Maria Harper has been around basketball for over 30 years, and now that both of her sons are in the NBA, she's ready to start the next chapter.
Dylan Harper comes from an advanced basketball pedigree. His father, Ron Sr., won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls. His older brother, Ron Jr., currently plays for the Boston Celtics.
Often overlooked, his mom is just as dedicated to basketball as any of them, playing at the University of New Orleans before starting a 30-year high school coaching career.
As Harper drew interest from NBA teams before being drafted, he credited Maria's mentorship and guidance for his success. Maria coached him through high school, but has since stepped away from the game. She recently showed some interest in getting back in the game.
Maria Harper Reveals FIBA Coaching Wish
Maria is best-known for coaching at Don Bosco Prep and DePaul Catholic, but has recently set her sights a bit higher than high school.
"I’ve been coaching for about 30 years now," Maria told Brandon Robinson. "Last year was the first year I wasn’t on a bench, and I miss it dearly. I took a little time off, but I’ve got one more itch I’d like to scratch. I don’t know where that will be, but I would love an opportunity to coach the Philippine national team."
Maria emigrated to the United States when she was seven, but she and her sons keep close ties to her home country. In FIBA matchups, the Jordan Clarkson-led Philippines team is never a frontrunner, but they do manage to be competitive.
Dylan is expected to eventually be a member of Team USA, either in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles or 2032 in Brisbane. Like Clarkson, he was born in the United States to a Filipino mom. He could easily apply for Filipino citizenship and usher in a new era of international basketball for the island nation.
Between Victor Wembanyama playing for France and Harper possibly playing for the Philippines, Stephon Castle might be the sole Spur to play on Team USA in the upcoming Olympics, although it would make international tournaments must-watch for fans.
Having Maria on the bench while Dylan leads his country would just be the icing on the cake.
