Jason Burgos
A new NBA mock draft suggests the San Antonio Spurs will take a hidden gem prospect in Round 1 who will eventually usurp Julian Champagnie’s starting job.
Despite a frustrating end to their 2025-26 campaign, the Spurs took a huge leap forward in Victor Wembanyama’s third season as the face of the franchise. After six straight seasons with 34 or fewer wins, San Antonio’s young roster posted 62 wins and reached this year’s NBA Finals. Yet, there were big lessons to take away from their championship loss to the New York Knicks.
For as talented as this team is, and the upside they have, there are certain parts of the roster that they can improve. One area they are likely to target this offseason is their front court next to Wembanyama. While Champagnie and Devin Vassell are good players, they might be at their best in bench roles. While the Spurs could target upgrades in free agency or the trade market, the organization is more likely to aim for potential stars in the NBA Draft.
In a new mock from USA TODAY’s top draft expert, Bryan Kalbrosky, he predicts San Antonio will use their pick at 20th overall on Santa Clara forward Allen Graves. A player he believes was one of the most “under-the-radar” star prospects in college basketball this year and has a ton of potential.
“The only players under 21 with a higher box plus-minus were Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. All teams that prioritize analytical modeling in the pre-draft process, like the Spurs, who reportedly hosted Graves for a pre-draft workout, will have this prospect ranked highly.”
– Bryan Kalbrosky
Graves was the WCC Rookie and Sixth Man of the Year in 2025-26 as he posted 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and shot 41% from three in just over 22 minutes a night. The 6-foot-8 forward with a 70-inch wingspan would likely be an eventual replacement for Champagnie if he lives up to his potential at the next level.
