Unveiling San Antonio Spurs mid-season 2024 NBA Draft big board

Spurs 2024 NBA Draft prospects: wings

Searching for a starting, NBA-caliber point guard in this draft class is incredibly tricky, and in the Spurs’ case specifically, the looming possibility of Trae Young becoming available for trade only makes the search that much more complicated.

On the other hand, I’m very bullish on several wing prospects projected to be selected toward the top of the 2024 draft, and I advise Spurs fans to start paying close attention to them now. With Keldon Johnson now embracing a sixth-man role off the bench and Julian Champagnie serving as the team’s de facto starting small forward, there is a massive opportunity coming up for the Spurs to make a big upgrade at that position, and as of mid-February, I think the Spurs selecting a wing with their first pick, if not the first two picks in the draft, is a likely outcome.

Cody Williams - Colorado

Approximate measurements: 6-foot-8; 190 pounds; 7-foot wingspan

Quite a bit can change between now and June, both for better or worse. But at this moment, were I to give a red-hot take that nobody asked for, my money would be on the front office selecting Colorado freshman Cody Williams (the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams) at #1 overall were the team to secure the top pick. The Spurs’ track record of desirable traits in wings, Williams’ fit with the current core, and his individual upside in a vacuum all make Williams an appealing match.

Through 15 games played, Williams has emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball, has juice off the bounce with the ball in his hands, has excellent positional size, is a highly efficient scorer around the rim, and has shown quite a bit of promise as a jump shooter. Such a well-rounded prospect is a hot commodity in the 2024 draft, and if his shooting remains efficient with greater volume (and he can improve from the free-throw line), he’ll end up as a lock for the top 5, if not higher.

Zaccharie Risacher - JL Bourg (France)

Approximate measurements: 6-foot-9; 193 pounds

Right on Williams’ tail is JL Bourg wing Zaccharie Risacher (roughly pronounced Ree-suh-shay), who, after coming into the draft cycle with tempered expectations, has shot up draft boards and is now considered a top-five prospect by many in draft circles. After an underwhelming summer, including a rough appearance in the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, Risacher’s consistent three-point shooting and defense have popped in a big way, making him one of the safer and better-fitting bets for the Spurs at the top of the board.

The lingering questions about Risacher’s ability to create—both for himself and others—are what hold him back from being on Williams’ tier at the moment, as the Spurs are desperately in need of more players who can create offense off the dribble. While the signs have been there that he’s improving (particularly in his playmaking), I’ll need to see more consistent flashes of that potential to be more comfortable with his upside. But being that the Spurs already have their superstar on the roster, there is something to be said for taking a safer route in the draft.

Stephon Castle - UConn

Approximate measurements: 6-foot-6; 215 pounds; 6-foot-9 wingspan

UConn freshman Stephon Castle blurs the line between what constitutes a guard and wing the most out of every player mentioned here, as he has guard skills to speak of but has operated more as a connective wing with senior guard Tristen Newton running the show. Regardless of what Castle is at the next level, however, he’s shown enough to be in this conversation.

Castle’s counting stats will make many question his hype up to this point, but his good positional size at 6-foot-6, playmaking acumen, defensive versatility, and scoring upside remain very interesting. His scoring aggression is what currently leaves a lot to be desired, but if he starts knocking down shots at a respectable rate, as he did recently against Providence, his stock could skyrocket later in the draft process.

Ron Holland - G League Ignite

Approximate measurements: 6-foot-8; 206 pounds; 7-foot wingspan

On the surface, Ron Holland on the Spurs does not feel like a great match, but one could argue that the Spurs are in such a bad way that fit may not matter much come draft day. Holland in a Spurs’ context isn’t something that has been talked about a whole lot, to the point that it’s become an underrated possibility. Similar to Collier, Holland is likely the most explosive athlete in the draft at his position, and considering that, along with his age and production in a professional league, his upside is undeniably tremendous.

At least one of Holland and Jeremy Sochan would likely have to become consistently league-average shooters for the trio of those two and Victor Wembanyama to be a viable starting unit long-term, but if you’re a believer in that coming to fruition, the two-way upside of that group is outrageous. Holland is a blur in transition, would generate much-needed rim pressure in the half-court, and has had enough flashes of good ball handling and shotmaking off the bounce to keep him in the mix of top-tier wings in the class.

Honorable mentions

Kyshawn George (Miami), Johnny Furphy (Kansas), Dalton Knecht (Tennessee), Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite), Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor), Tidjane Salaun (Cholet)