5 Beyond Wemby: Spurs' Dominick Barlow Should Not Be Underestimated

An impressive display throughout the summer was enough to earn Dominick Barlow a two-way contract with the Spurs, but now that he's been given a shot, he's in a perfect position to prove his true value.

When the San Antonio Spurs took to the Sacramento Kings' home court for the first game of the California Classic, all eyes were on No. 2 pick Brandon Miller.

It was Miller's NBA debut — the first time he'd been seen in action since the NCAA tournament, when Alabama lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual tournament runner-ups — and with no Victor Wembanyama on the other side of the court, the rookie had all of the arena's attention to himself.

That was, until the first half began. 

Miller came out of the gates shooting from deep, but not only could he not get things going behind the arc, he also found himself in foul trouble and with a plus-minus of negative 24. The rookie recorded more turnovers and fouls than he did points in what became an overall abysmal first look for the Hornets. 

And while his performance can only be credited to him, Spurs second-year forward Dominick Barlow had a lot to do with Miller's struggles. 

San Antonio Spurs second year big Dominick Barlow today in Summer League

• 24 PTS
• 11 REB
• 2 BLK
• 10/13 FG
• 4/6 FT pic.twitter.com/1cJXkYTQrA

— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) July 4, 2023

"[When they switched me on to him], I wasn't even thinking about anything," Barlow said following the Spurs' 96-77 victory. "I know I can guard guards in this league. I've done it my whole life, so I was confident in my abilities." 

Barlow's efforts paid off. Despite Miller putting together a streak of made shots in the second half to help him finish with 18 points, his plus-minus didn't improve much as the Spurs went on to win in blowout fashion to open their summer.

Barlow had a hand in that, too. 

In his first game since early April, Barlow proved that he had more to show the Spurs, putting up 24 points and 11 rebounds on nearly 80 percent shooting from the field. That only carried over into the following games, as Barlow ended up averaging 17 points and eight rebounds on the summer. 

Not only does he have the height, but he's proven capable of making plays and being a facilitator at the same time. His pull-up shot from midrange fell a majority of time, helping the Spurs to easy points on offense while sending back multiple opposing shots.

But even more than just his on-court performance, Barlow has proven to the Spurs why he should be valued ... and why he's primed for a breakout season. Just ask coach Gregg Popovich.

"He’s trying to create an NBA career for himself," Popovich said of Barlow last season. "He’s the least experienced player, and he just absorbs things." 

It seemed like doing so paid off for the rising second-year. Especially on defense, which is something that Barlow prides himself on especially given his two-way situation.

"You've got to be ready to play, no matter who you're playing," Barlow said. "Everybody at this level can get above you, [especially] on defense. You never want to underestimate people."

Fortunately for Barlow, he is likely to be underestimated this season. The Spurs' roster crunch didn't perfectly work in his favor, as he wasn't given a full-time NBA deal like some of his other teammates, but he did do enough to earn a dual contract with Austin and San Antonio, which already sets him "lower" than most stars to opposing players. 

But if being underestimated isn't enough to fuel Barlow, simply getting playing time will. He has all the confidence in the world to show that:

"Once you start to get a professional basketball player going, they get going," Barlow said. "There's always a reason to play."

Next season, Barlow's reason will be to earn a full-time spot on the Spurs. They haven't given up on his development — not by a long shot — and will certainly look to use him where he fits throughout the year. If he continues to play the way he has, there just might be a bigger role waiting for him at the end of his contract. 

And he knows that. 

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