Having chosen back-to-back NBA Rookie of the 12 months winners over the previous two drafts, the San Antonio Spurs hope to have a 3rd straight in Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, whom they chose with the No. 2 choose in Wednesday’s NBA draft.
The choice marks the Spurs’ third straight draft within the prime 4, following Stephon Fort, the 2025 Rookie of the 12 months whom the Spurs took fourth final yr, and 2024 prime rookie Victor Wembanyama, who was the No. 1 choose in 2023.
“I feel whenever you play with a bunch of nice gamers, it simply brings one of the best out of you,” Harper advised ESPN after being drafted. “They bought an incredible younger core over there. I am simply able to get in there and make an affect wherever I can with these guys.”
The addition of Harper, broadly thought of one of many elite guard prospects of this yr’s class, may appear redundant in San Antonio due to Fort and new level guard De’Aaron Fox. However Harper’s versatility matches the mildew the Spurs search as they transition to taking part in positionless basketball. The staff’s brass is not overly involved with drafting for positional wants, believing the gamers finally develop and decide their area of interest inside the system.
At Rutgers, Harper showcased a knack for creating rim strain, which is able to enhance San Antonio’s spacing as Wembanyama is already one of many elite floor-spacing large males within the league.
With the current hiring of assistants Corliss Williamson and affiliate head coach Sean Sweeney, the Spurs wish to ratchet up the strain on a protection anchored by Wembanyama, final season’s blocked pictures chief. At 6-foot-6, Harper has the size to grow to be one of many key cogs in what may grow to be one of many league’s most suffocating items.
The Spurs even have the No. 14 choose on this yr’s draft.