The Spurs’ second pick in the 2025 draft didn’t look like a rookie against the Clippers. He looked like the final piece of a dominant defense. From electric slam dunks to heroic defensive stops, here is why Carter Bryant‘s rise fixes San Antonio’s remaining holes.
Carter Bryant’s Rise From The G League To Playing Big Minutes
Carter Bryant’s Rocky Start To The Season
In his introduction to many NBA fans, Bryant quickly achieved a highlight in his debut game against the Mavs in the Summer League. He quickly attacked number one pick Cooper Flagg by trapping him in a corner and forcing a turnover. This was huge as this was Flagg’s first time playing for the Dallas Mavericks. The crowd cheered as they witnessed the No. 14 pick triumph over Flagg. However, don’t let this fool you, as Bryant’s journey to where he is now was a long one.
Just take a look at Bryant’s shooting woes. Bryant was considered a steal by many in the draft due to his three-and-D skills. However, those three-point skills did not show up in Summer League. The 20-year-old shot an abysmal 21.4% from the arc. The few minutes he got at the beginning of the regular season sent the same message. The three-pointer wasn’t there yet. Most likely, this was due to the confidence with which the rookie shot. When most players get to the league, if there wasn’t anything wrong with their shooting form in college, the problem is staying focused during the shot. With Bryant, this was likely the case.
How Bryant Improved His Play
Back in January, the Spurs wisely assigned Bryant to the G-League. He didn’t stay long. Two days later, it was announced he was coming back after a strong performance. When players are assigned to the G-League, it is often to improve their confidence and increase their minutes. However, Bryant’s quick return proves that this was more of a test for Bryant. Whatever the test was, he clearly passed. His return to the team put him in contention with fellow forward Jeremy Sochan for minutes. Sochan has now been released and joined the New York Knicks.
Being brought back to play more minutes definitely helped improve the confidence of Bryant. As the days passed, it became clearer that the Spurs were moving on from Sochan. With Bryant’s minutes increasing, his shooting improved, and so did his aggression on defense. Bryant didn’t just sink open shots now; he shot confidently with defenders in his face. After the release of Sochan, Bryant participated in the Slam Dunk Contest. The shy rookie impressed but ultimately failed to win in front of his home crowd. After an aggressive start, his last round was muddled by multiple failed attempts and mounting pressure to get one last incredible dunk.
However, this somewhat uncomfortable experience broke out the final piece of Bryant’s game from its shell. Aggression in the paint. This led to him having the best highlight from the Spurs’ win against the Pistons. This, of course is his alley-oop dunk right over an unsuspecting defender.
How Carter Bryant Fixes The Spurs Greatest Hole
In Sochan, San Antonio lost a young, athletic, and defense-oriented forward. Outside of Bryant, they were left with Harrison Barnes as the only true power forward on the roster. However, Barnes has been on a downward slide this season and recently sat out his first game since 2021. Without Sochan and with an aged Harrison Barnes, the Spurs need someone with more ‘power’ at the power forward. Carter Bryant can be this player, someone who can hold the paint with Center Victor Wembanyama on the bench, and box out bigger players. However, with how much the rookie has proven so far, I don’t think we should put a label on his potential just yet.
Featured Image: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
