Spurs fans react to Lonnie Walker pick in 2018 NBA Draft
By Rob Wolkenbrod
How did San Antonio Spurs fans react to Lonnie Walker IV as the No. 18 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft?
The San Antonio Spurs entered the 2018 NBA Draft with the No. 18 pick in the first round. It’s their highest-owned pick since the 1997 NBA Draft, when Tim Duncan went No. 1 overall. This time around, the selection became Lonnie Walker IV, a shooting guard from Miami.
The Walker pick came in a long line of shooting guard selections, with Zhaire Smith and Donte DiVincenzo among the players that went ahead of him. It’s an interesting choice, but someone who can make an impact in the backcourt.
How do the Spurs fans feel about Walker, though? Let’s look at some reactions from Twitter:
Welcome to the @spurs family Lonnie Walker IV #NBADraft #NBA
— Tuvachit W (@tuvachitw) June 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/pcboy808/status/1009985472167153664
Lonnie Walker IV will never be heard of again. Not NBA #NBADraft2018 #notgooddraftclass
— Seth Newlove (@CoachNewlove) June 22, 2018
Bye Kawhi we got Lonnie Walker insteadd??♂️??♂️
— ikuzuy (@yuzukii__) June 22, 2018
Steal of the night @lonniewalker_4 playing for Pop at the @spurs, sky is the limit for this kid, congratulations !
— Francisco Taveras (@Francifol) June 22, 2018
Welcome to the Spurs family! You’re gonna love San Antonio?? #GoSpursGo
— Viviane Lynne (@VivianeLynne) June 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/Cymphaniee/status/1009985072957739008
The majority of the responses were positive, although with one or two negative remarks thrown in. It’s the new member of the Spurs family, either way, and someone the fans will get used to in the 2018-19 season and beyond.
Walker joins an aging backcourt, one the Spurs have used a pick on in three consecutive seasons; Derrick White was in 2017 and Dejounte Murray in 2016. With Danny Green returning, it’s likely the former Hurricane will not take a starting spot initially and could take a back seat on the bench or the G League, which White also did in his rookie season. If so, it’s the chance to learn from Green and Manu Ginobili, pending he returns for a 17th season.
What does Walker bring to the table? He’s an athletic guard that has the wingspan to defend the perimeter. With only a 41 percent shooting mark in college, it’s something to improve on, but also an area the Spurs worked on with Kawhi Leonard, when he entered the league in 2011 and developed into one of the game’s best shot-makers.
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Spurs fans, what do you think of this pick? Was it the correct call to make at No. 18 overall? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.