Is there a more promising young core than the San Antonio Spurs?

It’s hard to make the argument against it.

Some teams just get all the luck in the world, and the Spurs have found themselves in a fruitful position as they begin a new era of their franchise.

For over 20 years, the Spurs rolled out one of the most dominant dynasties in recent memory.

From starting off with Hall of Famer David Robinson and coach Gregg Popovich, to winning the Draft lottery and drafting Tim Duncan, to drafting Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, to winning five NBA championships.

The Spurs have done everything right and they reaped the rewards.

But like everything, all good things must come to an end. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili had one of the best runs in modern basketball history, and became the “Big 3” before it was even a thing. And with their retirements, it was time for a new era of Spurs basketball.

San Antonio tried acquiring already-established stars like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan to fit in with their young pieces like Kawhi Leonard and Dejounte Murray, but after a contentious battle with management, Leonard left town – forcing a full rebuild.

There were a couple of down seasons as they navigated their way back to success, but then the Spurs didn’t just win another lottery, they won a jackpot.

Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 freak of an athlete, was the consensus top prospect in the 2023 Draft, and he was San Antonio bound. He's one of one. He handles the ball like a guard and can shoot from the outside with confidence. He's also one of the best defensive players in the league today with his ability to block shots.

From there, the Spurs also lucked out on getting Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

And lastly, they found themselves another pot of gold winning the lottery in 2025 and selecting Dylan Harper with the second overall pick.

Bleacher Report did an article on what teams have the best young cores in the NBA, and San Antonio was surprisingly ranked third on the list behind the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

OKC is understandable, considering it just came off a championship, but one can argue that the Rockets’ core is a step below the Spurs.

The fact of the matter is, having Wembanyama automatically raises a team’s ceiling. If he’s able to stay on the court for 70 games, this is a playoff team that can at least reach the second round.

Castle’s easy adjustment to the pro game is a big plus, as well as Harper who was revered as one of the best players in his draft.

Not only that, the Spurs have De’Aaron Fox for the next four years so much of the burden can get taken off Castle until he’s ready to do so.

So while the Spurs are third on this list, there’s a chance they can get up to second in the standings. People don’t understand the magnitude another year of Wembanyama can bring to the table.

And he’s working out with Hakeem Olajuwon too? The league is in for a treat. Or it could be cooked. Depends what kind of fan you are.