The San Antonio Spurs introduced their 2026 NBA Draft picks on Thursday. The four picks are Tarris Reed Jr, Jayden Quaintance, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, and Maliq Brown. They played for college basketball blue bloods or were forces on teams who came close to winning an NCAA championship.
What happened?
The Spurs had a consistent theme running throughout its draft philosophy this year: defense. They selected Kentucky's 6-foot-10 forward Jayden Quaintance with the 20th overall pick. Quaintance averaged 2.6 blocks per game in 2024-25 as a freshman at Arizona State.
Why it matters for San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs lost to the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals. Their last result was San Antonio Spurs 90-94 New York Knicks (2026-06-14). Their recent form is 1W-0D-4L (LLLLW, most recent first).
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | San Antonio Spurs 90-94 New York Knicks |
What comes next?
The Spurs will look to improve their defense with their new picks. Tarris Reed Jr said, 'That's what helped us win: going all the way to the national championship.' Ja'Kobi Gillespie draws inspiration from former Spur Chris Paul. Maliq Brown earned the Atlantic Coast Conference's Sixth Man of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
The Spurs' new picks are ready to contribute to the team. Jayden Quaintance said, 'Being a young player myself, I'll be able to relate to a lot of people on the team.' The Spurs will look to bounce back from their loss in the NBA Finals. Their new picks will play a key role in their upcoming season.