Spurs go international with Nikola Milutinov at No. 26
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Brace yourself: The San Antonio Spurs drafted an international player late in the first round. Shocker, right?
The Spurs selected Serbian center Nikola Milutinov with the 26th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft on Thursday night. They've now taken 14 international prospects in the last 17 drafts.
Like several other international players, Milutinov jumped up the board thanks to the exodus of potential draft-and-stash candidates at the draft withdrawal deadline. That doesn't mean he's not a good flier, keeping guaranteed salary off the Spurs' books in the short-term and providing a potential asset down the road.
Adam Silver was particularly pleased with himself for the way he pronounced Nikola Milutinov's name. Very impressive stuff from the commish.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 26, 2015
Milutinov may have been rising up the draft even if others didn't pull out, with the 6-foot-11 Serbian closing out a strong season for Partizan of the Adriatic and Serbian leagues. The 20-year-old averaged 9.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 54.9 percent from the floor, showcasing solid fundamentals and footwork as the year progressed.
He needs to add bulk to become NBA-ready, but that's not an enormous immediate concern given how important mobility is to his game. He could also stand to increase his range, which doesn't extend to the shorter FIBA 3-point line. Those aren't immediate concerns for the Spurs, as it sounds like Milutinov could stay with Partizan for 2015-16.
Had the Cleveland Cavaliers not traded the No. 24 pick, Milutinov reportedly would have been a draft-and-stash pick for them, too.