Heading into a year with high but equally tempered expectations, the Spurs' 2nd overall pick, Dylan Harper, has broken them all. Many expected the rookie to deal with some growing pains and the typical struggles of a first-year point guard, but besides a few minor errors, the rookie has fully lived up to the hype.
Through Harper's first three games of the season, he amassed a very impressive 48 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists. While these numbers may not appear eye-popping, they should. Only one other player in NBA history has piled up these statistics through their first three career games: none other than his own teammate, De'Aaron Fox.
Dylan Harper has been beyond impressive
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From the very beginning, the rookie has [shown a basket's worth of promising traits](https://airalamo.com/grading-dylan-harper-fascinating-debut-amid-shocking-spurs-road-opener). Most remarkable of them all is his incredible poise, confidence, and composure. Often, among all positions in the NBA, rookie point guards take the most time to adjust to the NBA game. This has not been the case for the Spurs rook.
During his time on the court, [Harper has taken command of the ball](https://airalamo.com/dylan-harper-immediately-did-something-most-rookies-only-dream-of), and his team has supported him as he blossoms into an excellent lead ball-handler. Shown by the 13 assists to start the year, the playmaker has created several opportunities for his teammates, and this element will only continue to strengthen as the season progresses.
Among these statistics, the whopping 48 points is the most admirable, especially given Harper's role on the bench. The point guard has shown impeccable touch around the rim, craftiness in his creation, and sparks of a viable shooting stroke. Even with a massive talent upgrade in defenders from college, Harper has been able to get his.
The rookies career trajectory could follow De'Aaron Fox's
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As mentioned, Harper's incredible numbers through his first three games have only been matched by De'Aaron Fox. As Spurs fans are soon to find out, Fox is a fantastic point guard and a perfect role model for the youngster.
Much like Harper, Fox does all of the same wizardry around the rim. In time in Sacramento, the speedy guard dominated inside the paint and slowly built on what is now a solid outside-the-paint shot. There is a great chance that Harper falls exactly in line with this career trajectory.
If Harper does, in fact, carry the future as the former All-NBA point guard, what better way to achieve it than to have him as a mentor? The stars are aligning for Dylan to relish in a wildly successful career. With Fox by his side, there is no telling what this young kid could become. This is only the beginning.