It sure looks like the Spurs drafted the best guard twice in a row

San Antonio has the best guard rotation in the league, and they got that title very quickly. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have quickly made themselves scouting report priorities for opposing coaches, and they've barely learned how to play NBA basketball. Both players will end up as the best at their position from their respective draft classes

The Spurs couldn't have expected to land the number four overall pick, 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 on a nightly basis, 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 harp 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 because of their draft day decisions.

Castle's class of guards won't come close to 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're currently in the middle of rumors suggesting that they're already prepared to move off of the 2024 NBA Draft's number one overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher. Meanwhile, the Spurs can't get enough of the reigning Rookie of the Year.

Jared McCain looked like he might be an offensive star last season, but he hasn't been the same since he tore his meniscus. Nikola Topic had the makings of a star, but he's unfortunately been sidelined indefinitely after a tragic cancer diagnosis.

The only other guards worth mentioning are Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. Sheppard has gotten stronger on the offensive end, but he can't play a lick of defense. Dillingham struggles to get on the court in Minnesota, but he was selected in the top 10, so I figured I'd bring him up. Castle will be the best guard and the overall best player from that draft, and it probably won't be close.

Harper has a tougher group to contend with

The former Rutgers star won't have it as easy to rise above his peers. As far as becoming the best player in his class overall, he certainly has a shot, but Cooper Flagg won't make that easy. The same can be said for taking the title of best guard.

The 2025 draftees featured names like VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, and Jeremiah Fears. Those are hoopers. They can all put the ball in the basket, and each one of them has that dawg in them. But none of them are as big and strong as Harper, and they damn sure don't defend like him.

At the end of the day, all of those guys, at least right now, are bucket-getters. D. Harp is an offensive hub that can orchestrate the offense. That kind of player is a force multiplier. Right now, all his experience is coming from the bench, but that's fine because he plays over 20 minutes per game. He's also getting invaluable experience as an important cog on a contender. That experience will pay off.

There wasn't much 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 giving up the Flagg pick. They may have been able to keep Castle from us, though. They'll regret not being able to stop this. What's coming is going to be terrifying.