San Antonio Spurs: Who is Adam Hanga?

After waiting six years for Adam Hanga, the San Antonio Spurs will likely have him on its roster for next season. Who is this player?

The San Antonio Spurs have become known for drafting and stashing players, mostly international prospects. They usually have to wait a year or two for them to arrive, including players like Manu Ginobili, Davis Bertans and Luis Scola, the latter of whom never played for the team. However, there is someone from overseas that has a good chance of playing for the Spurs next fall: Adam Hanga.

In 2011, the Spurs selected Hanga in Round 2, with the 59th pick. These selections, especially being late-round international picks, either never pan out or stick around in Europe. However, six years after being drafted, the 28-year-old wants to come to the NBA. So who exactly is this player?

For the past six years, Hanga has played overseas with six different teams. He’s currently part of Saskia Baskonia of Liga ACB, averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, just over 1 steal, and shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Hanga is listed at 6-foot-7, 205 pounds, which likely puts him at a forward spot. Draft Express has his wingspan measured at 6-foot-7. These are quality measurements, which should fit him in as at least a wing defender off the bench.

Hanga was actually the 2016-17 Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year, so the pedigree on the opposite side of the court is there. Andrew Bernucca of The Step Back went into how good of a defender Hanga is:

Hanga is a fantastic shot blocker, especially for a player who’s primarily a perimeter defender. In the previous clip, we saw him come over in a defensive rotation to block a lay-up, and then we saw him successfully pull-off a chase down block as well.

However, Hanga does more than block shots. He’s an incredibly active defender with great anticipation skills. He really knows how to get his hand on the ball defensively and cause problems for his opponent.

This sounds like the latest tool for Gregg Popovich to use, potentially in late-game situations to go against a team’s shooting guard or to spell one of the starters. Hanga will need to get his shot going, though, which is a downside to what he brings.