Everyone wants to play with Victor Wembanyama, right?
That's not why Carter Bryant was over the moon when the San Antonio Spurs drafted him. While most rookies, free agents, and trade candidates want to link up in San Antonio to play next to Wemby, Carter Bryant is excited about the possibility of playing with someone else.
Dating back to his high school days, Bryant has wanted to play next to Dylan Harper, who the Spurs drafted second overall before Bryant went 14th.
"I'm looking forward to playing with my guy D. Harp," he said. "I mean, it's been a long time coming. We had a lot of conversations throughout high school, whether I was trying to play together in college, just maybe playing together at some point, so for him to be my draft buddy and being able to both go in the lottery and be able to represent San Antonio is dope."
Harper's father, Ron, a 15-year NBA veteran and five-time champion, has long been friendly and helpful with Carter, and the relationship between him and the Harper family is expected to grow.
Of course, Bryant is very excited to play next to Wembanyama, and he went as far as to compare himself to another legendary Spurs' defender.
"The first guy I think of is Kawhi, just his defensive versatility, being able to guard multiple positions early on in his career, and just as you saw his progression, he became one of the best players in the world," said Bryant when asked about his NBA comparison.
Leonard, like Bryant, could have very easily been drafted earlier than he was. Like the Arizona standout, Leonard's offensive game was rough around the edges entering the league, although his defense was already elite.
It might be wishful thinking, but if Harper can hit his Kawhi Leonard comparison, alongside Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, and Wemby, the Spurs could boast the best defensive unit ever.