Victor Wembanyama may be the face of the San Antonio Spurs, but Dylan Harper came alive in the playoffs last season and was a big reason why they got to the NBA Finals. The No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.4 steals per game on 50.6% shooting in the regular season. In the postseason, those numbers climbed to 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game on 51.5% shooting, with his minutes rising to more than 26 a night.
He hit his peak in the Finals, averaging 18.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 31.0 minutes over five games. It's rare for a 20-year-old rookie to improve that much and take on a bigger role as the pressure rises, but Harper proved he isn't rattled by the moment and already looks like the third piece of a three-headed monster with Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. And what's most impressive is that he did all of that while coming off the bench, starting just four of 69 games during the regular season and two of 23 playoff games.
Harper and Castle recently sat down for an interview with GQ Magazine, and when asked whether he expects to play that sixth man role again in the 2026-27 season, Harper gave a blunt response. "What’s the political answer here?" Harper said. "I’m going to do whatever the team needs me to do, man.
If that’s come off the bench..." before stopping and saying, "That’s crazy. [Expletive] no. I ain’t coming off no bench." More news: Raptors Ink Kawhi Leonard to Monster $115 Million Deal After Clippers Trade More news: Bucks Sent Ominous Warning Amid Gary Trent Jr Investigation Harper played behind De'Aaron Fox last year, who looked good in his first full season with the Spurs, averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists per game, shooting 48.6% from the floor. But the veteran guard also dropped down to just 31 minutes a night during the regular season, the second-lowest mark of his career, and didn't look great in the playoffs.
Harper outplayed him in the Finals, and with Fox set to turn 29 years old in December, he's probably better off leading the second unit at this stage in his career, allowing Harper to flourish in the starting lineup next to Castle and Wembanyama. More news: Kevin Durant Makes Feelings Clear on Potential Rockets Minutes Restriction
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