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The San Antonio Spurs gave Victor Wembanyama a brand new working mate within the 2024 NBA draft, choosing UConn guard Stephon Fortress with the No. 4 general decide.
Fortress is coming off an unbelievable freshman marketing campaign with the Huskies, securing a spot within the beginning lineup and serving to the crew earn a second consecutive nationwide title.
After the Spurs handled inconsistency within the backcourt all through the 2023-24 season, followers have been trying ahead to seeing the 19-year-old develop alongside Wembanyama.
Jake @jakeweingarten
Stephon Fortress is headed to San Antonio. One in every of my early picks for decide of the draft. This child may’ve went primary. Elite defensive participant, will get extra offensive alternative in San Antonio as effectively.
Wemby & Fortress. pic.twitter.com/30herPL5VJ
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Fortress + Wembanyama on protection…gonna be robust as hell to attain on the Spurs. And I like the potential of them collectively on offense too. Fortress is prepared to do all of it, he can play typical PG but in addition run inverted stuff as a screener for Wemby. Pop can get artistic. https://t.co/bQRiLNqC43
Fortress averaged 11.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds, and a pair of.9 assists per sport in his lone season at UConn. Whereas he struggled from behind the arc with a 26.7 three-point proportion, he nonetheless shot 47.2 p.c from the sphere and knocked down 75.5 p.c of his free throws.
He is additionally a succesful defender, in a position to guard a number of positions along with his 6’6″ body. Fortress ought to assist enhance a Spurs crew that ranked No. 21 in defensive ranking final season (by way of NBA.com).
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman talked about the guard’s potential to run the pick-and-roll in his scouting report of Fortress.
“Fortress’s potential to deal with and facilitate at 6’6″ and 215 kilos separates him as one of the vital environment friendly pick-and-roll operators on this yr’s draft class,” Wasserman wrote. “He excelled in ball screens with no dependable pull-up, principally as a result of his live-dribble passing and skill to make use of pacing and physicality whereas taking it to the rim.”
Though he might not take over lead ball-handling duties for San Antonio in his rookie yr, he ought to nonetheless match seamlessly in head coach Gregg Popovich’s system. Regardless of the Spurs’ paltry 22-60 report, they nonetheless averaged the second-most assists per sport amongst all NBA groups all through the 2023-24 season.
As San Antonio seems to construct round Wembanyama after his 2024 Rookie of the 12 months win, Fortress initiatives as a super accomplice for the previous No. 1 general decide on each ends of the courtroom.