The Spurs are set up to demand the Western Conference flow through San Antonio for the foreseeable future, and Mitch Johnson knows it. In his pregame presser ahead of the team's Game 4 matchup with the Timberwolves, the first-year head coach gave the league nightmare fuel that executives around the league will rack their brains trying to figure out.
Mitch with reason for rest of NBA to worry: “We have a lot of young players I don’t think are anywhere near reaching their ceiling...And we’re still learning about each other. The coach has room to grow and get better. I don’t think we’re anywhere near being a finished product.”
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) May 10, 2026
Coach Johnson hit the nail on the head with a sledgehammer. The Silver and Black are littered with young talent. The scary part is watching them play in their first postseason and not looking like the inexperienced team most expected them to be, while knowing there's still so much room to grow. It's not hype. It's the reality. And the league doesn't stand a chance at combating what's coming.
The Spurs hit home runs on several draft picks
We didn't know what was being built in San Antonio when they drafted Keldon Johnson in 2019, but it was the first piece of what has turned into an epic puzzle. KJ just won Sixth Man of the Year, and at 26 years old, he's about one year from entering what most consider to be a player's basketball prime. That stretch goes from age 27 to 32, and the bully-ball extraordinaire is just getting started.
Devin Vassell looked to be a potential star as he took leaps year after year. Turns out he doesn't need to be that. He stars in his role as one of the best "other guys" in the league, and the Spurs wouldn't be as dynamic without him. At 25, he still has a lot of growing to do.
Victor Wembanyama is the elephant in the room, or the monster in the middle, or whatever you want to call him. He's a problem. This kid is already one of the most impressive talents we've ever seen in the sport, but his drive and mentality put him on a trajectory only privy to a few. If everything falls into place, we're looking at one of the greatest ever, and he's only 22.
21-year-old Stephon Castle won Rookie of the Year the year after Wemby. He followed that up by playing so well that fans scratched their heads when he wasn't chosen for the All-Star team when the opportunity for subs came up. He defends the opposing team's best player, averaged the 10th-most assists per game in the regular season, and has monstrous scoring nights. He'll only get better.
Rounding out the youth movement are two 20-year-old rookies in Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant. They've been making their mark in their first playoff experience, making it hard to believe they're so young. None of these players seem to be fazed by the big moment, and they're all incredibly skilled.
Mitch Johnson, a Coach of the Year candidate who deserves his own respect, wasn't lying. The Spurs are built to dominate the league for a long time. It's just the truth.
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