NBA legend Charles Barkley believes San Antonio Spurs guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have the potential to become the league’s next dominant backcourt duo, drawing comparisons to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. He stated his belief during an interview on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
Barkley expressed concern for opposing guards, stating, “First of all, those two guards, I don't want to see them for the next 10 years if I'm a guard in the NBA…They're going to be the best. They're going to be the new Steph and Klay.” He hopes to see Harper replace De'Aaron Fox in the starting lineup.
In the 2025-26 season, Stephon Castle averaged 17.0 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds over 91 games (including playoffs) while shooting 46.8% from the field and 33.7% from three-point range. Dylan Harper averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 92 games, primarily as a bench player, shooting 50.7% from the field and 34.0% from beyond the arc.
Barkley clarified that his comparison isn’t about three-point shooting percentages – noting Curry and Thompson have historically shot over 38.0% from three (excluding a shortened season for Curry) – but rather the “fear” opponents had facing their synchronized play. He sees Castle as an engine-type scorer with facilitating skills, similar to Curry, and Harper as a secondary scorer who can benefit from the attention Castle draws, mirroring the dynamic between Curry and Thompson.
The Spurs backcourt reached the NBA Finals in Harper’s rookie year. Barkley acknowledged that comparing them to Curry and Thompson at this stage is premature, especially with Victor Wembanyama also on the team, creating a different dynamic than the Warriors’ rise, who established Curry and Thompson before adding Kevin Durant.
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