With the Spurs Summer League in session, the new players are all the buzz around the team—especially second overall pick Dylan Harper. Although he’s currently nursing an injury, he’s still the talk of the town and has done interview after interview.
In a recent sit-down, he was asked who his favorite NBA player was. He responded with Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and if the Spurs can get Harper to become a player as impactful as Detroit's franchise guard is, they’ll have hit a home run.
On the surface, one can see the similarities to the players. They even have a similar hairstyle. They both wear #2. They both play a similar position, as Harper can play off the ball as well. Cunningham and Harper are the same height, and both weigh about the same.
They also both only played one season in college, and Cade was the top overall pick compared to Harper’s second overall.
Harper can learn from Cunningham to become a leader
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Where Cunningham and Harper differ, obviously, is in years in the league. The Pistons guard averaged 17/5/5 in his rookie campaign, finishing third in the rookie of the year voting. Cade didn’t have anywhere close to the caliber of talent on his roster that Harper will have coming into his own rookie season.
The Oklahoma State product has taken a Detroit team from the doldrums to the playoffs in four seasons, and he’s become the clear leader of that team. The Pistons have built around him, which are some pressures Harper won’t have to worry about initially.
With the Spurs being such a young team, however, Harper will be instantly looked at to fill a leadership role for the Silver and Black, just like Cunningham was.
Expectations will be higher as a team during Harper’s rookie season, but taking notes from Cunningham’s how-to book will help him navigate the high seas that come with being a rookie.
The former Rutgers guard can use Cunningham model to grow as a player
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Detroit’s centerpiece has gotten better each season in the league. This past season was his best, averaging over 26 points and 9 assists per game. He’s improved each season as a pro, most importantly by getting others involved.
The combo guard’s assist numbers have improved by more than 1.5 per season over each of the last three seasons. He’s learning to trust his teammates and not rely on himself to achieve success. It’s paid off, as the team is building something in Auburn Hills.
[Harper has the better situation as a rookie](https://airalamo.com/spurs-home-run-draft-comes-with-unforeseen-domino-effect). He’s already got teammates he can trust in players like Wembanyama, Vassell, Sochan and De’Aaron Fox. He had the same ability in college while playing with Ace Bailey, drafted fifth overall to Utah.
If the New Jersey native can become a playmaker at this level, the Spurs will reap huge benefits for years to come.
Albeit early, the expectations of Harper are to be on a trajectory just like his favorite player, Cunningham. The resemblances are uncanny, the physical connections between them being bigger guards, to the way they both play, to expectations about being building blocks for not only their respective teams but the entire league.
Brian Wright made the no-brainer choice, at least on paper, taking Harper second overall this year. Harper is already starting off on the right foot by attempting to emulate a player like Cunningham, and the Spurs will see huge dividends for the long term.