Dylan Harper found a way to victory
It was junior night in New Orleans. If Derrick Queen was undoubtedly the best player on the floor, Dylan Harper stole the show.
The Spurs guard/guard forced a decision in the final seconds of the game for the Pelicans victory in San Antonio. The second pick of the last draft confirms his rise in power since his return from injury and his ability to leave a mark on the meet, especially with his aggressiveness in the circle.
Dylan Harper came off a very complicated matchup against the Cavaliers, his worst since his NBA debut with an ugly shooting 1/11. But Ron Harper’s son didn’t let doubt get in the way. ” I’m not surprised to see him bounce back, be aggressive and continue to make an impact, even when the ball isn’t in his hands: in defence, through his gap.” welcomed San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson, at the press conference. On Monday, Dylan Harper broke his personal best with 22 points on 10/16 shooting.
A “game winner” at a high level
The former Rutgers University player relied on his talent to attack the rim, against a New Orleans team that wasn’t the strongest to cover its rim. Dylan Harper made nine of his ten points on the night near the rim, going a near-perfect 9-of-11 in the paint.
« He is not afraid of anything, to attack the circle and find his shots as he wants” greeted Stephen Castle. Above all, the 19-year-old felt that his time had come to introduce himself. First of all, with his 11 points in the second quarter, to allow San Antonio to consolidate a 20-point lead. Then in the last minutes of the game, when the score was very close, and the pressure was at its maximum.
Dylan Harper finished with nine points in the final act, but most of all with the “game winner” 9.1 seconds from the final buzzer. The original possession was returned to De’Aaron Fox. But caught in two, the leader could not find solutions and was forced to take a time-out. With eight seconds left in the possession and a layup, the Spurs and Mitch Johnson trusted their rookie while De’Aaron Fox was locked down. Dylan Harper brought down, but persistent Jose Alvarado to stand out, before the attack Saddiq Beyhe resists the contact and then completes the action of the contested layup with his “weak” hand, his right.
DYLAN HARPER ANSWERS!
Career high 22 for @Spurs rookie as he leads by 3 with 1.1 remaining… watch here: https://t.co/mcOPk5in1R https://t.co/ZvfSr4IuFb pic.twitter.com/iJ2iIf0TTc
— NBA (@NBA) December 9, 2025
« At the beginning of the season I was a little unsure, a little hesitant, like ‘I’m the new guy on the team, just trying to test the waters’ » reacted the hero of the evening media. « But as the season went on, my teammates, my coaches, everyone encouraged me to be myself. Actions like this show that I will continue to attack the circle regardless of the circumstances. I will go to the free throw line if opponents get in my way. That’s my mentality, to go to the racket. »
« Some players have innate qualities, it is difficult to learn this type of shot » supported Mitch Johnson. ” They have this ability to find their positions and be comfortable. And it takes skill to make those shots. Dylan and Derrick Quinn are great examples of players who developed this at a young age. »
The premier match for the Harper-Castle-Fox trio
As fearless as he is, Dylan Harper confirms that he already has his place among Spurs’ main players. And that’s despite still limited playing time, which he’s making the most of, averaging 14.6 points on 47.5% shooting in just 22.3 minutes over the past five games.
Stephon Castle’s return from injury last night, however, didn’t seem to bother the rookie, who played his first career game with the outgoing ROI (18 points, but on 5/15, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and De’Aaron Fox (14 points on 4/11, 7 assists), guard long line Sp.
« I think all three of us trust each other with the ball in hand » explained Dylan Harper. ” There is no ego between the three of us, that is very important in this league. We just want to see others succeed. If it’s my night, he’ll pass me the ball. If it’s Stephon’s night, we’ll pass him the ball. If it’s Fox’s night, we’ll pass him the ball. We have this way of thinking, we play for each other. And we all have the same common goal, which is to win. »
Mission accomplished, thanks to the youngest of the trio who still has room for improvement but is very promising for San Antonio.
2025-12-09 08:30:00
