Spurs Season-In-Review: Veteran SF Keita Bates-Diop 'Carving Out an NBA Career'

Now approaching his sixth season in the league, Keita Bates-Diop has only continued to improve on the court for the Spurs. He's also been an example of leadership for the young team, however, making him an offseason priority for next season.

Any young NBA team in rebuilding mode has a list of goals.  

For the San Antonio Spurs, player development sat at the top of that list, especially in the midst of their worst year under Hall-of-Fame coach Gregg Popovich. 

The young team gave its players a chance to gain in-game experience while also learning from the veterans throughout the course of the season. Veteran small forward Keita Bates-Diop was one such example. 

And so far in San Antonio, he has been the epitome of development. 

"He's carving out an NBA career," Popovich said. "From the beginning, it didn't look like that, but he's worked on his skills, his confidence, his aggressiveness ... everything. [I'm] really proud of him."

This season, Bates-Diop averaged 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds on 50 percent shooting, which all mark either the highest or the second-highest numbers of his career.

"[Pop] has been on me since I've been here," he said. "He sees the potential in me. I've gotten better and better each year, and I'm glad that the greatest coach says that about me. He gives me confidence."

His shooting ability has been one of the positives of his game in recent years, growing his field goal percentage from 42 percent to 50, and 3-point percentage from just 25 percent to nearly 40, which Bates-Diop says stemmed from a consistent set of shooting drills.

Bates-Diop closed the season strong for the Spurs, adding seven straight double digit performances dating back to the Spurs' late-March loss to the Jazz in San Antonio. 

During that stretch, he tallied his season high 25 points to help lead his team past the Portland Trail Blazers in Austin, creating a full circle moment from his time with the Austin Spurs in the G League.

And while that standout performance was the highest of its kind, scoring has proven to be no struggle for the veteran, which at the rate he is going, will only continue to be true. 

"He hasn't been here very long, but he obviously has a nose for the game," Popovich said. "He understands spacial relationships out there, and for a young guy, that's pretty impressive."

The 27-year-old just finished the final season on his contract, making him a target for the Spurs in free agency. Though as long as Popovich remains, Bates-Diop will have a solid advocate for his retention. 

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