Comfort is a word rarely put in the same sentence as any rookie in any sport, more so during the start of a season. But Dylan Harper is not like many rookies.
The numbers won’t make you jump out of your seat, but the poise and efficiency with which Harper had during the first three games of the 2025-2026 season should. Harper always looks to attack, and his approach has been a mix of aggression and deliberation.
Against the Brooklyn Nets, Harper was able to pick his spots either to score in nifty layups or find his open teammates. It’s a maturation that’s beyond his years and it points to a polished game that should only get better. Moreover, the Filipino-American was also a threat on the break as he would go downhill for tough layups that often resulted in points for the San Antonio Spurs.
We can see how Harper has gotten more comfortable playing with his teammates and has settled into Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson’s system. Rookies tend to rush into things and force the issue, but the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has taken what the system and opposing defenses have given him.
The many opportunities he’s been receiving now are also in part due to the absence of De’Aaron Fox, who is inching closer to a return. That being said, Harper’s role in the long run will be tough to determine as he could continue being the lead guard off the bench or supplant reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle as a starter. Regardless of what his next step is, he’s made the Spurs’ decision in the coming months a much tougher one.
San Antonio had its eyes on Cooper Flagg and the top overall selection (although everyone did), but selecting Harper shouldn’t be considered “settling”. They still got an elite playmaker, one that can form a long-term partnership with Castle and Victor Wembanyama. On offense, Harper gives Wembanyama a lead guard to work off of and with.
Defensively, Harper can be a pest for opposing backcourts and even when opponents get by him, they’ve already been primed up for a Wembanyama swat. As the youngest player on the roster, Harper has all the energy to put pressure on opponents, run the break, and recover from any minor ailments.
It might be too much to expect Dylan Harper to churn out performances like this on a daily basis moving forward, but don’t be surprised if the minutes and touches increase as the season progresses. Victor Wembanyama remains the main man for the San Antonio Spurs, but even he knows that Harper can be a game changer in his and the Spurs’ aspirations to win now.
