Sports Illustrated Mock Draft Has Glenn Rice Jr. Going To Spurs

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Glen Rice Jr is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

When all the ping-pong balls fall into place and we know the order of the upcoming draft, this always makes for some interesting mock drafts from around the internet world.  We take a look first at a partner of the Fansided Network, Sports Illustrated writer Chris Mannix and his mock draft selections which were released this past Wednesday, May 22nd.

With the 28th pick of the 2012-2013 NBA Draft, Mannix has the San Antonio Spurs selecting Glen Rice Jr.  For those that have followed the San Antonio Spurs and their last few draft picks, you know they like to go after some international players.  If you didn’t know that, check out this graphic from CBS Sports, as they themselves took a look back at how Western teams make their picks.

As you can see by the graphic, 48% of the Spurs draft picks come from Foreign region, outside of Kawhi Leonard being drafted out of San Diego State.  Back to Mannix and his choice for the Spurs.  Here is what he had to say about that choice.  From the start, you can tell that it was even hard for him to pick a player as he too knows the way the Spurs usually go in previous drafts.

It’s tough to get a read on what direction the Spurs will go here. They could opt for a raw international talent such as Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo or France’s Mouhammadou Jaiteh, someone they could stash overseas for a year or two like Manu Ginobili, Tiago Splitter or Luis Scola. Or they could opt for someone who can play right away. After a checkered career at Georgia Tech that ended in a dismissal from the team last year, Rice thrived in one season in the D-League, averaging 25 points and 9.5 rebounds for Rio Grande in the playoffs. More important, he stayed out of trouble, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by NBA executives.

I have not had a chance to watch any of his games while he was in the developmental league, but from what Mannix states above, seems as if he had himself a good stay.  We all know our praised players have been from coming from the D-League into the NBA, ala Cory Joseph.

Are you thinking San Antonio will go overseas yet again?  Why fix what is not broken right?  Let’s hear it.