Reviewing Josh Primo's Rookie Year with Spurs

Primo was a surprise pick at No. 12 in last year's draft, but showed promising flashes throughout his rookie season

Headed into the 2021 NBA Draft last summer, the San Antonio Spurs were seen as a threat to land a major developmental piece on the back-end of the lottery at No. 12 overall.

But not many fans predicted what came next. For a franchise known for making surprising and unpredictable selections in the draft, taking Alabama guard Josh Primo was a huge head-scratcher that left Spurs fans wondering about the direction in the minds of Gregg Popovich and general manager Brian Wright.

Fast-forward nearly a year later, and Primo, who averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, has quickly become a fan favorite in San Antonio after showing impressive potential during 50 appearances this past season. 

Even at just 19-years-old, the Spurs threw the Toronto native into the ringer rather than going the franchise's traditional route of holding draft talent out for a year to give them time with the San Antonio's G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

So with the 2022 NBA Draft now less than a month away, let's take a look at three things that made Primo's rookie season a promising sign of what's to come.

Daniel Dunn, USA TODAY

Josh Primo

Scott Wachter, USA TODAY

Josh Primo

Daniel Dunn, USA TODAY

Josh Primo

1. Primo proved he was NBA-ready midway through the season

The Spurs certainly wanted to develop Primo in the G League to begin the season, but his natural offensive skillset and 3-point shooting ability off the catch proved too valuable to stow away.

The guard started coming into his own in December despite receiving limited minutes. In a 108-104 loss against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 6, Primo was by far the Spurs' best defender in a hostile road environment.

He put together a line of five points, four blocks, and three steals. Three steals from a guard isn't anything out of the ordinary, but the 6-4, 189-pound youngster showed the kind of defensive production he's capable of with the impressive block count.

The scoring started coming in bunches headed into January, as Primo had four double-digit scoring efforts during the month in 11 appearances.

He carved out a consistent role off the bench late in the year, as San Antonio made a push toward the play-in game. In the month of March, Primo appeared in 12 of 14 games and never played less than 15 minutes, averaging 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 25.2 minutes per game.

Scott Wachter, USA TODAY

Josh Primo

Daniel Dunn, USA TODAY

Becky Hammon & Josh Primo

Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY

Josh Primo & Jalen Brunson

2. Already a smooth 1-on-1 scorer; proved he's naturally gifted in that regard

In his only season at Alabama, Primo primarily served as a catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist that excelled at getting his hands and feet set prior to the catch. He averaged 8.1 points on a solid 43 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep.

So when he started pulling out behind-the-back step-backs and nifty finishes in the paint this season, Spurs fans took notice.

Here are just a few examples of some plays that proved his pro-level scoring ability that many draft picks take a few years to develop. Click on each link to view the play.

-3-pointer off the dribble against the Suns over Defensive Player of the Year finalist Mikal Bridges

-smooth step-back 3-pointer against the Detroit Pistons

-layup in traffic over Philadelphia Sixers All-Star and MVP finalist Joel Embiid

-crafty footwork leads to finish over Sixers star Tobias Harris

-vicious baseline dunk attacking the closeout vs the Blazers

Along with scoring, Primo made a handful of nice pocket passes in pick-and-roll action during the season. He hasn't been tasked with a major distributor roll just yet but proved it's something he can develop over time.

3. Small signs of clutch gene?  

It's a small sample size, but Primo made a few clutch plays during his rookie season.

In a season-high 39 minutes on the road against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 9, Primo had 12 points and three assists, but his biggest bucket came at a crucial point in the fourth quarter. With just under a minute remaining and the Spurs down 113-110, Lonnie Walker IV kicked it out to the rookie, who caught and shot the game-tying 3-pointer with confidence as San Antonio came from as many as 10 down in the fourth to force overtime.

The Spurs wound up losing the game in the extra period against the Kevin Durant and James Harden-led Nets, but Primo's gutsy shot was arguably the best play of his rookie season.

He also hit a deep three at the third-quarter buzzer in an April 9 loss to the Golden State Warriors. While its timeliness in the third quarter isn't what would be considered as clutch, Primo's shot at the buzzer showed confidence and clock awareness, two primary ingredients for clutch shot-making.

Primo still won't be 20 until when the 2022-23 NBA season begins this fall. Given what he's already shown so far, a major leap could be in store as he heads into his second season.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @szzevenn

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