Dylan Harper Ready to Grow with Spurs After No. 2 Draft Pick

The San Antonio Spurs are building something special, and Dylan Harper is the latest cornerstone. Selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Rutgers standout joins one of the league’s most promising young cores and is poised to be a pivotal piece in San Antonio’s continued resurgence.

Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game during his breakout season at Rutgers, showcasing the kind of versatility and poise that made him a top prospect. At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, the guard brings a balanced skillset and a high basketball IQ, qualities that should fit seamlessly into the Spurs’ evolving, positionless style of play.

“I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it just brings the best out of you,” Harper said in his post-draft remarks to ESPN. “They got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact anywhere I can with those guys.”

Harper joins a team that has struck gold in the last two drafts. In 2023, the Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama, who went on to win the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. In 2024, it was Stephon Castle, who repeated the feat by taking home the 2025 Rookie of the Year honour.

Now, with Harper on board, San Antonio has a legitimate shot at an unprecedented third consecutive Rookie of the Year win.

While No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg—now with the Dallas Mavericks—enters the league with major hype, Harper is stepping into a different kind of opportunity. Unlike many top picks burdened with immediate franchise-saving expectations, Harper will benefit from playing alongside a well-established young core. His mission? Contribute, grow, and find his role.

That formula has already worked for the Spurs, and it could very well pave the way for Harper’s own accolades, including a potential run at Rookie of the Year. Even if individual honors don’t materialize, Harper is expected to be an important contributor as the Spurs look to climb the ranks in the competitive Western Conference.

With his maturity, all-around game, and the support of an organization known for developing talent, Dylan Harper enters the league not as a savior, but as a catalyst. And for the Spurs, that might be exactly what they need.