Barack Obama raves about Fil-Am Dylan Harper, Spurs’ rising stars
Photos from allthesmoke/Instagram and AP
Former President Barack Obama believes the future is bright for the San Antonio Spurs and Filipino American rookie guard Dylan Harper is one of the biggest reasons why.
During an appearance on the All the Smoke podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Obama shared his thoughts on San Antonio’s young core, saying the franchise has assembled a group capable of competing for years to come.
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Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle
Among the players who caught his attention were rookie guards Harper and Stephon Castle, whom Obama described as key pieces of the team’s future.
“I love this young San Antonio team,” Obama said. “Those guards, Castle and Harper, I love those two. Tough.”
Obama explained that Harper’s competitive approach has already made an impression despite being at the beginning of his NBA career.
Reflecting on one of the rookie’s recent performances, he said Harper nearly carried the Spurs to a victory on his own.
“He almost won the game for them the way he was playing,” Obama remarked, pointing to the composure and confidence Harper has shown early in his development. His comments add to the growing expectations surrounding the young guard, who was selected to help lead San Antonio’s next era.
Victor Wembanyama
Obama also spoke highly of franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama, recalling the first time he watched the French star play in person during the NBA All-Star festivities. He said Wembanyama possesses a rare combination of height, athleticism and skill that makes him unlike any player he has seen.
In Obama’s view, San Antonio’s progress has come quicker than expected. Although the team is still built around youth, he believes it has accelerated its rebuilding process and is already showing signs of becoming a serious contender.
“I think they got there a little ahead of schedule,” he said. “We predicted they would be there in a couple years. They got there this year.”
With Harper, Castle and Wembanyama continuing to develop together, Obama is optimistic about where the franchise is headed.
“That team is going to have such a great future,” the former president said,
