BREAKING NEWS: San Antonio Spurs Projected to Draft Two Players From the Same School in 2025 NBA Draft…
The San Antonio Spurs are currently projected to hold two lottery picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Based on the current standings, the Spurs are expected to pick 8th and 14th, with the latter selection coming via the Atlanta Hawks. While the team could potentially move up or explore trades as they did last year—when they selected Rob Dillingham at No. 8 and then dealt him to the Timberwolves—a recent ESPN mock draft has them targeting two players from the same college.
While Rutgers and Duke are expected to produce several top-10 prospects, the mock draft instead sees San Antonio selecting University of Illinois standouts Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley.
On February 8, 2025, both Riley and Jakucionis had a standout moment celebrating during a game against Minnesota, highlighting their chemistry and impact for the Fighting Illini. Although Illinois didn’t make it to the Final Four like Duke, they performed better than Rutgers by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Jakucionis is regarded as one of the top pass-first guards in the draft, drawing comparisons to De’Aaron Fox in terms of his ability to run an offense. Riley, who was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, is known for his efficient off-ball scoring.
If the Spurs stay at picks 8 and 14, Jakucionis and Riley would be solid options. However, the team’s lack of depth behind Victor Wembanyama was a glaring issue this past season, especially after his early exit. Given that, the Spurs may be better off selecting a backup center like Derik Queen, Khaman Maluach, or Thomas Sorber with one of their picks, and then using the other to add either Riley or Jakucionis—but not both.
