San Antonio Spurs Blog – NBA Blog

Spurs select Dylan Harper with 2nd pick in 2025 NBA draft

The San Antonio Spurs selected guard Dylan Harper with the second overall pick and forward Carter Bryant 14th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Harper, 6-5/215, averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 29 games at Rutgers University. In his lone season with the Scarlet Knights, Harper recorded 564 points, setting a new freshman scoring record for the program, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. He scored in double figures in 24-of-29 games, including Rutgers’ first triple-double since 1983 with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in a win over Columbia on Dec. 30. He reached the 20-point mark in 20 games on his way to Big Ten All-Freshman honors and All-Big Ten Third Team.

From Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Harper led Don Bosco Preparatory High School to a 2024 state title and was named 2023-24 Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year as well as MVP of the 2024 McDonald’s American Game and Jordan Brand Classic. He represented USA Basketball as a member of the 2024 USA Men’s Junior National Select Team and the 2023 USA Men’s U19 National Team at the 2023 FIBA U-19 World Cup in Hungary.

Bryant, 6-7/215, appeared in 37 games for the Arizona Wildcats, averaging 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.00 blocks and 0.90 steals per game, while shooting 46.0 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from three.

A native of Riverside, California, Bryant was named a McDonald’s All-American after averaging 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds as a senior at Corona Centennial High School and received the 2023 Wooden Award as the boys basketball player of the year for CIF Southern Section District IV as a junior at Sage Hill where he averaged 22.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.90 blocks and 1.60 steals per game.

Gregg Popovich transitions from Spurs head coach to president of basketball operations

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Gregg Popovich will transition from head coach to president of basketball operations. In 29 seasons as the Spurs head coach, Popovich amassed 1,422 regular season wins, which is the most in NBA history. During his tenure, the Spurs captured five NBA championships.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” said Popovich. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

After joining the Spurs in the summer of 1988, as an assistant coach on Larry Brown’s staff, Popovich has enjoyed a 37-year career in the NBA as a coach and executive. He spent two seasons, from 1992-94, as an assistant coach for Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors. His other 35 NBA seasons have all been in San Antonio with the Spurs.

“Coach Pop’s extraordinary impact on our family, San Antonio, the Spurs and the game of basketball is profound,” said Spurs Managing Partner Peter J. Holt. “His accolades and awards don’t do justice to the impact he has had on so many people. He is truly one-of-one as a person, leader and coach. Our entire family, alongside fans from across the globe, are grateful for his remarkable 29-year run as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.”

Spurs name Mitch Johnson as new head coach

The San Antonio Spurs have named Mitch Johnson as the team’s new head coach.

Johnson becomes the 19th head coach in San Antonio franchise history. He takes over for Gregg Popovich after the Hall of Famer transitioned into the president of basketball operations role following his 29 seasons as head coach. After Popovich stepped away from the team for health reasons five games into last year, Johnson was appointed the Spurs acting head coach for the remaining 77 games of the 2024-25 season.

“We are thrilled for Mitch Johnson to be our next head coach,” said Spurs Managing Partner Peter J. Holt. “Throughout his decade in the organization we have seen that Mitch has the right values, poise and potential to lead us into the future.”

Entering his 10th season with the Spurs, Johnson started with the organization in 2016 as an assistant coach for the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate, where he helped guide the team to the 2018 G League Championship. He has spent the last six seasons as an assistant coach on Popovich’s staff, including five of those years on the front of the bench after he was promoted in 2020.

Stephon Castle wins 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year award

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle is the recipient of the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Castle is the fourth player to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award with the Spurs, joining David Robinson (1989-90), Tim Duncan (1997-98) and last season’s recipient, Victor Wembanyama (2023-24). The Spurs are the first team to have back-to-back winners of this annual honor since the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014-15 (Andrew Wiggins) and 2015-16 (Karl-Anthony Towns).

In the 2024-25 regular season, Castle averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 0.91 steals in 26.7 minutes in 81 games. He led all rookies in points per game, ranked fourth in assists per game and finished sixth in steals per game. Castle also had the most total points (1,190), steals (74) and free throws made (249) among first-year NBA players.

Castle was named the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month twice, for games played in January and March. In 30 games after the All-Star break, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 28.6 minutes.

Austin Spurs coach Scott King named 2025 G League Coach of Year

Austin Spurs head coach Scott King has been named the 2025 NBA G League Coach of the Year.

In his first season, King led Austin to the NBA G League playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, finishing the regular season 22-12 (32-18 overall) tying with the Stockton Kings for the best record in the Western Conference.

Austin ended the regular season ranked first in defensive rating (102.3), third in steals per game (10.1), and fourth in both blocks per game (6.6) and rebounds per game (48.4). The Spurs also set a league record this season, posting the highest margin of victory in league history (+23.5).

This season marks the Spurs first Western Conference Semifinals appearance since 2018, when they won the NBA G League Championship against the Raptors 905.

Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox out for season with finger injury

San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox will undergo surgery to repair the extensor tendon in his left fifth finger and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Fox sustained the injury during training camp in October while with the Sacramento Kings and has played through the tendon damage all season, including since being acquired by San Antonio on February 3.

The surgery will be performed on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Fox is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of next season.

Spurs sign Bismack Biyombo for remainder of 2024-25 season

The San Antonio Spurs have signed center Bismack Biyombo for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Biyombo originally signed a 10-day contract with San Antonio on Feb. 9, followed by a second 10-day deal on Feb. 21. In eight games (seven starts) with the Spurs, he has averaged 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game, including back-to-back double-doubles in New Orleans on Feb. 23 and 25.

In 847 career games (358 starts), the 13-year veteran holds career averages of 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.30 blocks in 19.5 minutes with Charlotte, Toronto, Orlando, Phoenix, Memphis, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will not return to coaching this season

STATEMENT FROM SAN ANTONIO SPURS HEAD COACH GREGG POPOVICH:

“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season. Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding. I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”

Spurs sign Bismack Biyombo to second 10-day contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed Bismack Biyombo to a second 10-day contract.

Biyombo, 6-8/255, signed his first 10-day contract with San Antonio on Feb. 9 and has appeared in two games since. In his one start, Biyombo finished with 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 16 minutes, helping the Spurs to a win vs. the Suns on Feb. 20.

The 13-year NBA veteran was originally drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and has spent time with Charlotte, Toronto, Orlando, Phoenix and Memphis. In 841 games (352 starts), he holds career averages of 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 19.5 minutes.

Victor Wembanyama out for season due to medical issue in shoulder

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

The condition was discovered when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco.

Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season.

Per the Mayo Clinic website, “deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs.”

Per the Washington Post, “the Spurs hope Wembanyama will be ready to return for the start of the 2025-26 season, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram and Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson received similar diagnoses in recent years, and both returned to the court after making full recoveries.”

Per the San Antonio Express-News, “the 7-foot-3 center, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft who is a leading candidate to become the face of the league after LeBron James retires, competed in his first All-Star Game last weekend in San Francisco. Wembanyama was averaging 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, a league-best 3.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game this season and was the leading candidate in the race for Defensive Player of the Year honors.”