Carter Bryant's Austin Pit Stop Another Step Toward 'Best Player in the World'

CEDAR PARK, Texas — The early text message came from Keldon Johnson.

On his way from San Antonio to Austin the morning of what was to be a one-game developmental pit stop in the NBA G League, Carter Bryant checked his phone. The San Antonio Spurs' energy man himself, also a former G Leaguer, had wished him luck.

"He has such a unique perspective," Bryant said.

Johnson is now the longest-tenured Spur in the midst of his seventh season. He missed the franchise’s last playoff run by a year, became a Sixth Man of the Year contender and once carried the rebuilding team on his back. Before any of it, he was in Austin.

"Austin helped me develop," the forward said. "That was important development for my young career. It really was a turning point for me."

Jan 7, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) beats the drum following the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

In Bryant's eyes, Johnson has done it all. Transitioning from being a leading scorer to riding the bench is a hard pill to swallow, and, in the same vein, taking a positive approach to playing in the G League as a lottery pick can be difficult to maintain.

Instead of pride, Bryant opts for gratitude.

"I'm blessed," he said with a smile. "That's the perspective I take with me every day. Not many people get the opportunity to play at this level."

Before facing the media for a five-minute conversation, Bryant took time to meet with a fan who brought with him a vintage Mo Udall Arizona Wildcats jersey. Bryant signed his jersey, took a photo and thanked the fan for making the trip.

The Spurs' rookie is no Udall, but he hopes to have left his own mark on the game of basketball by the time he walks away from it. Regardless of the jersey he's wearing.

"Every day, when I wake up and play, I get to see a kid that dreams to be in my position one day," Bryant said. "I'm grateful because I was once that kid."

Jan 9, 2025; Cedar Park, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) calls out on defense against the South Bay Lakers during the first half at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. | Megan Foegelle/Austin Spurs

The Spurs' rookie is a product of hours of Kawhi Leonard highlights he grew up on. These days, he likes to wear Luka Dončić's signature sneaker while he waits for his own.

The neon green pair he sported Friday evening almost hung in midair too long as he threw down what felt like his first dunk in forever.

“Oh my gosh," Bryant said, laughing in relief. "It’s so nice to see one go down. You’d think being 6-foot-8 and being able to jump out of the gym a little bit, it’d be easier to finish those … I’m sure I’ll have a lot more in my career.”

A trio of miscues on fast breaks and lob attempts while with San Antonio have haunted Bryant to begin his NBA career. He knows how it must look for those watching: he's a rookie without feel for the game. He also knows they're wrong.

Still, he and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson arrived at the same conclusion: spending a game in the G League would do him some good.

"Nothing beats live reps," Bryant said. "No matter what it is ... that's something a lot of people take for granted. It's something that you have to take advantage of."

Nov 8, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) walks up the court in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

An hour before tipoff in Austin, Johnson shared a conversation with Bryant. The pair reiterated their goals for the forward in however many minutes he was set to play.

Above all, Bryant was supposed to play with a free mind and "get a sweat in." But he had to learn a few of his teammates' names first.

"It's not an easy transition," Austin Spurs coach Jacob Chance said after Bryant's 15-point, five-rebound outing. "I'll give him credit ... the things we did see is the reason why he was drafted where he was. Covering ground, defensive ability ... his instincts are great."

"I told him to be yourself," Harrison Ingram added. "He did his thing tonight."

Chance spent the offseason preparing his staff for a season of continued success. After Scott King's departure for Johnson's assistant bench, the Australian native made it his goal to align the two teams, preparing for Bryant's inevitable arrival.

In the meantime, Bryant was finding his way in San Antonio.

"He's been phenomenal," Johnson said of Bryant in December. "His energy, his activity ... I couldn't be happier with what he's done the last couple of games."

Jan 9, 2025; Cedar Park, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) celebrates with a teammate against the South Bay Lakers at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. | Megan Foegelle/Austin Spurs

This season, Bryant has averaged 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in only 7.6 minutes per contest in San Antonio. A growing need for perimeter defense amid a collective struggle for the Spurs sparked more run time for the rookie.

As his 3-point shot comes around, he'll find himself on the floor even more frequently. Confidence-building games like the one in Austin will help.

"Hopefully he goes back to San Antonio better for the experience," Chance said.

Bryant re-joined San Antonio on its two-game road trip beginning in Boston Saturday evening and ending in Minnesota on Sunday. The scene inside a packed TD Garden will vary greatly from the one at H-E-B Center; so will the personnel. It's all the same for Bryant.

"You take it every day and be thankful for it," he said. "I'm not going to rush my process. I truly believe what's meant for me will come."

Whether he's meant to log more minutes in Mitch Johnson's rotation or meant to spend a few more games in Austin, Bryant welcomes the call.

As far as the rookie is concerned, it's another step in a journey toward the loftiest goal he could've set. Inside a cold tunnel in Austin, he made that goal clear:

"To be the best player in the world," Bryant said. "Those are things that are going to come, but you have to be patient. Understand where you are ... what the team needs."