San Antonio Spurs Second-Round Draft Picks to Compete for Minutes

The San Antonio Spurs have successfully built their young core. Victor Wembanyama is complimented on both ends of the floor by Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan.

Tre Jones, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and Tre Jones are all the right age to be long-term contributors on the up-and-coming Spurs team, but their fit with the roster could be called into question, making any playing time they receive valuable.

However, no one has more to prove than 2023 and 2024 second-round picks Sidy Cissoko and Harrison Ingram.

Both Ingram and Cissoko are solidly built forwards. Ingram is a hair shorter, although Cissoko is the more explosive athlete. Both are comfortable using their bodies down low and can rebound quite well for players their size, and both projects to be at least average NBA defenders.

Cissoko is much better in the open floor and is a better athlete, although Ingram is expected to be a much better shooter, so they each have their pros and cons. Despite being drafted a year early, Cissoko is 20 years old, and Ingram is 21. Both are still raw prospects.

Last season, Cissoko played in the G League for much of the year and averaged 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.1 stocks, but he only shot 24.5 percent from behind the arc. In his final year in college with the UNC Tarheels, Ingram averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 stocks while shooting 38.5 percent from behind the arc.

Both of them played in the Summer League this year, although Cissoko was recovering from knee surgery.

Cissoko and Ingram 2024 Summer League Stats

Ingram is on a two-way contract and will likely spend most of his rookie year in Austin, while Cissoko will receive occasional minutes with the main club. If he continues to struggle to score with any degree of efficiency, he will likely quickly be passed by Ingram.

Cissoko is still raw and it's too early to write him off. His defensive potential and athletic abilities are unmatched, especially by Ingram, who is not the best athlete.

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However, the Spurs will likely be thrilled if one of the two turns into a rotational player, as the expectations on second-round picks are always low. Ingram will play to his strengths as a stretch four who can rebound at a high level, but in his second season, Cissoko will have more opportunities to play in front of Gregg Popovich and with Wembanyama.