SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs chose Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan with the No. 9 overall pick and Ohio State guard Malaki Branham with the 20th 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 provides needed size and defense in the frontcourt for the undersized Spurs. Only 19 years old, Sochan became the youngest player ever on the Polish national team.
“I feel like I’ll be able to bring it every day on the defensive side,” Sochan said. “On the ball, off the ball, switching. I feel like I’m also a good communicator, so I feel like I’ll be able to do that straight when.”
Branham averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game in his only season with the Buckeyes. A 6-foot-5 guard, he was named the Big Ten freshman of the year.
Sochan and Branham 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 and Branham.
“I think it’s really exciting,” Sochan said. “From what I’ve heard, they all really want to work hard. I feel like I can fit really well. I’m going to be a sponge. There’s a lot of history with the Spurs and I just want to win.”
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 25th selection in the first round and the 38th in the second round. It was the first time the Spurs had 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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