Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 participant opinions! The collection will have a look at the gamers who completed the season with the San Antonio Spurs on assured contracts and who performed consequential minutes and/or an important function (so no two-way gamers as a result of we hardly noticed them this yr, no gamers who had been traded away, and not one of the deep bench facilities, since they had been each irrelevant and at the moment are all gone).
2025-26 stats: 68 video games, 30 MPG, 16.7 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 33.2 3FG%
Contract Standing: 2 years, 22.7 million remaining (rookie deal)
The Spurs had loads of nice particular person performances in what was a whole success of a season, however Citadel’s may be essentially the most fascinating one, each from a story standpoint and due to what it would imply for the long run. The easy abstract can be that he was unbelievable in a significant function, with some bumps alongside the way in which. However that function and people bumps are fascinating.
Within the predraft course of, Citadel claimed that he needed to be a degree guard on the professional degree after taking part in on the wing in faculty. There was some skepticism about his capacity to take action, though he dealt with the ball in highschool, and a few thought he was solely saying it to fall to the Spurs and keep away from being picked by the groups above them. However to the extent {that a} group with three ball-dominant perimeter gamers can have one lead guard, Citadel was it for San Antonio this previous season.
The sophomore made essentially the most passes and led the group in touches per recreation, time of possession, and common seconds per contact in each the common season and the playoffs. His 7.4 assists per recreation and his 19.6 help factors created additionally led the group and ranked him eighth within the league in each classes, excluding Ja Morant and Trae Younger, who performed 20 and 15 video games, respectively. He was additionally among the many leaders in all assist-related classes within the playoffs. Mitch Johnson gave Citadel the ball, and Citadel proved he knew what to do with it.
Equally true is that Citadel was turnover-prone all season lengthy, with solely 10 gamers averaging extra turnovers than him per recreation (once more, eradicating guys who didn’t play a lot). Turnovers come hand in hand with having the ball rather a lot, however everybody above Citadel had a better utilization. The issue was exacerbated within the postseason, as his assist-to-turnover ratio, which was mediocre at greatest within the common season, acquired to worryingly low ranges. There was additionally the 11-turnover recreation towards the Thunder that acquired consideration and made many marvel if Citadel may survive with out a second ball handler subsequent to him.
Whereas these points had been actual, it’s arduous to name Citadel’s first season as a full-time level guard something however successful, particularly contemplating his age. And if these issues with turnovers persist, Citadel’s superb job guarding as much as 4 positions suggests he can transfer off the ball some sooner or later to make room for a extra pure ground basic, so long as the shot continues to come back alongside, because it did in 2025/26.
In every other franchise, Citadel’s future would have been outlined by his success within the function he had in his sophomore season, however the Spurs have De’Aaron Fox and, way more importantly, Dylan Harper round. As talked about, Citadel could be productive in a heavy-usage on-ball function, however he would possibly want to regulate to accommodate others who can even do the identical to make San Antonio higher.
His protection is already so good throughout positions (regardless of the occasional avoidable foul brought on by overaggression) that Citadel’s capacity to maneuver up and guard wings will not be a query. Whether or not he can house the ground whereas taking part in taking pictures guard or small ahead, alternatively, is. Citadel shot 33 % from past the arc on low however acceptable quantity, which reveals he’s not a whole non-threat from outdoors. Nonetheless, that’s how opponents handled him. Over half of Citadel’s three-pointers had been of the wide-open selection, and he hit a mediocre 36 % of them. He let it fly more often than not, however he had moments when he misplaced confidence and handed up the occasional shot. Going ahead, the Spurs will want Citadel to grow to be a greater shooter to fit in seamlessly alongside Harper. The pairing labored surprisingly effectively final season, however as Harper grows, he’ll need and wish the ball extra.
Even with some huge holes in his recreation, that are anticipated of a 21-year-old, Citadel appears destined to be a star. Due to the rookie scale, nevertheless, he doesn’t receives a commission like one for now, however he will likely be costly quickly. A max extension subsequent summer time, when he turns into eligible, appears nearly inevitable, except he takes an unlikely low cost. The Spurs ought to be joyful to pay him, so long as his third season goes as deliberate.
Feb. 7 vs. Dallas Mavericks. 40 factors on 19 pictures, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals.
With a lot of the gamers we’ve reviewed, the choices for prime efficiency weren’t many. It’s totally different with Citadel, who had huge video games within the common season and the playoffs. I’ll take the simple means out and choose a 40-point triple-double, simply the second in franchise historical past, however be at liberty to disagree.
