Each July, Las Vegas provides up surprises. It’s the one place the place a participant who barely sniffed a mock draft can out of the blue appear like a rotation-caliber expertise. For the San Antonio Spurs, the 2025 Summer season League changed into a showcase for one undrafted wing fro 2024: David Jones-Garcia. In every week dominated by Victor Wembanyama’s aura and the franchise’s long-term plan, Jones-Garcia’s exceptional scoring run compelled the Spurs and the remainder of the league to take discover.
Spurs Keep the Course After a Quiet Offseason
For a short second, it regarded just like the Spurs would possibly attempt to speed up their rise by swinging for a famous person. There have been whispers about Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, however nothing materialized. As an alternative, the Spurs caught to a slower, extra methodical plan centered on Victor Wembanyama.
Taking Dylan Harper with the No. 2 decide was a no brainer. That is even with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Fortress already entrenched within the backcourt. That choice offers San Antonio leverage in its upcoming negotiations with Fox. Harper and Fortress are cause sufficient to keep away from overextending for a veteran guard.
Elsewhere, the Spurs shored up their depth. Luke Kornet arrived in free company as a transparent improve at backup middle. In the meantime, the commerce for Kelly Olynyk provides much-needed frontcourt capturing. And if No. 14 decide Carter Bryant proves early on that he belongs, San Antonio might revisit the concept of an even bigger commerce bundle on the deadline. Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan are potential chips, too.
Right here we are going to have a look at and talk about the undrafted San Antonio Spurs 2025 Summer season League participant who might make the roster.
The Scoring Machine No person Noticed Coming
After main the California Basic in scoring, David Jones-Garcia wasted no time proving that efficiency was no fluke. As soon as the motion shifted to Las Vegas, he elevated his recreation even additional. He emerged because the event’s most prolific and environment friendly scorer.
In Vegas, Jones-Garcia averaged 21.3 factors per recreation whereas capturing an eye-popping 51.7 p.c from the sphere, 50 p.c from past the arc, and 90 p.c from the free-throw line. He rounded out his stat line with 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per recreation. He actually made a convincing case for a spot on the All–Summer season League First Group.
That mixture of manufacturing and effectivity throughout 4 video games was unprecedented. It wasn’t a byproduct of simple catch-and-shoot possibilities or transition leaks. Jones-Garcia created a lot of his personal offense, routinely shaking defenders with easy footwork, elevating into rhythm jumpers, and pulling down powerful pictures that almost all gamers wouldn’t dare try.
Extra Than a Scorching Hand
It’s tempting to dismiss gaudy Summer season League stats as noise. Nonetheless, the best way Jones-Garcia acquired his buckets is what stood out. He scored in quite a lot of methods: spot-up threes, pull-ups off a dribble, curls into mid-range jumpers, and bodily finishes on the rim. The Spurs even trusted him to deal with pick-and-roll possessions. That was an indication of progress for a participant whose recreation as soon as skewed closely towards scoring solely.
The numbers again that up. In accordance with Synergy monitoring, Jones-Garcia graded properly in pick-and-roll conditions. He confirmed improved management over his deal with and decision-making when defenses compelled him to make a play. Sure, he’s unlikely to have the ball in his fingers at a excessive quantity within the NBA. That stated, the flexibility to learn the ground and make the correct subsequent go is crucial for a wing who will typically be requested to assault second-side defenses.
His rebounding and defensive instincts added to his case. At 6’6 with strong power, Jones-Garcia boxed out larger gamers, jumped passing lanes, and got here up with well timed deflections.
How He Suits in San Antonio
There’s no reasonable situation during which the Spurs hand Jones-Garcia main creator duties. That’s not what they want from him anyway. Nonetheless, fashionable NBA groups have a rising want for wings who can knock down pictures at a excessive clip, assault closeouts, and maintain up defensively on the perimeter. Jones-Garcia checks all these packing containers.
San Antonio’s entrance workplace clearly noticed the identical factor. They only signed him to a two-way contract as quickly as Summer season League wrapped. For a workforce whose long-term fortunes revolve round spacing the ground for Wembanyama and letting Fortress and Harper develop as playmakers, a secondary wing scorer like Jones-Garcia has apparent worth.
If he can keep even a fraction of the effectivity he confirmed in July, there’s an actual likelihood he performs his approach into early rotation minutes. From there, he might probably see an ordinary NBA contract.
A Worthwhile Gamble
Summer season League stars can fade, however the Spurs’ historical past of participant growth suggests they could have struck gold right here. David Jones-Garcia turned a no-risk alternative into an actual likelihood at an NBA position.
San Antonio doesn’t want him to be a star. They only want him to be what he’s already confirmed he may be: a knockdown shooter with a aggressive edge and the flexibility to make good reads inside a structured system.
If Jones-Garcia retains taking part in like he did in Las Vegas, that two-way deal might simply be the beginning of a a lot larger story.