In the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs announced the addition of Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown. The selections were made on the final night of the draft and complete San Antonio’s two-round haul for this year. Both players arrive as the franchise continues to lean on the development model that Gregg Popovich has refined over many seasons.

Gillespie and Brown bring complementary skill sets that fit the Spurs’ emphasis on versatility and ball movement. The wing player offers spacing potential, while the forward adds interior defensive options. Those traits align with the team’s philosophy of fluid offense and switching defense, giving Coach Popovich additional tactical flexibility as the roster evolves.

Both newcomers will report to the Spurs’ Summer League roster in July. The league provides a first look at how they handle the transition from college to the professional level and offers coaches a chance to evaluate their readiness for the roster that heads into training camp. Performance in the Summer League will be a key factor in determining whether they earn spots on the regular-season roster or spend time with the G-League affiliate while the organization monitors their progress.

The Spurs have a long-standing reputation for extracting value from later-round picks. By selecting a shooter and a forward with defensive upside, the front office continues a pattern of targeting skill sets that complement the team’s motion offense and switching defense. The moves underscore a strategy that prioritizes roster flexibility over marquee names, allowing San Antonio to preserve cap space for future free-agent decisions.

Looking ahead, Gillespie and Brown will compete for minutes in an environment that rewards effort and adaptability. If they can translate their college success to the NBA pace, they could see meaningful roles early in the season, especially during stretches when the Spurs have historically rotated younger players. Regardless of immediate impact, the additions add depth to a roster that is still shaping its identity under Popovich’s guidance, and the real work now begins with training camp, Summer League and the day-to-day grind of earning a spot in the NBA.