San Antonio has the best guard rotation in the league and they got that title very quickly. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper quickly established themselves as priorities for opposing coaches, and they barely learned how to play NBA basketball. Both players will finish as the best at their position in their respective draft classes.
The Spurs couldn’t have expected to land fourth overall, but once they did, the writing was on the wall. With De’Aaron Fox on the team, they would have a stable of playmakers to deploy for a full 48 minutes every night, and that was always going to be a problem for teams.
Too many analysts are surprised by what should have been obvious, but let’s not dwell on that right now. I’d much rather focus on the fact that the Silver and Black will have the best backcourt in the league to pair with Victor Wembanyama for a long time due to their decisions in the draft.
Castle’s guard class won’t come near him
If Atlanta’s situation is proof of anything, it’s that making the right pick in the NBA draft isn’t always an exact science. They are currently in the midst of rumors suggesting that they are already ready to give up the number one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher. Meanwhile, the Spurs can’t get enough of the Rookie of the Year award.
Jared McCain looked like an offensive star last season, but he hasn’t been the same since tearing his meniscus. Nikola Topic had the makings of a star, but unfortunately he was sidelined indefinitely after a tragic cancer diagnosis.
The only other guards worth mentioning are Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. Sheppard has become stronger on the offensive end, but he cannot play a defensive role. Dillingham is having trouble getting on the field in Minnesota, but he was selected in the top 10, so I thought I’d mention him. Castle will be the best guard and best player in this draft, and it probably won’t be close.
Harper has a tougher group to face
The former Rutgers star won’t have it as easy rising above his peers. As far as becoming the best player in his class, he certainly has a chance, but Cooper Flagg isn’t going to make that easy. The same can be said for the title of best goalkeeper.
The 2025 recruits included names like VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson and Jeremiah Fears. They’re hoopers. They can all put the ball in the basket, and each of them has that dog in them. But none of them are as big and strong as Harper, and they certainly don’t defend like him.
Ultimately, all of these guys, at least for now, are bucket takers. D. Harp is an offensive hub who can orchestrate the offense. This kind of player is a force multiplier. At the moment, all his experience comes from the bench, but that’s okay because he plays more than 20 minutes per game. He also gains invaluable experience as an important cog in a competitor. This experience will pay off.
There was little the rest of the league could do to stop the Spurs from landing Dylan Harper since they had the second pick, and there was no way the Mavericks were going to give up the Flagg pick. But maybe they managed to hide Castle from us. They will regret not being able to stop this. What’s going to happen is going to be terrifying.
