NCAA Sweet Sixteen weekend proved Spurs ideal draft pick is ready

There's no question in my mind who the Spurs should be targeting first in this year's draft if they don't hit the lottery by landing the number one pick. That spot is reserved for Cooper Flagg and if that happens, you can cancel Christmas. San Antonio would be set up to run the league for the foreseeable future, and fans of big market teams would hate it.

However, that's an unlikely scenario. It would be like lightning striking in the same place twice, and statistically, that's highly improbable. But that's okay. The Silver and Black struck gold when they landed Victor Wembanyama, and building the roster around him will take the team where they need to go. So, finding a way to bring Kon Knueppel into the fold will assist that mission greatly.

Kon Knueppel is showing up big in the NCAA Tournament

I hope Spurs fans have been watching these games and paying close attention to Knueppel. He's always where he's supposed to be on offense and defense, signaling that he's a smart player. Duke's sharpshooter doesn't have the quickest feet, but he competes hard every possession. You can get by on defense with a guy who always plays hard and is on time 10/10 times.

The Blue Devils play a high level of defense, and Kon is a big part of that. The NBA will be a different animal, but again, he competes hard every possession, and with a solid defensive philosophy team-wide and Victor Wembanyama backing him up, he'll be fine.

The offense he'll bring to the team is exactly what they need. Knueppel is a 40% three-point shooter who can make defenses pay when they close out too hard, run pick-and-rolls, throw lobs, and finish around the basket. He won't be tasked with running the offense, and he won't be the second option, elevating his threat level.

De'Aaron Fox and Wembanyama will collapse defenses in ways Kon has never seen before. The number of open looks he'll get playing next to those guys will be a breath of fresh air for a pure shooter like him.

The soon-to-be Spurs draft pick is projected to be the best shooter in his class. San Antonio has struggled with their three-point game for years. It's time to draft a player who's naturally gifted in that area. Don't pick up a guy who can't shoot, hoping he'll develop the ability. They've gotten themselves into trouble in the past by going with that model.

The NCAA Final Four is coming up this weekend, and Knueppel will have another chance to show his stuff. Every game is like another audition for NBA teams, and Kon is crushing it. Hopefully, the front office is taking notice.