2018 NBA Mock Draft: Who’s moving at the top?
player. 29. . F. Ohio State. Keita Bates-Diop. 18
The big question for Bates-Diop, as for many wing scorers, is whether his handle can translate to the next level. The Spurs have had success adding secondary skills to the games of role players such as Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard (and then he kept getting better) and even Gary Neal a long time ago — they could easily do the same with Bates-Diop.
San Antonio has stubbornly tried to become a more modern team since their last title in 2014, though that transition has been slow. For every Jonathon Simmons there has been a Livio Jean-Charles, someone who looks like they could help the Spurs compete against the most progressive teams in the league and ultimately never contributes. Young players must play within the team’s offensive system and play disciplined defense to earn consistent playing time under coach Gregg Popovich.
The hope for someone like Bates-Diop, the B1G Player of the Year whose wingspan officially measured in at 7-3.25 at the combine, is that he has the two-way talent to be one of those players. Not only does he have the freakish wingspan, he also moves his feet well on defense to stifle penetration and erase openings in the halfcourt.
Offensively, the production is already there. Averaging 19.8 points per game this season on a .577 true shooting percentage, Bates-Diop feasted on an efficient diet of shots and led the Sooners to a surprising season. Even with a smaller role, he could help the Spurs diversify their offense and become more versatile.