Inside The Spurs

Spurs Season-In-Review: Dominick Barlow 'Provides Value' Despite Inexperience

Barlow was one of San Antonio's many rookies who saw plenty of playing time this season, and despite being the "least experienced" of them all, he showed why his game is more-than promising ahead of his second NBA season.

Matt Guzman

Aaron Meullion-USA TODAY Sports
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The San Antonio Spurs battled their way through injuries and mistakes made by inexperienced players this season, which did not yield a positive result on the record books, but did allow for player's to find their strengths on the court.

Rookie forward Dominick Barlow found his, especially at the tail end of the season.

Barlow was one of the Spurs' two-way players, so when he wasn't on the court in Austin, he suited up in San Antonio, playing a total of 28 games this season. 

The rookie averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds to go along with his near 50 percent field goal mark. Though there were games where Barlow went scoreless, twice in San Antonio's final five games he tallied double digit points and rebounds. 

His peak came during the Spurs' early-April matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Both teams had been eliminated, leaving the younger stars with plenty of minutes to grab, and Barlow took advantage of every one. 

"I went into the game expecting some guys to not want to play," he said following his 21-point performance. "But there's always a reason to play, so I went out aggressive. ... And once you start to get a professional basketball player going, they get going."

The forward embraced that mentality, and has used it ever since — earning him respect from both his teammates and coaches. 

"I didn't [think] I would get as much playing time this season," Barlow said. "But I worked hard in Austin and the coaches gave me a chance when some guys went down [with injuries]. I think I showed I could provide value to the team." 

Barlow proved his ability to score, but his game also includes a strong defensive presence, as he tallied 19 blocks and 10 steals on the season. 

"[Barlow has come] lightyears," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He’s the least experienced player, and he just absorbs things. Tonight he had three, four, five blocked shots. He gets off his feet pretty quick ... He’s trying to create an NBA career for himself."

As the 19-year-old enters the offseason, he knows that there is work in front of him to be done before he can become a true breakout star in the NBA. 

He also knows, however, that nothing is certain. And he's determined to keep playing and working at the highest level he possibly can for the Spurs next season. 

"You can get cut at any time [as a two-way player]," Barlow said. "Nothing is guaranteed. That was kind of lingering in the back of my mind, but [this year], I was able to really lock in and trust my work."

In the offseason, Barlow will likely be a fixture for the Spurs' Summer League team and have a chance to showcase even more growth as he makes a case for playing time next season.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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