The San Antonio Spurs are built around two All-Stars in Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, and the veteran point guard thinks Dylan Harper is well on his way to a great NBA career.
The San Antonio Spurs boast the second-best record in the Western Conference, and the third-best overall. However, with their four wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder, there's a case to be made that the Spurs should be considered title favorites.
Led by two All-Stars in De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have found complementary talent to surround the stars. Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Julian Champagnie have fallen into their roles well, and Stephon Castle looks like a superstar in the making.
Perhaps a bit overlooked this season has been Dylan Harper. Picked second overall out of Rutgers, he was expected to rival Cooper Flagg. He has shown flashes and has been downright spectacular at times, although limited playing time has caused him to take a step back in the Rookie of the Year Race.
His self-appointed mentor, Fox, isn't worried at all.
Fox Blown Away By Dylan Harper
In his rookie season, all off the bench, Harper is posting 10.9 points and 3.7 assists. While his outside shooting could use some work, he is a solid defender and already one of the best finishers and slashers in the league.
Before the All-Star Break, he seemed to be putting it together, improving both his assist and scoring numbers, to the tune of 11.4 points in the final seven contests.
"You see him getting better game by game," Fox said of the rookie. "Watching him play, you don't see a 19-year-old kid whenever he's playing. You think he's been in the league for three, four years already. Just ultra talented. He's oozing talent, and the more that you understand the game, the easier the game gets. And he's definitely starting to get that for sure."
When Harper makes a decision with the ball, he can move with the fluidity and confidence of a veteran. Until the outside shot becomes a legitimate threat, the Spurs will keep him on the bench, but the way he can attack downhill suggests that he will long be a scoring threat in the league.
Fox knows that Harper is the future of the franchise, and the Spurs are hoping he can also blossom into a star player in the next few seasons.