A celebrated 2025 Draft night brought the Spurs two big additions to the their young core: heralded guard Dylan Harper at 2nd overall and elite wing defender Carter Bryant at 14th. While Harper was certainly the more known and celebrated prospect of the two, Bryant is potentially the steal of the draft and quickly becoming a fan favorite thanks to his Latino roots, commitment to the deaf community, and player comparisons to popular former Spurs such as Bruce Bowen and Sean Elliott.

That second point about the deaf community has especially captured fans hearts. He was asked more about that than anything basketball-related his introductory press conference, and for good reason. San Antonio’s Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children was in attendance, and he could be seen communicating and thanking them for their love afterwards.

His commitment comes from being a GODA, or grandchild of deaf adults. That makes is mother, Sabrina Torres, a CODA (or child of deaf adults), who works as a sign language interpreter. His grandfather, Mike Torres, is a member of the USA Deaf Basketball Hall of Fame, while his grandmother, Shelly Freed, is a longtime educator and administrator at the California School for the Deaf.

But Bryant’s commitment goes beyond just knowing American Sign Language. He said a year ago he hoped to host basketball camps in Tucson (home of the University of Arizona) and the California School for the Deaf — and surely San Antonio is now added to that list — but he’s also an ambassador to Gallaudet University: a private, federally chartered university for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as his grandparents’ alma mater.

I wouldn’t have realized my NBA dreams without my family.

My grandparents are Deaf. My mom is a CODA. Growing up, I was surrounded by American Sign Language and Deaf culture. They taught me early on that Deafness isn’t a disability; it’s an . A . A strength.

My family’s passion for Gallaudet University runs deep – both my maternal grandparents were Gallaudet students and my grandfather, Michael “Doc” Torres, played on the university’s basketball team. Through them, I’ve met remarkable Deaf and hard of hearing people who inspire me every day. I’ve witnessed firsthand how they communicate with clarity, expression, and heart.

That’s why I’m proud to partner with Gallaudet University, true champions for deaf people around the world. Whether you want to learn ASL, train as an interpreter, or explore the culture and history of the Deaf community, Gallaudet is the place to start.

Make a plan to visit Gallaudet’s campus like I did when I was a kid – and prepare to be inspired.

The San Antonio Spurs have always been especially proud to represent their community, whether it’s David Robinson and the Carver Academy, Gregg Popovich and the Food Bank, Elliott and kidney disease awareness, Manu Ginobili and Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, or most recently, Harrison Barnes and his commitment to helping underprivileged students — to name a few. We can now quickly add Bryant to that long list of Spurs who stand out for their commitment to helping others.

Not only will he fit well on the court, but he is exactly the type of person we love to call a Spur. As we like to put it: he’s very “Spursy”. He’s an amazing addition to the team and the community, and hopefully he can continue his goal of bringing more awareness to the deaf community and their ability to do everything we can, like play basketball.

In case you were wondering, here’s how you say “Go Spurs Go” in ASL: