Last Updated on September 24, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The Austin Spurs’ 2015-16 season combined deliberate pace with elite defense, a formula that carried the club to a 30-20 record and a second straight Southwest Division title. Austin allowed fewer than 100 points per game, ranking among the NBA D-League’s top defensive teams while relying on a deep rotation rather than a single dominant star. Deshaun Thomas, Cady Lalanne, Keifer Sykes, Nick Johnson, and Youssou Ndoye were among the key contributors on a roster that frequently interacted with the San Antonio Spurs’ system. The team defeated the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in a three-game first-round series before falling to the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the Western Conference Finals, finishing one round short of a championship appearance.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jean Victor Nguidjol | C | 6 ft 10 in | 230 lb | November 19, 1994 | — |
| 7 | Bryce Cotton | G | 6 ft 1 in | 165 lb | August 11, 1992 | Providence |
| 8 | Keifer Sykes | G | 6 ft 0 in | 180 lb | October 30, 1993 | Green Bay |
| 10 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | SG | 6 ft 6 in | 205 lb | March 16, 1992 | Michigan |
| 10 | Mfon Udofia | PG | 6 ft 2 in | 194 lb | August 1, 1990 | Georgia Tech |
| 10 | Brandon Fields | G | 6 ft 4 in | 190 lb | August 27, 1988 | Nevada |
| 11 | Demetri McCamey | G | 6 ft 3 in | 205 lb | February 21, 1989 | Illinois |
| 14 | Julian Washburn | F | 6 ft 8 in | 210 lb | December 18, 1991 | UTEP |
| 16 | Jarell Eddie | F | 6 ft 7 in | 220 lb | October 30, 1991 | Virginia Tech |
| 16 | Wesley Saunders | G | 6 ft 6 in | 218 lb | June 6, 1993 | Harvard |
| 17 | Jonathon Simmons | G | 6 ft 6 in | 195 lb | September 14, 1989 | Houston |
| 22 | Lamar Patterson | F | 6 ft 5 in | 225 lb | August 12, 1991 | Pittsburgh |
| 23 | Deshaun Thomas | F | 6 ft 7 in | 215 lb | August 29, 1991 | Ohio State |
| 25 | Cady Lalanne | C | 6 ft 9 in | 242 lb | April 22, 1992 | Massachusetts |
| 30 | Jean Victor Nguidjol | C | 6 ft 10 in | 230 lb | November 19, 1994 | — |
| 31 | Nick Johnson | SG | 6 ft 3 in | 200 lb | December 22, 1992 | Arizona |
| 32 | Mouhamed Sene | C | 7 ft 0 in | 230 lb | May 12, 1986 | — |
| 33 | Orlando Johnson | G | 6 ft 5 in | 220 lb | March 11, 1989 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 35 | Youssou Ndoye | C | 7 ft 0 in | 250 lb | July 15, 1991 | St. Bonaventure |
| 40 | Walter Tavares | C | 7 ft 3 in | 265 lb | March 22, 1992 | — |
| 41 | Keith Wright | F | 6 ft 8 in | 240 lb | July 22, 1989 | Harvard |
| 42 | Cameron Bairstow | F | 6 ft 9 in | 250 lb | December 7, 1990 | New Mexico |
| 59 | Boban Marjanovic | C | 7 ft 4 in | 290 lb | August 15, 1988 | — |
| — | Ray McCallum | PG | 6 ft 3 in | 190 lb | June 12, 1991 | Detroit Mercy |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player Name | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Thomas | 47 | 35 | 28.9 | 14.7 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 12.1 | 6.3 | .518 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .293 | 2.0 | 1.6 | .785 | ||
| Cady Lallane | 50 | 28 | 26.1 | 13.3 | 7.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 10.5 | 4.9 | .469 | 3.6 | 1.2 | .337 | 3.2 | 2.2 | .683 | ||
| Keifer Sykes | 50 | 37 | 31.0 | 12.4 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 10.7 | 4.8 | .446 | 1.8 | 0.6 | .315 | 2.9 | 2.3 | .786 | ||
| Orlando Johnson | 30 | 26 | 32.0 | 15.5 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 11.5 | 5.0 | .434 | 3.8 | 1.8 | .461 | 4.5 | 3.7 | .816 | ||
| Demetri McCamey | 49 | 8 | 25.1 | 9.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 7.8 | 3.2 | .414 | 3.8 | 1.4 | .358 | 1.5 | 1.3 | .863 | ||
| Jarell Eddie | 11 | 9 | 28.6 | 14.1 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 9.1 | 4.8 | .530 | 5.5 | 2.9 | .525 | 1.6 | 1.5 | .944 | ||
| Brandon Fields | 14 | 4 | 25.0 | 11.7 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 9.2 | 4.4 | .481 | 2.3 | 0.8 | .344 | 2.5 | 2.1 | .829 | ||
| Youssou Ndoye | 49 | 14 | 19.2 | 7.9 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 2.6 | .571 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.6 | 2.6 | .723 | ||
| Nick Johnson | 34 | 25 | 28.9 | 10.4 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 9.8 | 3.9 | .398 | 2.7 | 0.9 | .323 | 2.4 | 1.7 | .738 | ||
| Walter Tavares | 25 | 16 | 21.8 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 5.8 | 3.9 | .664 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 2.2 | .701 | |||
| Julian Washburn | 48 | 15 | 18.9 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 1.6 | .418 | 1.9 | 0.8 | .398 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .607 | ||
| Lamar Patterson | 10 | 7 | 30.4 | 13.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 11.5 | 4.6 | .400 | 4.2 | 1.0 | .238 | 4.2 | 3.4 | .810 | ||
| Ray McCallum | 9 | 9 | 38.6 | 17.1 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 15.2 | 6.6 | .431 | 4.4 | 1.7 | .375 | 3.1 | 2.3 | .750 | ||
| Jonathon Simmons | 4 | 4 | 34.5 | 16.0 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 4.3 | 12.8 | 5.5 | .431 | 3.3 | 0.8 | .231 | 5.5 | 4.3 | .773 | ||
| Bryce Cotton | 6 | 6 | 32.8 | 19.3 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 11.8 | 6.2 | .521 | 5.2 | 2.5 | .484 | 4.8 | 4.5 | .931 | ||
| Boban Marjanovic | 3 | 3 | 26.3 | 23.7 | 12.3 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 13.7 | 11.0 | .805 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .625 | |||
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 3 | 0 | 23.0 | 20.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 11.3 | 6.0 | .529 | 7.7 | 3.7 | .478 | 5.0 | 4.3 | .867 | ||
| Cameron Bairstow | 5 | 4 | 26.6 | 14.0 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 11.8 | 5.6 | .475 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.4 | 2.8 | .824 | ||
| Mouhamed Sene | 1 | 0 | 16.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | .200 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||||
| Keith Wright | 20 | 0 | 8.8 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | .355 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.4 | 0.2 | .375 | ||
| Mfon Udofia | 9 | 0 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.4 | .235 | 1.1 | 0.2 | .200 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| Wesley Saunders | 5 | 0 | 12.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | .300 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.000 | ||
| Jean Nguidjol | 4 | 0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Playoff
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV/G | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Thomas | 6 | 6 | 35.3 | 21.3 | 5.3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 17.2 | 8.7 | .505 | 1.7 | 0.5 | .300 | 4.3 | 3.5 | .808 | ||
| Brandon Fields | 6 | 5 | 32.8 | 18.7 | 4.7 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 11.0 | 6.3 | .576 | 3.2 | 1.2 | .368 | 6.0 | 4.8 | .806 | ||
| Keifer Sykes | 6 | 6 | 36.0 | 18.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 14.2 | 7.5 | .529 | 2.3 | 0.7 | .286 | 3.7 | 2.5 | .682 | ||
| Demetri McCamey | 6 | 0 | 23.0 | 12.2 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 9.3 | 4.0 | .429 | 6.2 | 2.2 | .351 | 3.0 | 2.0 | .667 | ||
| Youssou Ndoye | 6 | 4 | 21.5 | 9.3 | 6.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 5.2 | 4.0 | .774 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | .889 | |||
| Walter Tavares | 6 | 1 | 12.7 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 2.5 | .833 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | .800 | |||
| Cady Lallane | 6 | 1 | 17.0 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 6.5 | 2.2 | .333 | 1.2 | 0.2 | .143 | 1.7 | 0.8 | .500 | ||
| Lamar Patterson | 6 | 0 | 19.8 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 5.0 | 1.7 | .333 | 1.7 | 0.2 | .100 | 2.2 | 1.8 | .846 | ||
| Nick Johnson | 6 | 1 | 18.0 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .320 | 1.3 | 0.7 | .500 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .667 | ||
| Julian Washburn | 6 | 6 | 22.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 1.7 | .588 | 1.2 | 0.5 | .429 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.000 | ||
| Orlando Johnson | 1 | 0 | 18.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 | .111 | 3.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| Jean Nguidjol | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 | ||||
| Wesley Saunders | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Thomas | 47 | 35 | 1360 | 690 | 292 | 104 | 27 | 17 | 77 | 569 | 295 | .518 | 92 | 27 | .293 | 93 | 73 | .785 | ||
| Cady Lallane | 50 | 28 | 1305 | 663 | 379 | 46 | 24 | 64 | 98 | 524 | 246 | .469 | 181 | 61 | .337 | 161 | 110 | .683 | ||
| Keifer Sykes | 50 | 37 | 1549 | 621 | 181 | 157 | 38 | 5 | 100 | 536 | 239 | .446 | 92 | 29 | .315 | 145 | 114 | .786 | ||
| Orlando Johnson | 30 | 26 | 961 | 464 | 158 | 84 | 17 | 12 | 50 | 346 | 150 | .434 | 115 | 53 | .461 | 136 | 111 | .816 | ||
| Demetri McCamey | 49 | 8 | 1228 | 446 | 123 | 115 | 29 | 3 | 58 | 382 | 158 | .414 | 187 | 67 | .358 | 73 | 63 | .863 | ||
| Youssou Ndoye | 49 | 14 | 941 | 386 | 343 | 40 | 22 | 56 | 84 | 226 | 129 | .571 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 177 | 128 | .723 | ||
| Nick Johnson | 34 | 25 | 982 | 355 | 127 | 101 | 35 | 10 | 80 | 334 | 133 | .398 | 93 | 30 | .323 | 80 | 59 | .738 | ||
| Walter Tavares | 25 | 16 | 544 | 248 | 218 | 12 | 12 | 85 | 45 | 146 | 97 | .664 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 54 | .701 | |||
| Julian Washburn | 48 | 15 | 906 | 206 | 148 | 30 | 18 | 11 | 30 | 182 | 76 | .418 | 93 | 37 | .398 | 28 | 17 | .607 | ||
| Brandon Fields | 14 | 4 | 350 | 164 | 44 | 43 | 8 | 0 | 27 | 129 | 62 | .481 | 32 | 11 | .344 | 35 | 29 | .829 | ||
| Jarell Eddie | 11 | 9 | 315 | 155 | 44 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 100 | 53 | .530 | 61 | 32 | .525 | 18 | 17 | .944 | ||
| Ray McCallum | 9 | 9 | 347 | 154 | 35 | 43 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 137 | 59 | .431 | 40 | 15 | .375 | 28 | 21 | .750 | ||
| Lamar Patterson | 10 | 7 | 304 | 136 | 43 | 49 | 10 | 3 | 33 | 115 | 46 | .400 | 42 | 10 | .238 | 42 | 34 | .810 | ||
| Bryce Cotton | 6 | 6 | 197 | 116 | 20 | 24 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 71 | 37 | .521 | 31 | 15 | .484 | 29 | 27 | .931 | ||
| Boban Marjanovic | 3 | 3 | 79 | 71 | 37 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 41 | 33 | .805 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | .625 | |||
| Cameron Bairstow | 5 | 4 | 133 | 70 | 40 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 59 | 28 | .475 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 17 | 14 | .824 | ||
| Jonathon Simmons | 4 | 4 | 138 | 64 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 51 | 22 | .431 | 13 | 3 | .231 | 22 | 17 | .773 | ||
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 3 | 0 | 69 | 60 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 18 | .529 | 23 | 11 | .478 | 15 | 13 | .867 | ||
| Keith Wright | 20 | 0 | 176 | 25 | 47 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 31 | 11 | .355 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 8 | 3 | .375 | ||
| Mfon Udofia | 9 | 0 | 74 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 4 | .235 | 10 | 2 | .200 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Wesley Saunders | 5 | 0 | 60 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | ||
| Mouhamed Sene | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Jean Nguidjol | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Playoff
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Thomas | 6 | 6 | 212 | 128 | 32 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 103 | 52 | .505 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 26 | 21 | .808 | ||
| Brandon Fields | 6 | 5 | 197 | 112 | 28 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 66 | 38 | .576 | 19 | 7 | .368 | 36 | 29 | .806 | ||
| Keifer Sykes | 6 | 6 | 216 | 109 | 18 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 85 | 45 | .529 | 14 | 4 | .286 | 22 | 15 | .682 | ||
| Demetri McCamey | 6 | 0 | 138 | 73 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 56 | 24 | .429 | 37 | 13 | .351 | 18 | 12 | .667 | ||
| Youssou Ndoye | 6 | 4 | 129 | 56 | 38 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 31 | 24 | .774 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | .889 | |||
| Walter Tavares | 6 | 1 | 76 | 34 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 18 | 15 | .833 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | .800 | |||
| Cady Lallane | 6 | 1 | 102 | 32 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 39 | 13 | .333 | 7 | 1 | .143 | 10 | 5 | .500 | ||
| Lamar Patterson | 6 | 0 | 119 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 10 | .333 | 10 | 1 | .100 | 13 | 11 | .846 | ||
| Nick Johnson | 6 | 1 | 108 | 28 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 8 | .320 | 8 | 4 | .500 | 12 | 8 | .667 | ||
| Julian Washburn | 6 | 6 | 136 | 24 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 10 | .588 | 7 | 3 | .429 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | ||
| Orlando Johnson | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | .111 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Jean Nguidjol | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | ||||
| Wesley Saunders | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boban Marjanovic | Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.1) | 26.3 | High | 23.7 | 12.3 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 105.34 | As a massive interior finisher, Marjanovic used his short Austin stint to get extended minutes and build confidence in the Spurs’ system; San Antonio reporting noted that the extra D-League run helped him learn the offense and adjust to professional basketball in America. Spurs coverage | |
| Bryce Cotton | Lead Shot Creator (1.1) | 32.8 | High | 19.3 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 73.92 | Cotton functioned as Austin’s downhill scoring guard, attacking defenses while also creating for teammates. His early-season run was strong enough to earn a Phoenix call-up after four Austin games, and contemporary coverage emphasized his combination of scoring punch and playmaking. Phoenix coverage | |
| Ray McCallum | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 38.6 | High | 17.1 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 72.07 | McCallum was essentially Austin’s on-ball organizer when assigned by San Antonio, with the coaching staff using him to make early calls, organize the offense and pressure the ball defensively. San Antonio Express-News specifically described his D-League role as a development opportunity centered on leadership and two-way aggression. San Antonio Express-News coverage | |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | Microwave Wing Scorer (1.05) | 23.0 | High | 20.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 65.52 | Hardaway arrived as an NBA-caliber scoring wing rather than a developmental piece, and his three Austin appearances were used to keep his offensive rhythm sharp. His 52.9% shooting and 47.8% three-point accuracy made the short assignment particularly explosive. ShamSports profile | |
| Deshaun Thomas | Primary Offensive Engine (1.1) | 28.9 | High | 14.7 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 63.62 | Thomas operated as a scoring forward who could punish defenses inside while stretching them enough to create driving lanes. His earlier scouting reputation already centered on natural scoring ability from multiple areas of the floor, a profile that translated naturally into a larger offensive role in Austin. ESPN analysis | |
| Orlando Johnson | Offensive Focal Point (1.05) | 32.0 | High | 15.5 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 61.99 | Johnson gave Austin a mature two-way wing presence, handling a significant share of the offense while also providing rebounding from the perimeter. His 30 games included 26 starts, and his production earned a Phoenix call-up and selection to the 2016 D-League All-Star Game. Pelicans coverage | 2016 NBA D-League All-Star |
| Lamar Patterson | Secondary Offensive Creator (1.05) | 30.4 | High | 13.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 60.73 | Patterson’s value came from connective play as much as scoring: he could initiate offense, rebound from the wing and make secondary reads. Atlanta repeatedly used Austin assignments to give him meaningful minutes, with contemporary coverage highlighting his unusually productive early D-League stints as a playmaker. Peachtree Hoops coverage | |
| Jonathon Simmons | Downhill Two-Way Wing (1.05) | 34.5 | High | 16.0 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 60.23 | Simmons was the classic downhill wing creator, using athleticism to collapse defenses rather than relying on a polished isolation jumper. Independent reporting around his Austin development emphasized his energy, defensive versatility and ability to turn an overlooked D-League opportunity into an NBA role. San Antonio Express-News feature | |
| Cameron Bairstow | Starting Interior Presence (1.05) | 26.6 | Medium | 14.0 | 8.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 56.83 | Bairstow supplied physical interior offense and rebounding during his brief assignment from Chicago. The five-game Austin stint was developmental in nature, giving a Bulls reserve the chance to play through longer stretches and operate as a primary frontcourt option. Chicago Bulls coverage | |
| Cady Lallane | Interior Scoring Hub (1.05) | 26.1 | Medium | 13.3 | 7.6 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 54.52 | Lalanne played as a mobile interior big who could score, rebound and protect the rim without needing the offense built entirely around him. By midseason, his development had accelerated enough to earn a 2016 D-League All-Star replacement spot, with UMass coverage highlighting his production at Austin. UMass coverage | 2016 NBA D-League All-Star |
| Keifer Sykes | Pick-and-Roll Engine (1.05) | 31.0 | High | 12.4 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 50.40 | Sykes brought pace and pressure from the point, with his compact frame offset by exceptional quickness and a willingness to attack the paint. Later reporting on his development specifically praised his speed, tenacity and ability to score or create for teammates out of pick-and-roll situations. ESPN coverage | 2016 NBA D-League Slam Dunk Contest |
| Walter Tavares | Vertical Spacing Center (1.05) | 21.8 | Medium | 9.9 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 48.30 | Tavares functioned as a vertical threat and elite rim deterrent, with his enormous frame changing the geometry of the floor even when he was not touching the ball. Atlanta repeatedly sent him to Austin for meaningful game reps, where his rebounding and shot blocking were central to the assignment. Peachtree Hoops assignment report | |
| Jarell Eddie | Stretch-Forward Sniper (1.05) | 28.6 | Medium | 14.1 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 45.51 | Eddie’s role was built around perimeter gravity: he was a specialist forward whose shooting could pull opposing bigs away from the paint. His Austin stint preceded an NBA call-up to Washington, where his first NBA appearance immediately featured four made three-pointers, reinforcing the shooting skill that defined his D-League value. EuroLeague profile | |
| Brandon Fields | Veteran Combo Guard (1.05) | 25.0 | Medium | 11.7 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 42.74 | Fields gave Austin experienced secondary ball handling and perimeter scoring, filling a useful connector role rather than simply hunting shots. His place on the 2016 D-League Select roster also reflected the league’s view of him as a proven developmental-league guard. NBA D-League Select coverage | |
| Nick Johnson | Defensive Lead Guard (1.05) | 28.9 | Medium | 10.4 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 42.50 | Johnson’s game was broader than his scoring line: the former Arizona guard supplied pressure defense, transition ability and secondary creation. Austin’s system gave him enough responsibility to impact several areas while remaining a complementary offensive piece. Arizona coverage | |
| Youssou Ndoye | Rim-Running Defensive Big (1.05) | 19.2 | Medium | 7.9 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 36.12 | Ndoye was used primarily as a physical interior presence, running the floor, attacking the glass and protecting the rim rather than spacing the floor. His seven-foot frame and developing defensive instincts made him a natural developmental project within the Spurs’ system. St. Bonaventure coverage | |
| Demetri McCamey | Backup Point Guard (1.05) | 25.1 | Medium | 9.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 33.73 | McCamey served as a steady reserve ball handler, keeping the offense organized while providing enough shooting to prevent defenses from ignoring him. His value was more about maintaining structure and tempo than dominating possessions. Illinois basketball coverage | |
| Youssou Ndoye | Rim-Running Defensive Big (1.05) | 19.2 | Medium | 7.9 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 36.12 | Ndoye was used primarily as a physical interior presence, running the floor, attacking the glass and protecting the rim rather than spacing the floor. His seven-foot frame and developing defensive instincts made him a natural developmental project within the Spurs’ system. St. Bonaventure basketball coverage | |
| Julian Washburn | Defensive Wing Specialist (1.0) | 18.9 | Low | 4.3 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 17.20 | Washburn’s calling card was defensive versatility, and his background as a Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year fit the Spurs’ preference for wings who could defend multiple positions. His offensive assignment was comparatively modest, with the larger emphasis on spacing and defensive discipline. MySA coverage | |
| Mouhamed Sene | Veteran Rim Protector (1.0) | 16.0 | Low | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 12.00 | Sene was a short-term veteran interior option whose primary utility came from size and experience rather than offensive creation. Contemporary reporting around his Austin return noted that the 2015-16 stint produced only one appearance, making his role more situational than rotational. L’Équipe coverage | |
| Keith Wright | Rebounding Specialist (1.0) | 8.8 | Low | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 9.60 | Wright provided physical rebounding and interior work in limited minutes, the same low-usage skill set that had kept him useful in Austin previously. Harvard’s contemporary professional update described him as a returning Austin big after contributing on the glass during the previous playoff run. Harvard coverage | |
| Wesley Saunders | Defensive Utility Wing (1.0) | 12.0 | Low | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 8.80 | Saunders entered Austin as a versatile wing whose reputation was built on doing several things without demanding possessions. His Harvard career had established him as an all-around player, and the Austin assignment represented another opportunity to translate that defensive and connective skill set into the professional game. Harvard coverage | |
| Mfon Udofia | Energy Reserve (1.0) | 8.2 | Low | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 5.60 | Udofia’s season was a depth role, with short stretches of floor time and an emphasis on maintaining defensive pressure when the primary guards rested. The limited contemporary reporting available makes his precise tactical usage difficult to document beyond that reserve function. | |
| Jean Nguidjol | Frontcourt Depth Piece (1.0) | 2.5 | Low | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.60 | Limited contemporary independent coverage was available for Nguidjol’s brief 2015-16 Austin stint. His role was essentially emergency frontcourt depth, with only four appearances and very limited offensive responsibility. Austin season coverage | |
| Austin Spurs Totals | 545.2 | 253.0 | 101.0 | 45.7 | 24.7 | 1,027.86 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Thomas | Primary Scoring Forward (1.1) | 35.3 | High (1.2) | 21.3 | 5.3 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 81.31 | As Austin’s primary scoring forward, Thomas carried a heavy offensive load while still contributing on the glass and as a secondary passer. His 2015-16 Austin season led to a move back to Europe with Anadolu Efes, with Eurohoops describing the forward as returning to EuroLeague competition after his D-League campaign. Eurohoops — Deshaun Thomas joins Anadolu Efes | |
| Brandon Fields | Veteran Scoring Guard (1.05) | 32.8 | High (1.2) | 18.7 | 4.7 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 68.29 | Fields was used as a veteran scoring guard who could also handle secondary creation, and his six-game Austin run gave him substantial on-ball responsibility. His 2016 selection to the D-League Select Team reflected his standing as an established developmental-league perimeter player. NBA D-League Select Team — 2016 roster | 2016 NBA D-League Select Team |
| Keifer Sykes | Lead Pick-and-Roll Guard (1.1) | 36.0 | High (1.2) | 18.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 67.32 | Sykes played with the freedom of a lead guard, repeatedly creating advantages off the dribble and setting the tempo. His pre-professional reputation already centered on heavy offensive responsibility at Green Bay, where he led the team in scoring while also serving as its principal creator. Journal Sentinel — UWGB’s Keifer Sykes makes most of two days | |
| Youssou Ndoye | Rim-Running Defensive Center (1.05) | 21.5 | Medium (1.1) | 9.3 | 6.3 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 43.43 | Ndoye’s role was built around interior finishing and rim protection rather than perimeter creation. A 2015 D-League scouting breakdown described the seven-footer as a developing rim protector whose offensive game still needed refinement, which fits the defensive-first way he was deployed in Austin. HoopsHabit — 2015 D-League Draft Review | |
| Demetri McCamey | Second-Unit Shot-Making Guard (1.05) | 23.0 | Medium (1.1) | 12.2 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 39.96 | McCamey supplied second-unit scoring and ball handling, with enough shooting range to stretch defenses when he was on the floor. Contemporary D-League scouting characterized him as a versatile scoring guard and noted that his jumper could run hot and cold. HoopsHabit — 2015 D-League Draft Review | |
| Walter Tavares | Vertical Rim Protector (1.05) | 12.7 | Low (1.0) | 5.7 | 5.0 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 27.72 | Tavares was essentially a vertical-spacing and rim-protection specialist, with his enormous frame creating problems around the basket. Peachtree Hoops noted that Atlanta was deliberately using Austin assignments to give the young center much-needed court time, and his size translated into major rebounding and shot-blocking stretches. Peachtree Hoops — Walter Tavares, Lamar Patterson put up big numbers in D-League stint | |
| Cady Lallane | Starting Two-Way Center (1.05) | 17.0 | Low (1.0) | 5.3 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 24.78 | Lalanne functioned as a developing two-way interior piece, combining rebounding and paint scoring with enough mobility to defend away from the rim. His professional transition was closely watched after San Antonio drafted him in 2015, and he was later selected for the 2016 D-League All-Star Game. | 2016 NBA D-League All-Star |
| Lamar Patterson | Point-Forward Connector (1.05) | 19.8 | Low (1.0) | 5.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 24.15 | Patterson’s value in Austin came from doing a little of everything rather than simply scoring. Atlanta’s coverage of his D-League assignments highlighted his passing and all-around production, including a near triple-double in one Austin game, while the assignments were specifically intended to restore playing rhythm. Peachtree Hoops — Lamar Patterson shines in D-League stint | |
| Julian Washburn | Defensive Wing Stopper (1.05) | 22.7 | Low (1.0) | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 21.84 | Washburn was primarily a defensive utility wing, bringing positional versatility rather than demanding offensive touches. His previous season at UTEP established the profile: he won Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and regularly drew assignments ranging from small guards to bigger forwards. | |
| Nick Johnson | Defensive Transition Guard (1.05) | 18.0 | Low (1.0) | 4.7 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 20.79 | Johnson entered Austin as a former Pac-12 Player of the Year whose professional challenge was finding a more reliable offensive niche. Contemporary scouting noted his athleticism and NBA-level physical tools while identifying shooting efficiency and decision-making as areas still needing development. Arizona Desert Swarm — Nick Johnson to play for Portland in NBA Summer League | |
| Orlando Johnson | Two-Way Wing Reserve (1.0) | 18.0 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 8.00 | Johnson’s brief appearance came in a reserve role rather than as the offensive focal point he had been for Austin earlier in the season. His broader 2015-16 D-League season, however, had already earned him an All-Star selection and an NBA call-up, illustrating the value of his versatile wing game. | 2016 NBA D-League All-Star |
| Wesley Saunders | Defensive Connector Wing (1.0) | 3.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.00 | Saunders was a low-usage defensive connector whose professional appeal came from versatility rather than shot volume. His Harvard background established him as an all-around wing, and contemporary coverage identified him as one of the Crimson alumni continuing into professional basketball during this period. | |
| Jean Nguidjol | Developmental Interior Prospect (1.0) | 1.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | Nguidjol was a developmental center with very limited offensive responsibility during this run. A 2015 D-League draft evaluation described the Cameroon native as long and athletic but raw, making Austin’s system and practice environment particularly relevant to his development. HoopsHabit — 2015 D-League Draft Review | |
| AUSTIN SPURS TOTALS | 309.0 | 106.7 | 43.9 | 18.3 | 12.4 | 429.60 |