Arcidiacono Didn’t Want to be Drafted Because of the Spurs

Ryan Arcidiacono… that’s a name from the draft that no one heard, but the Spurs had their eyes on him and decided to sign as soon as it was over and done with.

Arcidiacono, from Villanova University, sat down on draft night, watching name by name being called, just as the others did, but his expectations weren’t exactly the same. He didn’t have a long sad face as he was ignored and overlooked because he missed the chance to walk on the stage.

The more teams skipped over him, the more he became excited. Sounds pretty strange for a prospect coming out of college doing the opposite of what you’d expect, but he had good reason for it.

I was kind of rooting against myself honestly. I said, ‘Alright, I know what I’m going to do.’ It would be cool to hear my name called and everything on TV, but I know that the Spurs organization wants me, and they think they believe in me. They believed in me from the start. I was eager for the draft to be over so I wouldn’t be called and I could just call and agree to the contract and just get down to San Antonio and start working.

That’s exactly what happened. Arcidiacono signed a partially guaranteed two year contract with the Spurs last week that went completely under the radar, because everyone was so focused on Dejounte Murray.

The Spurs seem to have that knack for finding players most don’t notice, and that fit their style. There seems to be no exception here. Arcidiacono was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in 2016 and won a national championship. So what exactly does he bring to the table that got him a contract away from the spotlight?

At 6’3, Arcidiacono averaged 12.5 points per game, 2.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists with 1.5 turnovers this past season for the reigning champion Villanova Wildcats.

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Shooting is a commodity that the Spurs need to improve, and he helps them in that area at the point guard position. With a 59% TS%, he worked hard to be effective around the perimeter inside the 3 point line, and managed to hit around 50% of his. He can play in an uptempo offense and his ball handling abilities with decent court vision make him a good enough option on the pick and roll to keep defenses honest. LaMarcus Aldridge will benefit from playing the pick and roll with him, because he can shoot, and it will open up looks for him at the elbow, which is his favorite spot on the floor.

Arcidiacono spent four years at Villanova, so he not only has a more matured game than a one and done prospect, but he was the team captain from the first day and until the day he left. It is always a positive when a player can come on the floor and be the player the coach needs him to be (an extension of the coach) and others follow his lead.

You should see Arcidiacono on the Spurs’ summer league team, so until then, take a look at some of his highlights in the video below. He will continue to improve because he is headed to one of the best organizations in the NBA.

Next: Gregg Popovich Discusses Spurs' Approach to Free Agency

Check out some highlights of Ryan Arcidiacono in the below video.