The biggest steal of the 2020 NBA Draft went to the San Antonio Spurs after selecting a Duke basketball guard.
It’s not often when people refer to a Duke basketball player as a ‘steal’ in an NBA Draft, but here we are.
Tre Jones, the ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, had to wait much longer than expected to hear his name called but falls into the perfect situation with the San Antonio Spurs.
With the 41st pick in the 2020 #NBADraft, the Spurs select @Tre3Jones! Welcome to SA!@ATT | #SpursDraft2020 pic.twitter.com/9j3lR3KspA
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 19, 2020
The Spurs and head coach Gregg Popovich selected the former Blue Devil with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft as Jones will have the chance to learn in one of the best systems the NBA has seen in modern history.
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Also, Popovich will land the product of his good friend, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Despite his struggles in Durham shooting from 3-point range, there wasn’t much Tre Jones could not do as a sophomore, averaging 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the field.
How does the Duke basketball guard fit with the San Antonio Spurs?
Tre Jones is the perfect player to fit the Spurs system because Popovich doesn’t completely buy into the analytics of basketball, and the 6-foot-3 guard isn’t the best analytical player.
Jones is a ball-handler, passer, defender, and leader, all of which are devalued in basketball analytics since shooting the 3-point ball is so important in today’s game. But still looking to fill the void from future Hall of Famer Tony Parker, San Antonio could have its point guard for the next 10 years on its roster.
San Antonio was ACC-heavy in the 2020 NBA Draft, taking Florida State prospect Devin Vassell with the No. 11 overall pick.
ALSO READ: Former Duke star traded in draft night’s biggest blockbuster
Something also intriguing as Jones heads to Texas?
The Spurs are in the Southwest Division in the Western Conference, the same division as Tyus Jones and the Memphis Grizzlies.
As pointed out by Duke’s Director of Communications Mike DeGeorge, the youngest Jones brother joins his former assistant coach Chris Carrawell as two Blue Devils who have been selected by the San Antonio Spurs, both with the No. 41 overall selection.
Separated by 20 years, @Tre3Jones (2020 draft) and one of his assistant coaches, @CoachCarrawell (2000 draft), were each selected by the San Antonio Spurs. Each with the 41st overall pick. #GoDuke #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/dsKOkBZjWA
— Mike DeGeorge (@MikeDeGeorge) November 19, 2020
Tre Jones will make teams look foolish for passing on him, and it’s one of the best NBA coaches of all time who gets to relish in his peers’ mistake.