Why The San Antonio Spurs Nailed The 2025 NBA Draft

The San Antonio Spurs entered the 2025 NBA Draft with two first-round picks and a clear plan. By selecting Dylan Harper at No. 2 and Carter Bryant at No. 14, they added two players who not only complement each other but also fit perfectly alongside Victor Wembanyama long term.

Harper gives the Spurs a dynamic ballhandler who can take pressure off Wembanyama and organize the offense. He is one of the most polished young drivers in recent memory, using his handle, footwork, and touch to consistently get downhill. He plays with craft and acceleration, keeping defenders off balance and finishing through contact with either hand.

What makes Harper such a strong fit in San Antonio is how naturally he complements Wembanyama. He is not just someone who can create for himself. He can bend defenses and create openings for others, especially in pick-and-roll or stampede actions. Wembanyama’s gravity as a roller and spacing threat gives Harper more room to operate, and in turn, Harper’s ability to collapse the defense can help Wembanyama get easier looks.

The Spurs may not have elite traditional screeners on the roster, which could pose a short-term challenge. However, Wembanyama’s presence should help offset that. His gravity as both a roll threat and a perimeter scorer will tilt defenses in similar ways, opening space for Harper to attack. With defenders preoccupied by Wembanyama, Harper should be able to hurt teams with his catch-and-shoot shot and find the driving lanes he needs to be effective.

At pick No. 14, the Spurs added Carter Bryant, a rangy wing who fits neatly into today’s league. Bryant is a confident spot-up shooter who has become increasingly comfortable shooting off movement and relocating into space. His shot fluidity at Arizona and even in AAU suggests he can space the floor consistently, and that shooting value becomes even more important alongside players like Harper and Wembanyama, who attract defensive attention.

Defensively, Bryant adds clear value as a possession stopper. He uses his length and reaction speed to contest shots, close out under control, and help on rotations. He may not have much on-ball creation in his game, but his ability to knock down threes, maintain advantages, and guard multiple positions makes him an easy fit in lineups built around star talent. With a player like Wembanyama backline, it enables Bryant to be more aggressive on the perimeter as a defender.

Together, Harper and Bryant bring two essential traits to the Spurs’ future. Both players should make life easier not only for Wembanyama but also for the rest of the roster, which includes an All-Star guard like De'Aaron Fox and emerging wings such as Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan. The synergy and long-term upside that the Spurs' 2025 draftees bring could play a key role in accelerating the next phase of the franchise's rebuild.