The San Antonio Spurs are quietly building something special-and the rest of the league is starting to notice. For the third straight year, the Spurs will have multiple players featured in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge, the only team in the league with that distinction over this stretch. That’s not just a fun fact-it’s a clear sign of a franchise with a deep, young core developing in real time.
This year’s Rising Stars nods go to rookies Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, adding to a recent run that included Victor Wembanyama and Castle last year, and Wemby alongside Jeremy Sochan the year before. It’s the fifth time in franchise history the Spurs have had multiple players selected for the event in the same season. But this year, they’ve taken it a step further.
Thanks to David Jones Garcia, a standout with the Austin Spurs who’s made 11 appearances with the big club, San Antonio can lay claim to three Rising Stars in 2026. While Garcia’s role with the main roster has been limited, his inclusion in the Rising Stars pool speaks volumes about the depth of talent the Spurs are cultivating across their system.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in last summer’s draft, has been steadily carving out his role. He’s played in 35 games so far, averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game.
Those might not jump off the page at first glance, but context matters: Harper is one of only five rookies putting up those numbers, and he’s doing it all without a single start. That’s rare efficiency and production from a bench role, and it’s earned him a spot among the top 10 rookies in assists (5th), steals (6th), and scoring (10th).
Harper’s already had some breakout moments, too. Back in October, he became the youngest guard in NBA history to post a 20-5-5 game with zero turnovers.
That performance-against the Brooklyn Nets-also made him the first Spurs rookie to drop 20 points, five boards, and five assists while shooting 70% from the field. That’s not just a good night for a rookie; that’s elite-level poise and efficiency.
Then there’s Stephon Castle, who continues to look like a future All-Star in the making. The No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft, Castle is set to make his second straight Rising Stars appearance-and he’s already got some hardware from the event after taking home MVP honors last year. That performance helped him earn a spot in the 2025 All-Star Game thanks to the league’s revised format, a path he’s hoping to follow again this season.
Castle’s sophomore campaign has been nothing short of impressive. He’s started all 36 games he’s played, averaging 16.9 points, 7.1 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 31 minutes per game-all career bests.
He’s not just putting up numbers-he’s making history. Earlier this season, he became the fastest player in Spurs history to reach 1,500 points and 500 assists (in just 105 games).
He also joined an exclusive club of just nine players in NBA history to tally 1,500 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists, and 100 made threes in their first 100 career games. That list includes names like Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry, and LaMelo Ball-pretty elite company.
Castle’s evolution from Rookie of the Year to a legitimate Most Improved Player candidate has been one of the driving forces behind San Antonio’s rise. While both he and Harper have played key roles in the Spurs’ transformation from a lottery team to a serious playoff contender, Castle has emerged as the engine of the rebuild.
All three Spurs-Castle, Harper, and Jones Garcia-will be part of the Rising Stars player pool being drafted on January 27. The tournament-style competition will feature three teams of NBA rookies and sophomores, plus a fourth squad made up of G League talent. The action tips off Friday, February 13, during All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
The Spurs may be young, but they’re not waiting for the future-they’re building it now. And if Castle, Harper, and company are any indication, it’s going to be a bright one.