Happy birthday to Keita Bates-Diop

Keita Bates-Diop has made an unexpected impact on the Spurs these last few months. He joined the San Antonio Spurs as a two-way player shaping his game in Austin and picking up mostly garbage time in San Antonio. But this year, the Spurs made him a qualifying offer and he has responded by earning a spot in the regular rotation.

When a starter has been out for any reason, Bates-Diop has been a reliable go-to for Pop. Coming off the bench with the second until, Keita has shown a seamless ability to move without the ball, catch a tricky pass, get himself into the paint, and hit corner threes effortlessly.

His jack-of-all-trades style of playing fits with the Spurs needs as line-ups alter and players continue to grow individually and mesh as a unit.

He enjoyed a career-high 30 points while shooting 11 of 11 against the stacked Los Angeles Lakers.

Today, Keita turns twenty-six. Hopefully a great game will grace his day. A win against Philadelphia would be a great start to his evening as well as a good end to the home stand.

Happy birthday, Keita!

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