
Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, scored 9 points in 18 minutes for San Antonio in front of the Frost Bank Center faithful.
SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points, rookie Dylan Harper tallied 9 in his much-anticipated debut and the San Antonio Spurs fended off the visiting Utah Jazz in overtime, 134-130, at the Frost Bank Center.
The Silver & Black overcame three 20-point scorers for Utah and a glum 3-point shooting performance (13 of 48 from downtown) to stay undefeated in the preseason.
One of those 20-point scorers for the Jazz was rookie Ace Bailey, Harper’s former running mate at Rutgers. The pair led Rutgers in scoring last season and were both taken in the top five selections of this summer’s draft.
“We hung out every day last year, so just getting to see him again – getting to see a familiar face – my first time on an NBA court, I think is going to be special for both of us,” Harper said during pregame shootaround.
Harper was cleared to play Friday after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in this thumb in early September. He went 4-of-6 from the field as he suited up for the first time in front of the home crowd.
“He’s been patient and trusted the medical (staff) and the organization, and while he’s trusted them he’s been putting in a lot of work,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said before the game. “Just happy for him to finally get on the court and compete against somebody else.”
While Harper was logging his first NBA minutes, Wembanyama continued adding to his preseason highlight reel. But newly acquired backup center Luke Kornet also showed off his height with ease.
The Spurs had a 17-point advantage over Utah at halftime before the Jazz stormed back to close the gap after the break. Keyonte George hit a trey to pull Utah even with San Antonio in the final seconds of regulation.
David Jones Garcia, whom the Spurs signed to a two-way contract in July after making an impression at Summer League, scored 8 of his team’s 12 overtime points as they clinched the win. He finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal in just 17 minutes of play.
Two games remain on the Spurs’ preseason schedule: One at defending Eastern Conference champion Indiana on Monday and a home rematch against the Pacers on Oct. 17.