Charles Barkley believes the San Antonio Spurs might have the subsequent nice NBA backcourt in Stephon Fortress and Dylan Harper, evaluating the younger guards to Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
“If I’m a guard within the NBA, I don’t wish to see them boys the subsequent 10 years. They’re going to be the brand new Steph and Klay,” Barkley mentioned on The Invoice Simmons Podcast.
Fortress and Harper are coming into their third and second NBA seasons, respectively, after already turning into necessary items of a Spurs staff that reached the 2026 NBA Finals.
Fortress, the No. 4 total choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, averaged 16.7 factors, 7.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 68 video games throughout his second season. He began 67 video games and shot 47.1% from the sphere, though he made 33.2% of his three-point makes an attempt.
Harper, chosen No. 2 total within the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 11.8 factors, 3.9 assists and three.4 rebounds in 69 video games whereas capturing 50.5% from the sphere. He additionally shot 34.3% from three-point vary and earned All-Rookie Fourth Workforce recognition.
The Spurs already had a longtime star earlier than including Harper. Victor Wembanyama averaged 25.0 factors, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and three.1 blocks in 64 video games through the 2025-26 common season, incomes first-team All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team honors whereas ending third in MVP voting and winning Defensive Player of the Year.
San Antonio completed the common season 62-20, second within the Western Convention, earlier than making a deep postseason run. The Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 in the first round, Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 in the semifinals and Oklahoma City Thunder 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals.
Their season ended within the NBA Finals towards the New York Knicks, who won the championship series 4-1.
Fortress’s improvement was notably necessary to San Antonio’s rise. He led the staff in assists at 7.4 per recreation whereas taking part in 30.0 minutes per contest, offering one other major ball-handler alongside Wembanyama.
Harper confirmed effectivity in a complementary position, taking part in 22.6 minutes per recreation and making 50.5% of his field-goal makes an attempt. His 11.8 factors per recreation ranked sixth on the Spurs, behind Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Fortress, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson.
