If the 2023 first total choose, Victor Wembanyama, didn’t go down with an damage, he could have completed on an All-NBA workforce in his sophomore season. The San Antonio Spurs’ first-round choice in 2024, Stephon Fort, received Rookie of the Yr final season. Now, within the 2025 NBA Draft, the Spurs take the consensus second-best prospect, Dylan Harper, the combo-guard from Rutgers, who can rating at will. With the choice, San Antonio has constructed a loaded younger core of gamers.
Harper averaged 19.4 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and 4 assists in his freshman season, whereas taking pictures 48.4% from the sector and 33.3% from deep. That final quantity has brought on a number of hubbub within the NBA world. San Antonio wants shooters, and Harper, up to now, hasn’t confirmed to be an superior shooter. There are causes for optimism, as he shot 37% on catch-and-shoot jumpers final 12 months and appears to have stable contact across the rim.
Even when he’s not hitting 40% of his three-pointers, Harper will likely be a net-positive offensively along with his easy creation for himself and others. He’s obtained a deep bag of methods to get to the rim, and has the dimensions and energy at 6-foot-6 to complete when he will get there. Harper transformed on 67.6% of his pictures on the rim final 12 months. His footwork is superior for a younger participant, so even when he’s stopped, he can use fakes and pivots to search out an angle to attain. He alters tempo properly and may manipulate a protection along with his drives.
There was a number of criticism about Harper’s match with the Spurs, given they have already got two lead guards with taking pictures deficiencies in De’Aaron Fox and Fort. Whereas the match isn’t seamless, it’s not essentially terrible. Harper needed to play off the ball a bit at Rutgers when Ace Bailey had the rock. He confirmed flashes of being a sensible cutter and hit an honest variety of catch-and-shoot makes an attempt. He ought to be capable of play with Fox, particularly if the veteran guard has a bounce-back taking pictures season after finger surgical procedure. Fort has proven sufficient potential as a cutter and defender to supply worth with out the ball in his arms.
This guard trio received’t be just like the Fox and Chris Paul pairing final season, both. They’ve respectable measurement and flexibility to protect a number of positions. Harper isn’t an elite defender by any means, however he’s robust and lengthy, so he ought to be capable of sustain with opposing guards and wings.
It’s a very good factor to boost the expertise flooring and ceiling of your roster no matter positional overlap. Particularly when the participant you’re including has a skillset like Harper’s. Within the NBA finals, each the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder performed a number of guys who may dribble, cross, shoot, and defend a number of positions. That’s the fashionable NBA team-building recipe. San Antonio now has a bevvy of guards who can do exactly that.
With Harper in tow, the Spurs’ core consists of Wembanyama, an All-Star and sure top-10 participant within the league. Fox, a former All-Star and top-30-ish participant. Fort, an up-and-coming Swiss Military Knife who should develop a soar shot. Lastly, stable to good function gamers like Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson. Plus, they’ve the 14th choose, and a bevvy of belongings to consolidate or add to the core. It’s exhausting to search out too many franchises higher poised for long-term success than the Spurs.
Match be damned. Harper provides San Antonio a high-end prospect and potential All-Star who has been in comparison with the likes of Jalen Brunson, James Harden, and Cade Cunningham. You merely don’t cross on that expertise this excessive within the draft. Brian Wright, Gregg Popovich, Mitch Johnson, and the remainder of the entrance workplace at the moment are tasked with discovering a solution to make this core work collectively on the courtroom. They’ve all the instruments at their disposal to take action.
Decide Grade: A+
