Dylan Harper has officially set the record straight that there are no ill feelings between him and De'Aaron Fox.
Amid ongoing rumors and speculation between them, the San Antonio Spurs sensation made it clear he will always hold Fox in high regard and appreciation.
"I mean, I feel like what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained," Harper told NBA reporter Brandon Robinson in an exclusive interview. "I mean, Fox basically took me under his wing my whole first year and helped me and allowed me to grow in this space. And my thing is, me and him never had a problem. Like, what’s—I’ve never seen a problem playing with two to three ball-handlers on the floor.
"Everyone last year said that it was not going to work, this, that and the third, but I think it worked pretty fine this year. I think we exceeded expectations a lot. So, I mean… for me, all I care about is doing what’s best for the team and winning and he is a big factor and he’s a big piece in us winning now and in the future."
Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox disrupted by media rumors, fans during Spurs Finals run
Throughout the San Antonio Spurs' historic run to reach the NBA Finals last season, rumblings have emerged around Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox.
With Harper embracing the moment and sometimes emerging as the team's second-best player behind Victor Wembanyama, many fans and pundits argued he should be starting over Fox in the Spurs' lineup.
Fox had a rough 2026 postseason for the Spurs, impacted by a problematic ankle injury which he sustained during the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Dylan Harper respects De'Aaron Fox
Whatever others might say, Dylan Harper has nothing but respect and admiration for De'Aaron Fox, fully acknowledging the star point guard's role in helping his rookie season last 2025-26.
Along with Stephon Castle, both Harper and Fox are poised to run the show as the Spurs' main backcourt units next season.
"So, I mean, for me, I have no—I don’t have anything bad to ever say about him because, at the end of the day, he’s taught me so much," Harper added. "And he’s taught me so much about the league and how to grind and just… take control of the game. And it’s like… it’s little things, like I’m close with him… every time I see his son, every time I see his family, like, we’re all super close.
"So it’s like me and him have a great relationship where it’s like, that’s kind of my—I joke with him all the time, it’s kind of my uncle. He kind of like—he just teaches me things that I don’t think anyone else that hasn’t been in his position could teach me."