Dylan Harper and His Spurs Debut: An Unforgettable Alley-oop
Rookie Dylan Harper proved that throwing an alley-oop to Victor Wembanyama is a challenge. In his preseason debut with the San Antonio Spurs, Harper connected on a spectacular pass for Wembanyama to perform a two-handed dunk. The match took place on Friday, where the Spurs secured a victory with a score of 134-130 over the Utah Jazz.Harper’s performance was outstanding, displaying a near-perfect performance in the first half of the game. He accumulated a plus-minus of 22 in 12 and a half minutes, with 4 out of 5 in shots, scoring nine points and two assists. In the third quarter, he added another assist before being substituted due to a minute restriction, playing a total of 18 minutes and finishing with a plus-minus of 20.“I’m going to throw it a little higher,” Harper commented to a smiling Wembanyama, as both teammates shook hands.
Dylan Harper
Harper, who had expressed nervousness before the game, quickly overcame the tension. In addition to his assist to Wembanyama, he also assisted Luke Kornet, showing his versatility on defense. Wembanyama praised Harper, highlighting his comfort in the game and his confidence in passing.“It’s just another step for him and his young career, and he will continue to grow,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.
Mitch Johnson
Harper scored his first point 10 seconds after entering the game, following an assist from Harrison Barnes. Harper had been absent for the first two preseason games due to surgery in September to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. Despite this, he participated in many camp workouts. Harper admitted that he must adjust his approach to alley-oops for Wembanyama.“He looks ready, very comfortable already throwing these types of passes. So I’m very confident and I’m very happy to be able to spend time on the court with him,” Wembanyama said.
Victor Wembanyama
“I should have thrown it much higher,” Harper said. “It’s weird. Nobody’s ever played with someone so tall. You throw it and you think you threw it too high. But then he catches it and you think, ‘It’s a little low.’ So it’s little things like that. Just throwing where nobody else can get it, but him.”
Dylan Harper
