5 Intriguing NBA Draft prospects with Spurs ties

4. Keon Ellis, Alabama

A senior from Alabama, Keon Ellis played alongside Josh Primo during his freshman year in Tuscaloosa in 2020-21. There's no doubt Primo would be happy to see his old college teammate in the locker room once again.

Spurs fans may be happy to see him on the court for the Silver and Black, too. Ellis, while a bit undersized to play the three, is a solid athlete and uses his physical tools to maximize his defensive ability. He's a player with quick feet and a high motor and has routinely shown an ability to guard multiple positions.

Not to mention he's also a reliable outside shooter, connecting on 37% of his threes as a senior. While the Spurs' roster seems maxed out on shooting guards at the moment, Ellis could be a valuable pick if he's still on the board in the second round.

5. Tari Eason, LSU

A second-year player out of LSU, Tari Eason was more of a "just for fun" pick for me when I stumbled upon this tweet of his from last April. He doesn't have much of a serious connection to the team, but it does sound like Eason may be something of a Tim Duncan defender when it comes to basketball debates, and that will certainly resonate with Spurs fans.

But on the court, he's certainly more than "just for fun." He had the second-highest per-36 minutes scoring average of any projected 1st rounder in 2021-22 at 25.0 points per game. A defensive-minded wing, Eason racked up 64 steals and 36 blocks in 33 games for the Tigers this year. His work on the glass isn't bad either.

Seen by many as one of the top power forwards in the draft, his scoring ability and athleticism will make him a valuable commodity for any team. Eason is projected as a late lottery pick, so the Spurs will likely have to take him at ninth if they want to see him in Silver and Black.