NBA Draft Analyst Makes Major Statement on Potential 76ers Pick

An NBA Draft Analyst is confident Dylan Harper doesn't have a chance at falling to the Philadelphia 76ers.

May 13, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Dylan Harper (29) participates in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Daryl Morey told the basketball world his strategy for the 2025 NBA Draft: The Philadelphia 76ers plan to keep their pick and select the best player available. After getting the third-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the Sixers will have to watch two players go off the board.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg has been the assumed top pick since the start of the 2024-2025 NCAA season. After the Dallas Mavericks won the lottery and acquired the first-overall pick, it’s clear that nothing has changed on that front. Flagg is Dallas-bound.

The San Antonio Spurs raised some eyebrows when they acquired the second pick. Being that San Antonio recently acquired De’Aaron Fox to lead the backcourt, there was a popular assumption being formed about the Spurs potentially trading away No. 2 for a prominent veteran. Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo was heavily linked to the Spurs as a potential trade candidate for the last couple of days.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony threw cold water on the idea at the NBA Draft Combine on Wednesday.

“Dylan Harper is going to be the No.2 pick in the Draft. I am 99.9 percent sure about it,” Givony said.

“… The San Antonio Spurs are signaling to teams that they are very excited for the opportunity to draft Dylan Harper. They are not pursuing trades from what we’re hearing. They think they can plan Harper together with Steph Castle & De’Aaron Fox in the same backcourt.”

“Dylan Harper is going to the be the No.2 pick in the Draft I am 99.9% sure about it…”

“They are not pursuing trades from what we’re hearing. They think they can plan Harper together w/ Steph Castle & De’Aaron Fox in the same backcourt” (@DraftExpress)pic.twitter.com/OeE6crXnm7

— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) May 14, 2025

The 19-year-old star out of Rutgers is living up to the hype out in Chicago this week. According to Givony, Harper has looked “really, really good” and “tested very well” through two days.

Harper would certainly be an exciting candidate for the Sixers if he fell to three. Clearly, the early reports suggest that San Antonio isn’t willing to let that happen.