The Perfect Fit: Carter Bryant’s Defensive Impact Will Elevate Spurs

When it comes to building contending teams through the draft, it’s not always about finding stars. That’s especially true for rosters that already contain top-tier players, making it even more important to acquire prospects who fit the system and can make an impact in multiple ways. 

With their second selection in the lottery of the 2025 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Carter Bryant, a one-and-done wing from the Arizona Wildcats. While he has theoretical upside to be a star in the NBA, given his archetype and ability to play upward of three positions, his floor is a perfect fit in San Antonio. 

A team being built around a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama will likely be predicated on disruptive defense on one end and positional size on the other, with players who are big for their traditional slot on the floor. At 6-foot-8 with a wing skillset, Bryant was a perfect draft pick. 

He’s already a phenomenal defender for his age, with the athleticism and natural skill to be impactful from day one on that side of the court. He can defend multiple positions and has the unique combination of length, lateral quickness and physicality to switch and cross-match when needed. Bryant has the ceiling of an NBA All-Defensive Team type of player, which is great value late in the lottery. 

His scoring still has a ways to go, but his processing on the offensive end lends well to the idea that he can be a complementary piece on offense, even if he never develops into a secondary scorer. The offensive floor and ceiling balance of risk versus reward is very much in San Antonio’s favor. 

As such, there’s reason to believe he will play a significant role as a rookie and ultimately become a core piece of the roster very quickly. The Spurs aren’t far from being a playoff team and then later a contender, and it's players like Bryant that collectively take a team to that next level with time and provide the depth needed to make a playoff run. 

With his defensive foundation and offensive upside still being refined, Carter Bryant is the perfect fit for the San Antonio Spurs.