Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in his lone season at Rutgers, impressing scouts with his “do-it-all” playing style.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs have selected Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Harper, son of former NBA champion Ron Harper, is a 6’5″, 213-pound point guard who has been compared to Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in his lone season at Rutgers, and he impressed scouts with his “do-it-all” playing style.
“Harper is a big-bodied, do-it-all playmaker with positional versatility,” NBA.com says in its draft profile. “He puts a ton of pressure on the rim, is creative with his footwork and can finish smoothly with both hands.”
Despite Harper’s skill set, his arrival could present a challenge for the Spurs, who already have two high-end point guards: De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
Fox, a former NBA All-Star, was just acquired from the Sacramento Kings last year, and Castle is coming off a Rookie of the Year campaign, so would Harper clog things up?
Some scouts suggest that Harper has a higher ceiling than both 27-year-old Fox and Castle, so while it may look like a crowded backcourt now, they might actually be getting their true point guard for the future.
‘Ready to get things rolling’
Speaking to news media after his selection, Harper said he was excited to join San Antonio’s young core of playmakers–and didn’t express concern at how many guards will now be on the Spurs roster.
“When you play with such good players, it just elevates your game,” Harper said. “When you have that many ball handlers, you can really space the court out. It makes the game so much easier for everyone else.”
San Antonio hasn’t finished above .500 since the 2018-2019 season, when the team still boasted the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills. But the team has shown plenty of promise in the last couple years, punctuated by back-to-back Rookie of the Year victors and Wembanyama’s development into a superstar.
Harper reportedly worked out with the Spurs twice, and indicated that the storied organization’s culture rubbed off on him.
“All my life, it’s always been about how can I go somewhere, (how can) we make something happen and get to the championship? I think with that young group, they’re (heading) in the right direction,” he said. “From the front office to the equipment manager to the video guy, they’re all-around great. I’m just happy I’m a part of it now.”
No NBA team has won Rookie of the Year three campaigns in a row. But Harper said he was up for the challenge.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine. I think the coaching staff and the players are gonna probably make it easy for me to go out there and showcase my talents.”