Fresh off a [tantalizing preseason debut](https://airalamo.com/bill-simmons-says--quiet-part-out-loud-about-spurs-dylan-harpers-potential), Spurs fans eagerly awaited Dylan Harper's first crack at the real thing. Entering the year, the rookie was one of the most highly touted prospects over the past few years and has been embellished with high expectations.
However, unlike his fellow draft mates such as Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecomb, Harper would be starting his career off the bench. But this was no slight to him. Had the Spurs not been loaded with talent, the electric guard would be well on his way to a starting gig. Regardless, in his first NBA game, he came to play.
In an absolute trouncing of the Dallas Mavericks in primetime, Harper excelled off the bench. Matching up against his draft-etched rival Cooper Flagg, it was Harper who reigned supreme. In his exciting debut, the rookie notched 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Dylan Harper lived up to the billing offensively
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Surprisingly, or not, Harper was extremely active whenever he was in the game. Right off the bat, the rookie looked to get the offense pushing. While he wasn't successful at first, it was great to see the youngster ready to get his day started.
Easing into his own, Harper found himself on a scoring streak in the second quarter, where he would make four straight shots inside the paint. The acrobatic guard showcased his excellent finishing touch, agility with the ball in his hands, and ability to finish through contact. As the game progressed, Dylan continued to trickle in with some impressive finishes over larger bodies.
While Harper quickly showed his NBA-ready finishing skills, he also demonstrated excellent calmness, poise, and court vision. Despite only finishing with two assists, the point guard exemplified the traits of a great passing guard.
The playmaker constantly read the court correctly and dished it off whenever needed. In particular, Harper and Victor Wembanyama showed early signs of a top-tier pick-and-roll connection, working beautifully in conjunction with one another.
Dylan Harper was not free of rookie mistakes
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It wasn't all pretty for Harper in his debut. In his first quarter of action, the rookie made some easy-to-clean-up mistakes, including stepping out of bounds and palming the ball. Of course, it is easy to expect a rookie point guard to make some simple mistakes out of discomfort. The other of his two missteps came on a batted-down pass against a larger defender and a miscommunication on a lob.
Defensively, Harper struggled to keep his hands to himself. The rookie teetered on the six-foul limit, finishing with five personal fouls. Much like his previously alluded errors, Dylan will be sure to smooth this part of his game out as time progresses. Not to mention, the Mavericks are a feisty team that loves to get in your face; reach-ins will happen.
Overall, aside from some minor rookie errors, Harper looked great. Most importantly, he was playing freely, unconcerned with messing up. He played well alongside his new teammates and has evidently formed a strong connection with the [star of the night, Victor Wembanyama](https://airalamo.com/it-took-one-half-victor-wembanyama-detonate-huge-bomb-nba). The rookie can only go up from here.
Dylan Harper's rookie debut Grade: B+