Dylan Harper Shares Text From Mom Maria During Spurs-Timberwolves Playoff Series

San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper may not get the hype fellow rookie Cooper Flagg does with Dallas Mavericks, but the 20-year-old rookie out of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is really showing why he was the No. 2 overall pick with his performances in the postseason. His mom (and dad) definitely has something to do with it, too.

Dylan comes from a great pedigree as his dad Ron Harper was a five-time NBA champion with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls (1996-1998) and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001).

It was his mom, Maria Harper, however that had a big basketball influence in his life, coaching him through high school at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey.

How did NBA Lottery Pick Dylan Harper turn into the player he is today? You can look directly to his mom.

Maria Harper coached Dylan through high school at Don Bosco Prep and watched every step he evolved into one of the best players in the country.

We go back in time to 2023… pic.twitter.com/cQIy32Fsoa
— Jersey Sports Zone (@JSZ_Sports) June 25, 2025

While many know Ron for what he did on the court, Maria played Division 1 ball herself at the University of New Orleans from 1993 to 1996.

She also went viral for her black dress at the NBA draft that blew up social media.

Harper continues to praise his mom

Maria is of Filipino decent and Harper is proud to represent her on the biggest stage.

Dylan Harper is proudly representing the Philippines on basketball's biggest stage and credits his mom's Filipino family for his success 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/yZOItXtuRL
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 13, 2026

Dylan’s NBA dad and his mom married in 2005, but divorced in 2012. They had Ron Jr. in 2000, Dylan in 2006, and sister Mia in 2010.

She texts him about his game

After the Game 5 second-round win over the Timberwolves where he scored 12 points and added 10 rebounds, Harper was asked by the NBA on NBC and Peacock crew if he still watches film with his mom. He replied, “She sent me a long text today,” he said. Then repeated, “She sent me a long text today. But yeah, definitely, when we get the chance in the summertime, things like that. She definitely come to the gym, you know, talk the whole time, but that's motherly love.”

"She sent me a long text today." 😅

Dylan Harper still watches film with his Mom in the summer and gets notes from her, a coach herself. pic.twitter.com/DLEca0oRe0
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) May 13, 2026

While Dylan’s mom has went viral with her dress at the NBA draft everyone was talking about, it’s her basketball influence on Harper we should be talking about.

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