How 'Pretty Incredible' Rookie Dylan Harper is Giving Spurs Déjà Vu

SAN ANTONIO — Dylan Harper knows better than to think too much.

The San Antonio Spurs rookie checks in off the bench every night telling himself he's going to shoot the ball. He'll remind himself a few times, to be safe.

"No second-guessing," he says. "When you start thinking about it, it starts going left, going right, instead of just getting out of your hands.”

The same philosophy that guides Harper's jumpshot applies to his basketball approach. Still 18 years old, the point guard is susceptible to the NBA's faster pace; turnovers are part of the trade. Yet Harper is ahead of the curve.

"His finishing and athleticism," Luke Kornet said of the No. 2 overall pick, "his change of pace, have all been pretty incredible."

Making up one-third of a guard trio featuring the league's reigning Rookie of the Year and an All-Star, Harper is averaging the fewest turnovers (1.6) between him, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) is the strongest, and his feel for the game is stunningly similar to his sophomore predecessor.

Harper has given the Spurs a little déjà vu. Only he's ambidextrous.

Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball against New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Last season, Castle arrived to the Spurs a champion. His experience with UConn stuck out to San Antonio for a few reasons. He'd experienced winning as an 18-year-old, for one. Secondly, he could assume any given role.

"Steph has proven, in three years, everything," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “In high school, he was an All-American who was the main creator ... (then) he goes to UConn and plays every position but (that). Then he arrived here, and played every single role.”

Castle got the luxury of a free runway last season following season-ending injuries to the Spurs' burgeoning duo. With it, he proved his ability to drive the lane and impact winning on the defensive end; experience taught him how.

This year, the 19-year-old has a different, younger teacher.

"I watch a lot of Dylan Harper highlights," he joked ahead of the NBA Cup Final.

Harper's experience varies greatly from Castle's. His one season at Rutgers saw him couch-ridden from the NCAA tournament after he and now-Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey failed to lead the Scarlet Knights to a dancing berth.

While he was home, he began working on his shot. Focusing on "the right things" was crucial to that development.

"Over time ... my shot is going to start getting more consistent," Harper said. "That’s what I’ve been doing, whether it’s pregame, (on my) off day — going to the gym and shooting — I’m just trying to get that better.”

Oct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson speaks with guard Dylan Harper (2) during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Harper came out firing. In his first month of games, he managed a 36-percent shooting clip from distance to pair with his downhill prowess. A calf strain that kept him out for most of November stifled any forward progress, but only delayed the inevitable.

Fox already has a tenable 3-point shot. Harper was bound to find his.

"Our offense should produce, if we play the right way, good shots for those three guys and everybody else," Johnson confirmed. "Obviously, it does open up everything else because they are devastating when they get to the paint."

Over the last three games, Harper has shot 67 percent from beyond the arc.* Five 3s against the New York Knicks helped spark San Antonio's offense in the second half, and three more against the Washington Wizards at home the next game played a key role in securing a third straight regular season victory.

The left wing, especially, seems to perpetuate the rookie's success.

"On the wing," Harper began, "I know whoever’s driving the ball can trust in me and count on me to make that shot ... we just (have to) find the hot hand and stick with it.”

This is Dylan Harper’s third 20-point game in his last five outings. #PorVida https://t.co/HRL6Z4Gh0A
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) December 19, 2025

The Spurs' guard trio already proved its ability to drive at will — Harper was no exception — but the addition of distance shooting added a new layer to its capabilities. The three talents are anything but one-dimensional.

“You’ve got to pick your poison," Harper said. "You’re either going to let us play one-on-one at the rim, or you’re going to help and let us kick out and get 3s.”

Fox concurred. On behalf of both "Slash Brothers."

“They’re easy guys to play off," Fox said, "because they’re so unselfish and they have the ability to create for themselves and create for others ... it makes it easier because when we are all on the court, we command attention."

In the same way Castle's talent was immediately discernible, Harper's ceiling is projectable. It took Kornet about one day of organized basketball.

"Oh, he gets it," Kornet remembers saying during training camp. "He's a smart basketball player, and has good feel and understanding for how the game is played."

Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) brings the ball up court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at T-Mobile Arena. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since arriving in San Antonio, Harper has felt comfortable. He's quickly picked up on the Spurs' offensive strategy and defensive scheme, and begun to learn his teammates' tendencies. He's also learned the dangers of overthinking.

“Shoot first," he reminds himself. "Be aggressive later."

Harper isn't as quick as Fox. He's not as powerful as Castle. But he's quickly becoming the Spurs' fastest riser and perhaps their strongest backcourt shooter.

"He's starting to anticipate where his shots may come from," Johnson said, "which takes time in this league. The game's going fast ... (but) Dylan is doing a great job of shot preparation, and he's shooting it with confidence."

Given the NBA slows down for no rookie, Harper has matched its pace instead.

It's put him right on par with the rookie who came before him.

*Editor's Note: The San Antonio Spurs' 124-113 loss to the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup Final does not count toward individual player statistics.