After Chris PaulSan Antonio registered the arrival of another veteran with Harrison Barnespart of the trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the Kings two weeks ago.
After contributing to the rebirth of Sacramento for a little over five seasons, he is now propelled into a new reconstruction project at the Spurs, where he will have to supervise the project carried out around Victor Wembanyama.
It will also be an opportunity to meet Gregg Popovich, the man who represents the DNA of the Spurs.
“Having played against the Spurs for many years, I have the utmost respect for this franchise and everything it has accomplished.”, did he declare. “There's also the opportunity to play for Pop, to gain experience alongside him… He's a character. I'm very happy to be here with this group.”
A “basketball encyclopedia”
Harrison Barnes had already played under Coach Pop. It was in 2019, during the World Cup, with Team USA, and the two had quickly established a relationship of trust, despite the failure of the Americans, who were knocked out in the quarter-finals by France. Like many players who have been under his wing, the power forward also appreciated the coaching approach of the San Antonio strategist.
“This guy is a basketball encyclopedia”he added. “In our meetings, we would get history lessons about everything that could happen, and at some point, it would come back to basketball. But the way it started, we had no idea where it could go.”
He will form with Chris Paul a tandem of first-rate veterans, which San Antonio missed last season. Enough to take this group to a new level? That will be the goal in any case.
“It's clear that when we arrive with CP, we're going to be two of the oldest in the locker room”he continued. “Just being able to talk to some of the guys here, there’s a good energy, a good enthusiasm. I’m really looking forward to getting out there with the guys and getting to work. It takes time to build things in this league. To be good, you have to have a formula to be successful. And I think over the years, the Spurs have been one of the toughest teams I’ve ever played against.”
| Harrison Barnes | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | GOS | 81 | 25 | 43.9 | 35.9 | 75.8 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 9.2 |
| 2013-14 | GOS | 78 | 28 | 39.9 | 34.7 | 71.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 9.5 |
| 2014-15 | GOS | 82 | 28 | 48.2 | 40.5 | 72.0 | 1.4 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 10.1 |
| 2015-16 | GOS | 66 | 31 | 46.6 | 38.3 | 76.1 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 11.7 |
| 2016-17 | DAL | 79 | 36 | 46.8 | 35.1 | 86.1 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 19.2 |
| 2017-18 | DAL | 77 | 34 | 44.5 | 35.7 | 82.7 | 1.0 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 18.9 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 77 | 33 | 42.0 | 39.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 16.4 |
| 2018-19 * | DAL | 49 | 32 | 40.4 | 38.9 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 17.7 |
| 2018-19 * | BAG | 28 | 34 | 45.5 | 40.8 | 80.0 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 14.3 |
| 2019-20 | BAG | 72 | 35 | 46.0 | 38.1 | 80.1 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.5 |
| 2020-21 | BAG | 58 | 36 | 49.7 | 39.1 | 83.0 | 1.1 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 16.1 |
| 2021-22 | BAG | 77 | 34 | 46.9 | 39.4 | 82.6 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 16.4 |
| 2022-23 | BAG | 82 | 33 | 47.3 | 37.4 | 84.7 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 15.0 |
| 2023-24 | BAG | 82 | 29 | 47.4 | 38.7 | 80.1 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 12.2 |
| Total | 911 | 32 | 45.7 | 37.9 | 81.0 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.1 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
