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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The San Antonio Spurs are coming off a surprisingly quick acceleration in their growth, emerging as a talented young team capable of competing for the NBA championship, and much of that was due to their young trio of lottery picks.
Last year, they drafted Dylan Harper second overall out of Rutgers, after previously drafting UConn star Stephon Castle fourth overall. Castle claimed the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Harper earned NBA All-Rookie First Team last season and has yet to become part of the team's starting lineup.
However, San Antonio's next great franchise star arrived when they landed 7-foot-4 French phenom Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he's been a significant game-changer alongside his teammates. He's also shown humility and a strong commitment to his team's future.
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Speaking to Bleacher Report, Harper gave his thoughts about Wemby choosing to sign a five-year, $252 million maximum contract extension instead of signing a $303 million supermax deal. Wemby's move showed his dedication to the team and their success, as he allowed them $50 million more to spend over the next several seasons.
"I feel like we all knew the kind of person he was, but with him doing this, I think it shows even more that he's very unselfish. He wants what's best for the team, and at the end of the day, he's gonna make sure that everyone eats," Harper told Bleacher Report.
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Harper also indicated that there's a side of Wemby that many people don't see, since they're mostly seeing him in game mode, playing basketball at a high level.
"The humor he has, I feel like a lot of people don't see that because he's always in a light where he has to be serious and he has to go out there and perform and be at his best," he said, adding, "But as non-regular as he is, he still has that regular humility. He likes to play around, he likes to joke. He's funny, in a sense."
Wemby's third season featured his rapid ascension to become one of the league's top stars, as he helped lead the Spurs to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. His body of work, including averages of 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game, put him into the discussion for MVP contenders.
That ultimately went to Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is now the back-to-back MVP. However, Wemby made a statement by helping the Spurs dethrone OKC as Western Conference Champions, reaching the NBA Finals in just his third season.
Based on his freeing up money for the team in the future, he's committed to doing what is necessary to win. The Spurs signed forward Tobias Harris to a two-year, $31 million contract in the offseason, bringing in a veteran player who can add valuable experience.
Then there's the scary notion that Harper, Wemby, and Castle are all 22 or under and will continue to get better each season they play, making San Antonio even more of a threat to NBA opponents.
As it stands, the Spurs are tied with the Thunder as the odds-on-favorites to win the NBA championship, with DraftKings Sportsbook listing them at +270 odds each.
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