Spurs knock it out of the park with Jeremy Sochan pick

The wait is finally over, as the San Antonio Spurs made their lottery pick selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, taking Jeremy Sochan with the 9th overall pick.

It's the Spurs' highest pick since they drafted Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in 1997 and the team's third straight lottery pick overall. The 6-9 forward comes off a season averaging 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game at Baylor.

By all indications, Sochan is ready to be an elite multi-positional defender on day one -- a Bruce Bowen-type player with two extra inches of height. He plays suffocating defense with his lateral movement on the outside but can also battle down low with his strength.

The Spurs will love what Sochan can bring

Coach Gregg Popovich will love Sochan's discipline on the defensive end, as he always seems to know how to balance smart rotations with timely gambles. The Spurs have frequently been burned by drives to the hole in the past few seasons, and Sochan should help in that department. He'll also help with dreaded pick and roll switches -- something in which San Antonio struggles mightily with guards like Ja Morant.

Offensively, Jeremy's biggest weakness is his jump shot. While his mechanics look fine, that hasn't translated yet on the court. Usually, a good free throw percentage can indicate whether a player has a jump shot hiding somewhere, but Sochan made just 53-of-90 for a 58.9% mark with the Bears.

Still, San Antonio has worked miracles with several guys that had broken jumpers, namely Kawhi Leonard and the aforementioned Bruce Bowen.

There's a reason our NBA Draft expert labeled Jeremy Sochan "everything the Spurs need in a draft pick", and that's because he perfectly suits the team's culture and emphasis on getting stops. The rest of his game can be developed over time, but making your presence known on the other end of the floor will earn you minutes under Pop, so expect to see him on the floor early next season.