SAN ANTONIO — During the San Antonio Spurs' recent match against Texas rival Dallas Mavericks, guard Blake Wesley lept into the air as Luka Doncic aimed for an easy layup and swatted it back to the court in the second half.
Wesley's block got his Spurs teammates cheering and the Frost Bank Center crowd roaring excitedly.
But that is exactly what the sophomore guard brings on the defensive end of the court: Energy and hustle.
“From day one, I knew Blake was coming. He's always had energy," Devein Vassell said. "Training camp, summer league, whenever it was, he was always picking up full court and turning people."
While Wesley's speed and thunderous dunks on the offensive end have been highlighted this season, his defense shines equally.
He's recorded 23 steals this season and uses his quickness on the defensive end to make life difficult for opposing players. He's also averaging 2.4 deflections per 36 minutes this season.
His defensive abilities allow him to defend both opposing point and shooting guards. This season, he defends the point guard position 42% of the time and shooting guard 28% of the time on the court.
The young Spurs, who have been making significant defensive strides throughout the season, need that defensive versatility on the perimeter.
"Just being a pest on the defensive end. He's always been like that, and that's the energy that we need from him," said Vassell.
Before solidifying a spot on the San Antonio roster this season, Wesley commuted to and from Austin and San Antonio, playing for the G-League's Austin Spurs.
He credits Austin coach Will Voigt with getting him ready on both ends of the floor, which allowed him to land a permanent seat on the San Antonio bench.
"He got me here, coached me well down there, and coached me hard," Wesley said. "So Austin really helped me a lot to be myself on the court."
According to Cleaning The Glass, Wesley is in the 65th percentile among NBA point guards in steal percentage at 1.7% per game, reflecting his focus on improving defensively.
Which is vital to getting playing time under Gregg Popovich.
Overall, the second-year guard's improvement on the court is welcomed as the team continues its rebuild and looks to shape the roster in the coming seasons.
Wesley is making his case, and his teammates are noticing.
"He's been making strides on the offensive end too, but defensively, he's always been kind of that anchor," Vassell said.
And Wesley's defensive skills are not an underrated part of his game, according to Vassell.
"I wouldn't say it's underrated unless you're not watching. He's definitely always been locking up."