to select Blake Wesley. Some experts felt he would be selected sooner than he did, including Wesley himself. 

Wesley played one season of collegiate basketball and became the first-ever one-and-done prospect to get drafted in Notre Dame men's basketball history. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 35 games. 

In a recent interview with "The Jim Rome Show," Wesley explained how some of what fuels him ahead of his rookie campaign has to do with being overlooked on draft night. 

"I run on a lot of fuel. I was the 25th overall pick," Wesley said. "I'm blessed to be the 25th overall pick, but I feel I should've went higher, but that's OK."

During the Las Vegas Summer League, Wesley averaged 17.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in five games. However, he shot just 30.0 percent from the floor, 34.4 percent on 3-pointers, and 74.1 percent on free throws. 

One area where Wesley displayed a need for improvement at Notre Dame and in Las Vegas was his finishing around the basket. He struggled with his efficiency in both settings and will undoubtedly need to experience progression as he continues to grow as a shot creator.

"It's a different level," Wesley told KENS-5. "Guys are stronger, bigger, faster. It's gonna be tough for me for a couple of months, I gotta get used to it. It's gonna be like college, just gotta get used to it, learn from the best. That's what I wanna do."

Wesley, like all of the Spurs' young players, will face a substantial opportunity to showcase their abilities during the 2022-23 season. There is a lot of youth on the roster as the team goes full throttle into the early stage of a rebuild. 

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