Spurs select Jayden Quaintance with No. 20 pick in NBA draft first round

Quaintance, a 6-foot-9 inch, 253-pound forward, averaged five points, five rebounds and shot 57.1% from the field

Mary Rominger, Sports Anchor/Reporter

Published: June 23, 2026 at 9:50 PMUpdated: June 23, 2026 at 11:18 PM

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs selected Jayden Quaintance with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Quaintance, the former Kentucky forward, brings height that the Spurs could certainly use. The 6-foot-9-inch, 253-pound forward averaged five points and five rebounds and shot 57.1% from the field goal.

The 2026 NBA Finals runner-up doesn’t have a lot of “building” to do. They did that the last three seasons.

Now, the Spurs have an opportunity to move forward with new talent that will elevate the squad. Victor Wembanyama could use another big the team can lean on while one is on the bench.

During the postseason, Wembanyama led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks, while Stephon Castle led in assists, and Julian Champagnie led in steals. The gaps that needed to be filled were exposed in the postseason, especially in the Finals.

The Spurs have a young group who will only grow and thrive. This is based on what head coach Mitch Johnson was able to do in less than a year as the team’s leader.

The Silver and Black can defend, shoot, get down court in transition, and pass the ball. Not to mention, the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year award going to Wembanyama and the 2026 Sixth Man of the Year going to Keldon Johnson.

It’s easy to tell the Spurs have a bright future.

Below are the players who are under contract with the Spurs: