Welcome to the Open Thread. During the month of June, we are talking NBA Draft. As we lead up to the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25th, we will be revisiting the Spurs draft choices. Today we remember the 2022 NBA Draft.

Due to some crafty trading, the Spurs found themselves with three first round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft. They chose Jeremy Sochan with the 9th pick in the draft. The Baylor Bear had been named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year as well as the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. Sochan has averaged just over 11 point per game in his three season with the Spurs and spent two seasons as a starter. Fans will remember the now defunct point guard experiment. The exercise gave Sochan a new perspective and advanced his ball-handling skills, but mostly on an “as-needed” basis.

The Spurs drafted Malaki Branham with the 20th pick. They had acquired the pick from Toronto when they sent Drew Eubanks, Thaddeus Young, and the 33rd pick of the 2022 draft to the Raptors for Goran Dragic (who was waived) and the Raptors first round pick. Branham was the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year while making the Bog Ten All-Freshmen Team. Branham has seen a steady reduction in minutes ever since his rookie season. he has good handles, agility, and can light it up in spurts.

And the Spurs also picked Blake Wesley with the 25th slot the draft. This pick came from Boston with Josh Livingston and Romeo Langford when Derrick White was traded to the Celtics. Like Branham, Wesley has experienced a steady decline in minutes as building around Victor Wembanyama has left him on the sidelines. Wesley is one of the faster downhill point guards and can still grab himself a role as the Spurs retool, or find himself more playing time with a different team.

Kennedy Chandler was chosen 38th in the draft. The next day, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the 2024 second-round pick that was used to draft Harrison Ingram. Chandler has bounced around the G-League, currently with the Raptors 905.

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