2019 NBA Draft: Full Mock Draft 4.0, Atlanta Hawks Trade Down to Pick at 8, 14 & 22, Lakers Trade #4

Sure, it might be clichéd, but the San Antonio Spurs will be taking a highly regarded international prospect in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft (at least in this humble mock-up!).

Goga Bitadze followed in the footsteps of his feted EuroLeague alumnus Luka Doncic by being named the league’s Rising Star for the 2018-19 season, and with good reason: He possesses the coveted combination of three-point shooting and rim protection that every single team in the league is looking for in today’s NBA.

Beyond that, his stats (per Tankathon) for Budućnost in Montenegro showcase a potentially interesting NBA future. With an insanely high 75.3 free throw attempt rate, Bitadze is shooting 71.4 percent from the line on over 5 attempts at the charity stripe per game. When you realize that Bitadze is only playing roughly 23 minutes per contest – that level of production at the stripe conveys a fascinating skill set for teams to ponder at the next level.

The Spurs often employ a rotating cadre of big men, though even Popovich has gone more in the direction of small-ball in recent years. With Bitadze, Coach Pop would have the best of both worlds, as the Georgia-born (the country, not the state) big man could hang out on the perimeter then be right back at the rim on defense on the other end. A seamless fit for the Spurs at #19 overall.