The San Antonio Spurs are being cautious with their second overall pick, as Dylan Harper missed all three games of the summer league California Classic with a groin injury.
The Spurs likely made up the injury, as they have a history of keeping their premier young talents on a tight leash in the Summer League. In 2023, Victor Wembanyama only played in two games, and last year, Stephon Castle was shut down with a wrist issue.
While he is yet to make his on-court debut for the Spurs, Harper is already making an impact off the court, and his fellow rookies have taken notice.
"Dylan's a leader," said Carter Bryant. "I mean, he's a point guard. He knows how to run the show. I mean, from high school, he's been a lead. He's always had winning teams. Obviously, there's so much more that goes into a winning team than a certain individual. But he knows how to lead. He knows how to cultivate a winning culture. And I think he's shown that time after time again, and shown he's a big-time player."
Harper is one of the best guard prospects in recent years, although Bryant's pointing out that he's "always" had winning teams is a bit far-fetched.
In high school, Harper led Don Bosco Prep to the New Jersey state title and then won the AAU Peach Jam Championship, although he passed up college offers from blue blood schools like Duke and Kansas, as well as powerhouse Auburn.
He and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, despite boasting two top-five draft picks, went only 15-17 and missed the NCAA tournament.
Granted, Harper has a successful track record before college and is expected to return to his winning ways with the Spurs.
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