Spurs' Fox vs. Harper debate will be answered by a simple Wemby question

Anyone who even loosely follows the San Antonio Spurs knows that there are raging debates about who should start at point guard between De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. Fox is a two-time All-Star who offers poise, production, and control on offense, while Harper was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft and is already showing superstar potential.

Though all factors will need to be considered, there's one question that will ultimately decide who starts between Fox and Harper: Who fits best with Victor Wembanyama?

The Spurs may be the epitome of a team, but even during the Tim Duncan years, the best lineups were the ones that most ideally complemented the franchise player. It's the inherent nature of a 5-on-5 sport: The best player on the court has a massive impact on the trajectory of their team.

There simply aren't many basketball courts that Wembanyama could step onto and not be the best player there, and none of them would exclusively feature Spurs players.

As the face of the franchise, doing what's best for Wembanyama is thus the top priority. As such, if one player proves more individually productive but less ideal for playing with Wembanyama, then their numbers shouldn't decide this conversation.

In 2026-27 and beyond, every player in the starting lineup must be the best option in their respective role for helping maximize Wembanyama's impact—Fox and Harper included.

Fox or Harper? The answer: Whoever fits better with Wemby

Fox undoubtedly helped Wembanyama in 2025-26. He led the Spurs in minutes per game and even guided the team to a 10-2 record when the franchise player missed 12 straight games between November and December.

Moreover, Wembanyama shot 10.7 percent better from beyond the arc and improved his true shooting percentage by 3.7 percent when Fox was on the court in 2025-26.

In saying that, Harper made his own kind of impact with Wembanyama. The 7'4" Goliath shot 1.2 percent worse from beyond the arc, but attempted 1.9 more free throws per 75 possessions and increased his true shooting percentage by 2.6 percent with Harper on the court.

Furthermore, the Fox and Wembanyama two-man lineup produced a net rating of +15.2 across 1,047 minutes. Harper and Wembanyama were unfathomably dominant at +28.6, but did so in a far smaller sample size of 500 minutes.

Those facts have turned training camp and the early stages of the 2026-27 regular season into the ultimate proving ground. Harper is no longer a rookie, Fox is in his prime at 28 years of age, and Wembanyama will be a year better and more experienced himself.

As head coach Mitch Johnson tests his lineups and inevitably plays Wembanyama with both Fox and Harper, the answer to who should start will be provided in the form of a question: Who will prove to fit better with the franchise player?

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