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Spurs Host Slew of Big Names for Pre-Draft Workouts: NBA Draft Tracker

Stay locked in to InsideTheSpurs.com as we provide you with daily updates on the latest Spurs news leading up to the lottery, combine, and draft

Inside The Spurs Staff

Spurs Host Slew of Big Names for Pre-Draft Workouts: NBA Draft Tracker
Spurs Host Slew of Big Names for Pre-Draft Workouts: NBA Draft Tracker /

Stay locked in to InsideTheSpurs.com as we provide you with daily updates on the latest Spurs news leading up to the lottery, combine, and draft.

JUNE 16: SPURS HOST SHAEDON SHARPE, A.J GRIFFIN, E.J. LIDDELL, AND KENNETH LOFTON JR. FOR PRE-DRAFT WORKOUTS

The San Antonio Spurs are putting the petal to the metal ahead of the start of the 2022 NBA Draft next Thursday, as the team hosted a slew a talented names for pre-draft workouts.

Highly-touted Kentucky Wildcats guard Shaedon Sharpe said Wednesday that he has already worked out for San Antonio. Sharpe is arguably the best athlete in the draft and is a near lock to be selected somewhere in the first 10 picks.

And per reports from SBNation, the Spurs hosted Duke guard A.J. Griffin, Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell, and Louisiana Tech forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. all had pre-draft workouts for the team Thursday. All three players proved their elite skillsets last season in college. 

Griffin, an elite and efficient shooter, shot an impressive 44.7 percent from 3-point range last season as a freshman while averaging 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. 

Liddell, who was mocked at No. 25 to the Spurs in ESPN's Wednesday mock draft, release, has continued to rise up draft boards due to his versatility on both ends. 

At 6-7, 240, Liddell stuffed the stat sheet this past season with 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks on 49 percent shooting. He steadily improved his 3-point shooting each year with the Buckeyes, making 46-123 this past season during his junior year after making just five as a freshman.

Lofton Jr. is a physically-dominating big man that is a name to keep an eye on in the draft. Along with averaging 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, behind 53.9 percent from the floor for the Bulldogs this past season, he had a 36-point, 17-rebound effort vs North Carolina State in November, which he followed up with a 31-point, 14-rebound effort a week later.

He's also played at a high level on the international stage, leading USA Basketball's FIBA U19 team to a gold medal at the World Cup in Latvia last summer. He led the team in scoring (13.1 points) and had the highest field goal percentage of any player in the tournament (64.9 percent).

JUNE 11: SPURS TO HOST KENTUCKY GUARD TYTY WASHINGTON FOR PRE-DRAFT

The Spurs are set to host Kentucky Wildcats guard TyTy Washington Jr. for a pre-draft workout sometime this week, per a report from The Athletic on Saturday.

Despite being on a Kentucky team loaded with talent, Washington was the team's second-leading scorer (12.5 points) behind National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe and was the team's second-leading assist man (3.9). 

Washington has elite three-level shot-making ability and would be a key offensive pickup for any team that wants to take a swing on him in the middle part of the first round. 

JUNE 9: SPURS TO HOST MULTIPLE ELITE NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS FOR WORKOUTS

The San Antonio Spurs are hosting multiple highly-touted NBA Draft prospects for workouts Thursday, per multiple reports from around the league. 

G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels, Colorado forward Jabari Walker, and Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia are just a few of the names reportedly showcasing their skills for the team. 

Daniels is arguably the most elite prospect in this cycle of workouts, as he has been projected as a lottery pick in most mock drafts. The 6-6, 199-pound Australian natives stuffed the stat sheet this past season with the G League Ignite. He averaged 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.1 steals, and 32 minutes per game in 15 contests.

Walker was an talented scorer for the Buffs this past season, as he was fourth in the Pac 12 in scoring with 14.9 points per game. 

LaRavia was an all-around scorer for the Demon Deacons last season. He averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on a highly-efficient 55.9 percent shooting clip. 

JUNE 7: SPURS HOST SANTA CLARA FORWARD JALEN WILLIAMS FOR PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT

The Spurs appear to be hosting Santa Clara forward Jalen Williams for a pre-draft workout, according to a image posted by SBNation Tuesday. 

Williams was a force to be reckoned with in the West Coast Conference last season. He led the conference in scoring at 18 points per game on a highly-efficient 51.3 percent shooting while also averaging 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 34.8 minutes per game in 33 starts for the Broncos. 

Williams had an 18-game double-digit scoring streak to begin the year and had just two games scoring in single digits. He also had to matchup with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, one of the best programs in the nation this past season and the team that boasted projected top-three overall pick and talented freshman, Chet Holmgren.

Almost certain to be selected on June 23, Williams would join notable Santa Clara alumni Steve Nah and Kurt Rambis to be selected in the NBA Draft. 

JUNE 6: SPURS HOSTING LSU FORWARD TARI EASON FOR WORKOUT 

With multiple first-round selections, the Spurs have endless talented options to choose from once the 2022 NBA Draft rolls around on June 23. 

One name, LSU forward Tari Eason, has been of peak interest to Spurs fans as of late. And with one of his many pre-draft workouts scheduled with San Antonio this upcoming week, a dream scenario where the Spurs pick the long-armed athletic big man in the first round might be coming closer to reality. 

The Athletic reported Monday that Eason will be working out for the Spurs, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Southwest division rivals Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. 

Last season, Eason served as a go-to sixth man option for the Tigers off the bench but still led the team in points (16.9), blocks (1.1), and field-goal percentage (52.1). The 6-8, 216-pound Los Angeles native has a clear eye for getting points in the paint. He also proved he could develop as a respectable shooter after knocking down 28 3-pointers this past season.

It's also promising that Eason shot 80.3 from the foul line on a team-high 188 attempts. Once he solidifies himself on an NBA roster, aggressive drives to the rim will be rewarded with solid production from the free throw line.

JUNE 3: SPURS HOSTING WISCONSIN GUARD JOHNNY DAVIS FOR WORKOUT

One intriguing draft prospect the Spurs have been projected to select with the No. 9 pick in a handful of mock drafts has been Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, who would has star-like potential and would make a strong addition to San Antonio's backcourt.

And now, those projections could be coming closer to reality. The Spurs will be hosting Davis for a pre-draft workout sometime next week, according to a report Thursday night from The Athletic.

“Playing under coach Popovich, the most famous coach in NBA history, would be something I would really want to happen,” Davis said during the NBA Combine.

Davis was simply one of the best players in college basketball this past season. One of four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, the 6-5, 194-pound La Crosse, WI. native led the Badgers in points (19.7), rebounds (8.2), and steals (1.2).

under the legendary developmental system of the Spurs and shooting coach Chip Engelland, Davis' athleticism, control, and rebounding ability could make him into a future All-Star should San Antonio take him in the draft

MAY 23: CURRENT CONSENSUS PROJECTIONS FOR SPURS

When putting together all of the latest mock draft projections from major publications, the consensus picks for the Spurs is to take Memphis center Jalen Duren with the No. 9 overall pick. 

Duren stands at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan with a lot of athleticism. He specializes in doing the dirty work on both ends of the floor and showcased this with averages of 12.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game at Memphis. 

There's a lot to like about how Duren can serve as a rim roller and general play-finisher with NBA spacing. Factor in his shot-blocking ability and he has some solid two-way upside to anchor a unit that features Dejounte Murray at the point of attack. 

On the day of the 2022 NBA Draft, Duren is going to be one of the youngest prospects in his class. Other common projections for the Spurs include Johnny Davis and Jeremy Sochan. 

MAY 16: ROCK CHALK: SPURS HOST KANSAS FORWARD JALEN WILSON FOR PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT

The Spurs hosted Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson for a pre-draft workout, according to reports Monday from The Topeka Capital-Journal.

The 6-8, 225-pound Denton, Texas native was invited to the NBA's G League Elite Camp and wasted no time showing out when the event kicked off Monday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Wilson got the start for Team One, playing 18 minutes and scoring a game-high 18 points on 6-10 shooting, which included 4-6 from 3-point range. He also added six rebounds and three assists.

Team One came away with a 97-81 victory over Team Two.

Wilson was an essential part of the Jayhawks' run to a National Championship win in April. He scored 15 points and had four rebounds as Kansas rallied from 16 down to beat North Carolina in the title game, 72-69.

In the regular season, Wilson averaged 11.1 points, a team-high 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 46.1 percent shooting in 37 games. He had seven double-doubles this season and scored a season-high 23 points on 10-13 shooting in Kansas' 85-59 win over West Virginia on Jan. 15.

A bulky forward with the potential to develop stretch-four ability, Wilson would make a nice fit under Gregg Popovich after learning under the legendary coaching wing of Bill Self at Kansas.

Wilson is still deciding whether or not to stay draft eligible or return for another season in college.

MAY 13: SPURS CONDUCT WORKOUT FOR N.C. STATE FRESHMAN GUARD

The Spurs have conducted a pre-draft workout for North Carolina State freshman guard Terquavion Smith, per reports Friday from Fansided.

Smith averaged 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals on 39.8 percent shooting during his only season in college.

The shooting efficiency and assist numbers are a bit of a question mark, but Smith is still a raw prospect that will certainly be a work in progress in the G-League should the Spurs select him.

A smooth shooter off the catch and the dribble, Smith would be a great value pick for a Spurs team that could look to develop a young, confident guard that has a high offensive ceiling.

MAY 9: SPURS HOSTED TULSA FORWARD FOR PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT

The San Antonio Spurs conducted a pre-draft workout with Tulsa forward Jeriah Horne in late April at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Portsmouth, VA., according to reports from SBNation Tuesday.

Horne averaged 16.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals on a highly-efficient 41.5 percent from 3-point range for the Golden Hurricanes. While he certainly doesn't rely on makes from deep (only 66 makes on the year), Horne can fill it up when needed.

The Overland Park, KS. native has been in college since 2016 with brief stops at Nebraska and Colorado and is on the older side of most draftees at age 24. But with respectable NBA size at 6-7, 205 and a pro-level face-up scoring ability, Horne has received understandable interest from the Spurs.

A potentially overlooked aspect to Horne's draft value is his durability. Aside from red-shirting in the 2017-2018 season at Tulsa, Horne has played in 29 or more games in each collegiate season he's played in. He appeared in all 63 possible games with Tulsa, starting in 23 of them.

The Los Angeles Lakers are now another team to watch, as the organization announced via press release that Horne will be working out for the team Tuesday.

Regardless of where he ends up, fans of his new team will soon discover the miracle shot that Horne hit to defeat UCF in early March of this past season.

MAY 9: SPURS HOLD PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT FOR LSU FORWARD AND ALABAMA GUARD

The San Antonio Spurs are aiming for star power in this year's draft. Three first-round drafts picks in the hands of general manager Brian Wright sounds like a lethal combination.

But as always, the front office will continue to do its due diligence on potential second-round prospects.

And two potential suitors? LSU forward Darius Days and Alabama guard Keon Ellis, who the Spurs hosted pre-draft workouts for during the weekend of April 30-May 1, a source close to the situation told SBNation. 

Days, who started all 33 games he played in for the Tigers last season, provides ideal stretch-big ability that San Antonio desperately needs. Though a bit undersized for a true NBA big-man role at 6-7, he packs a punch with a 245-pound frame.

The Raleigh, FL. native averaged 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game last season while leading the Tigers with 69 makes from 3-point range. Already with the confidence to let it fly, Days could be an interesting developmental piece should the Spurs pull the trigger on drafting him.

The Spurs could also take Ellis, who was an Alabama teammate of San Antonio's 2021 first-round pick Josh Primo.

At 6-6, 175, Ellis' lengthy frame and size could give the Spurs another intriguing prospect with high 3-and-D potential. As a guard, he led the Crimson Tide in total rebounds (201) last season along with being the team's runaway leader in total steals (64). The Eustis, FL. native also proved himself as an efficient 3-point shooter, as he led the Tide in 3-point percentage (36.6) and was second in total makes from deep (67).

In total, Ellis averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting an impressive 88.1 percent from the foul line on 101 attempts.

The only downside to Ellis is his low assist numbers. Still, the box score doesn't tell the whole story, as he could prove this notion wrong with an impressive showing at the combine.

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