Spurs summer league star proves dad right in ‘dreams come true’ moment against Hawks

ByNBAUSA



David Jones Garcia played in only five NBA games. If not for multiple San Antonio Spurs Injurieshe probably wouldn’t see action against the Atlanta Hawks or Memphis Grizzlies. Instead, the win against the Hawks proved to be one they won’t forget.

After scoring a game-high 12 points, dishing out six big assists and grabbing five rebounds, ClutchPoints asked Jones Garcia if this performance was a ‘dream come true’. The soon-to-be 24-year-old rookie answered before the question was even finished.

“Yeah, definitely,” Jones Garcia said.

A good but unheralded college basketball player at DePaul, St. John’s and then Memphis, Jones Garcia went undrafted in 2024. Several two-way deals with the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz followed before entering the 2025 draft. Summer League with Spurs. Easily the team’s consistently best player, the Dominican Republic native earned another two-way deal. This time with Spurs. And this time he is watching the action in the NBA,

“I’m proud of myself. I hope my dad is proud of me too. And, I was just having fun. Yeah, a dream come true for sure,” Jones Garcia explained to ClutchPoints.

Jones Garcia’s father died of heart failure in 2023. He promised his dad that he would play in the NBA.

David Jones Garcia calms his nerves to turn in a dream-worthy performance

The Spurs beat Memphis two nights before knocking off Atlanta. Against the Grizzlies, Jones Garcia saw his first NBA action since Nov. 2 when he saw action in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

“Coach talked to me and just told me to be myself and get my energy off the bench. And I looked a little more relaxed out there,” Jones Garcia said after the 135-126 win against the Hawks.

Head coach Mitch Johnson felt the need to calm the young guard, given how jittery he was before that Grizzlies contest.

“I was nervous,” admitted Jones Garcia.

He then confirmed that an effort like the one he put in against the Hawks helps his confidence.

“Definitely. It builds your confidence a little bit more,” Jones Garcia said. “Just help you keep working harder and harder every day to get where you’re trying to get to.”

Unreal moment for Spurs G League standout Jones Garcia

Five days before Jones Garcia’s breakthrough, he helped lead the Austin Spurs. It’s a game several San Antonio Spurs said they watched.

Asked if it felt weird contributing next to the guys who watched him with a G League partner earlier this week, Jones Garcia answered honestly.

“Yeah. It is. I mean, that’s another thing. This team supports the G League team a lot. They always keep up with the G League team,” Jones Garcia noted. “When I got here, they were talking about the G League games from last year, which speaks volumes about the connection of the organization and the type of players they bring to the Spurs.

“Yeah, it’s kind of crazy though.”

Without Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle in the next few weeks and without Dylan Harper for at least one more game, Jones Garcia thinks he’s earned more playing time. Especially if he continues to play like the steal and dunk he pulled off with five minutes left when the Hawks’ game was still in doubt.

“When I got the steal and the dunk. That was my favorite,” Jones Garcia continued. “When I actually got both steals, because Jeremy (Sochan) dunked when I got the first one and the second one, I got one.

And maybe the Spurs got one more – like another young player who can contribute to an already deep young roster.





2025-11-23 02:29:00

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