NBA Veteran Harrison Barnes Has Warning for Young Spurs Players

The San Antonio Spurs have very limited playoff experience in their young starting lineup.

In fact, 28-year-old point guard De’Aaron Fox is the only player with any - losing in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs with the Sacramento Kings.

However, NBA veteran Harrison Barnes has a wealth of postseason experience on the Spurs’ bench.

Barnes is in the midst of his sixth playoff campaign. He made the postseason in his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors, suffering a second-round loss in 2013 and a first-round loss in 2014.

Barnes and the Warriors reached the mountaintop in 2015, winning an NBA title.

Barnes is imploring his younger teammates to take advantage of this NBA Finals experience, because nothing is guaranteed in the NBA.

"This may be the last time both teams are in the Finals for a while. We have no idea," Barnes said after shootaround on Friday, via Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

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The Spurs are led by 22-year-old superstar Victor Wembanyama, who’s playing in just his third NBA season. Second-year guard Stephon Castle and rookie No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper are also key contributors for his year’s NBA Finals squad.

Barnes specifically spoke to Harper and fellow rookie Carter Bryant, who helped the Spurs reach the championship series in their debut seasons.

“They just walk in from college, win 60 games and just in the Finals their rookie year,” Barnes said. “I said they don’t know anything different, two lottery picks and they don’t even know the other side of it.”

“The biggest thing is just leaving it all out there,” he continued. “You don’t want any regrets.”

More basketball: NBA Recognizes Jalen Brunson Milestone Before NBA Finals Game 2

Game 2 of the NBA Finals will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 5:56 PM.