The NBA wasted no time in pitting two future rivals against each other. In the first week of the regular season and the Spurs' first game of the year, they will head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks. While a matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Mavs' center Anthony Davis will bring fireworks, all eyes will be on the pair of rooks.
Battling each other for the best player in the 2025 NBA Draft, San Antonio's Dylan Harper and the Mavericks' Cooper Flagg will get their first opportunity to duel. Outside of Summer League, the duo will hit the court against each other for the first time ever and begin to write the first chapter of their potentially decade-long rivalry.
The rookies will battle to take an early lead in the Rookie of the Year race
There is no debate that both Flagg and Harper will be top candidates for the Rookie of the Year award. Both players are entering the NBA with the illustrious prize on their minds and will do everything in their power to get it. October 22nd will be each player's first chance to make their mark.
Although the stakes are low in game one of 82, Flagg and Harper will be full steam ahead. Both players need every big-time performance they can get to edge out their rival and won't hesitate to get the action started early.
This game could go a long way when voters look back at the season come April. For us Spurs fans, an opening week Harper explosion against Flagg would be impossible to forget. Even if head-to-head matchups aren't a part of the voting criteria, it will be hard to look past either side dominating in the rivalry.
Dylan Harper will begin to establish his role
While the pair of rookies are equally talented and future superstars, they will start their careers in a drastically different way. The Duke prodigy will likely kick off his rookie campaign as a starter, while the Rutgers phenom is set to come off the bench. But don't let this deceive you.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Harper will be fighting for a starting spot, and it will start with this matchup. In the point guard's quest to crack the starting lineup, he will need to show out every night to make his case. An opening night masterclass against Flagg would be an excellent start in achieving his goal.
Hang in there because opening night isn't as far away as you might think, and we have got an absolute show ahead of us.