Dylan Harper says his competitive relationship with Stephon Castle has helped build a strong bond between the two young San Antonio Spurs guards, with both players believing they are the best at their position.
“We both think we’re the best guards in the NBA,” Harper said. “The relationship kinda in the beginning came from that competitive mindset. We could talk about anything literally, so I mean it’s a great relationship to have.”
The comments highlight the balance between competition and friendship as Harper and Castle continue developing together in San Antonio. Both guards played important roles during the Spurs’ run to the 2026 NBA Finals, giving the franchise two young perimeter players to build around alongside Victor Wembanyama.
Harper, selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 69 regular-season games as a rookie. He shot 50.5% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range while averaging 22.6 minutes per game.
His production increased in the playoffs, when he averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23 appearances. Harper shot 51.5% from the field and 82.7% from the free-throw line in the postseason, establishing himself as a productive contributor during San Antonio’s run to the Finals.
Castle, meanwhile, made another significant step forward in his second NBA season. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2024-25, he averaged 16.7 points, 7.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 68 regular-season games in 2025-26.
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His responsibilities grew as he moved to point guard, starting 67 games and averaging 30 minutes per contest. Castle also increased his scoring from 14.7 points per game as a rookie, while improving his field-goal percentage from 42.8% to 47.1%.
Castle remained the more productive scorer during the postseason, averaging 18.2 points and 6.1 assists in 23 games. However, Harper was more efficient from the field, shooting 51.5% compared with Castle’s 45.9%.
Their different strengths could make the partnership particularly valuable. Castle has demonstrated his ability to organize the offense and create opportunities for teammates, while Harper has shown efficient scoring and the ability to contribute across multiple areas.
The Spurs also reportedly hold Harper in exceptionally high regard. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said San Antonio internally views Harper as its second-best player behind Wembanyama, placing the rookie ahead of established veterans De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell, as well as Castle.
“Harper is a stud,” Windhorst said, emphasizing that the assessment was not intended as a slight against Fox or Castle.
San Antonio finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 62-20 record before reaching the NBA Finals, where the Spurs lost to the New York Knicks in five games.
