Dylan Harper is Becoming a Major Piece to the Spurs' Championship Hopes

It's rare to see a top NBA Draft pick land in a situation where his team has championship hopes in year one. A top-three selection would normally be the focal point of a franchise in a long rebuilding process.

Dylan Harper is in that rare situation, but so far, it's been the best scenario for his game.

The San Antonio Spurs have been patient in building a title contender. Victor Wembanyama is their franchise cornerstone, and with that, they have started speeding things up a bit. However, Harper is still a major piece for their plans, despite having played just 15 games to this point.

The Spurs showed they could compete for a ring after knocking off the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup, before losing in the championship game to the New York Knicks. Even with Wembanyama out for the majority of the tournament, playing on a minutes restriction, San Antonio's supplementary pieces stepped up.

Harper put up 21 points and seven rebounds in the final, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 5-for-7 from three. The rookie point guard looked comfortable against a Knicks squad that could definitely win the East, playing 28 minutes off the bench.

Dylan Harper with a big 3 then locks up Brunson pic.twitter.com/3XTIXqJUWA
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) December 17, 2025

What made Harper so intriguing as a prospect was his incredible IQ and feel for the game. The Rutgers product displayed scoring on all three levels, as well as an ability to rebound and facilitate well enough for a point guard. So far, his poise and slashing have been his biggest strengths in the NBA.

De'Aaron Fox is 27 years old with four seasons left on his contract (after 2025-26). He's expected to be an All-Star-level contributor until it's up, but once he departs/retires, Harper will be the next man up if he isn't already. The 6-foot-5 guard has superstar potential, averaging 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists thus far on 46.1% shooting from the field.

A left calf strain kept Harper out for a few weeks early on, but since returning, there has been a solid level of consistency. Keep in mind, the Spurs don't need him to be a star contributor right now, but he's showing flashes every so often.

The young core of Wembanyama, Harper, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell is making waves across the league. San Antonio has the pieces in place to make a championship run, and Harper has the chance to be a major part of that.