San Antonio Spurs draft: Big Ten conference prospects

2. Matthew Mayer - Forward, Illinois

Staying with the Fighting Illini, this forward has more in common with the first baller on our list than one would think. Just like TJ, Mayer is also a recent Illinois transfer and played his previous seasons down in Texas. The only difference is that Mayer was with the Baylor Bears in Waco--and a teammate of Jeremy Sochan--as opposed to its rival in Lubbock where TJ transferred from.

Mayer was a key part of Baylor’s national championship team a couple of years ago. In that tournament, he gained attention from just about everyone due to his seemingly unlimited range from beyond the arc, and that Baylor team had some straight-up hoopers in their lineup, several of whom went pro the year after.

The extra year Mayer is spending in Champaign will assist him in fine-tuning his mid-range jumper to complement his three-ball. And with recent reports of a possible Doug McDermott departure by way of a trade, this draft pick would fill the void nearly immediately. Think of it as trading in an older model for the new, upgraded version. He may not be the flashiest of draft picks, but for a team that could use a boost of three-point shooting, he could come at a great value.