SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs chose Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan with the No. 9 overall selection in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
A 6-foot-9 forward, Sochan averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in his lone season with the Bears.
Sochan joins a franchise rebuilding after being the league’s winningest franchise over two decades. San Antonio qualified for a league record 22 straight postseasons beginning in 1998, winning five NBA championships over that span with stars such as Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
After missing the postseason the past two seasons, the Spurs are attempting to reinvigorate their franchise behind All-Star Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Josh Primo and now Sochan.
Born in Guymon, Oklahoma, Sochan spent much of his life in England before committing to Baylor in 2020.
Sochan was San Antonio’s sixth lottery selection since it began in 1985, the fewest in the league ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (seven) and Houston (10).
San Antonio also had the 20th, 25th selections in the first round and the in the second round It is the first time the Spurs have three first-round picks in the same draft in the franchise’s 50-year history in San Antonio.
San Antonio acquired the 20th selection from Toronto as compensation for acquiring Goran Dragic from the Raptors. The 25th pick was part of the compensation the Spurs received from the Boston Celtics for Derrick White.
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