Spurs have unique chance to strike gold in the NBA draft's second round

Every year, there are players who surprise many and mold into great NBA players after being selected rather late in the NBA draft.

In 2024, there could be a handful of under-the-radar players who could slip into the second round. With two picks in the second round, San Antonio must strike gold yet again and get their next Manu Ginobili (the team's greatest late-round find).

The Spurs are among the group of NBA teams that are fantastic at finding second-round talent. The Silver and Black seemingly always have the right coaches in place and the perfect environment to mold any player into a quality contributor for their team.

Let's dive into a select few that could be perfect for San Antonio in the second round.

Spurs could strike gold in the second round of the draft

3) Adem Bona PF - UCLA/Prolific Prep (Nigeria)

UCLA's Adem Bona is a true "big man," and he embraces that. The Pac-12 defensive player of the year is a fierce defender and rim-protector. Bona is a great starting piece for a team in San Antonio that hopes to get back to their once-stout defensive capabilities. Alongside Victor Wembanyama, from a defensive standpoint, they would be unstoppable. The havoc the duo would create defensively is absurd. Try getting to the rim in front of these two.

On offense, Bona uses his quickness and athleticism to his advantage. When you watch the game tape on the Bruins forward, his jumping ability and how well he runs the floor stand out. He's also a force on the fast break, always finding the right lanes to attack.

Under the rim is where this prospect really shines, and he proved it, shooting 72% from close to the basket in his sophomore year. He has great post moves and maintains good positioning with his back against the basket. Bona is also a quality pick-and-roll option with the toughness to finish strong.

Bona would be a great piece to the Spurs' second unit. Chances are, San Antonio selects a point guard in round one of the NBA Draft. As a result, Bona could join the young guard and the two could grow together and eventually develop a stout duo, improving the teams' bench-production.

Adem Bona has the tools to become a great NBA player over time and if he fell to San Antonio's lap in round two, he could continue the franchise's trend for second-round treasures.