Spurs Aim High with Dylan Harper: Seeking Third Consecutive Rookie of the Year
The San Antonio Spurs, after selecting the NBA Rookie of the Year award winners in the last two drafts, hope to achieve a similar feat with Dylan Harper, Rutgers guard, whom they chose with the second overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft.
This selection marks the Spurs’ third consecutive top-four draft pick. Previously, they selected Stephon Castle, who is expected to be the Rookie of the Year in 2025, in the fourth position last year, and Victor Wembanyama, the first pick in 2023, who was the Rookie of the Year in 2024.
The incorporation of Harper, considered one of the most promising guard prospects of this year’s class, might seem redundant in San Antonio, given the presence of Castle and new point guard De’Aaron Fox. However, Harper’s versatility fits the model the Spurs are looking for as they move towards a positionless game. The team’s management doesn’t worry too much about positional needs in the draft, believing that players eventually develop and define their role within the system.
At Rutgers, Harper demonstrated his ability to create pressure in the paint, which will improve San Antonio’s spacing, given that Wembanyama is already one of the best-spacing big men in the league.
With the recent hiring of assistants Corliss Williamson and associate coach Sean Sweeney, the Spurs are looking to intensify the pressure on a defense led by Wembanyama, the league’s blocks leader last season. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, Harper has the wingspan needed to become a key piece in what could be one of the league’s most suffocating defensive units.
The Spurs also have the number 14 pick in this year’s draft.
