What is the way ahead for the San Antonio Spurs with Dylan Harper on the roster?
The San Antonio Spurs selected Dylan Harper as the No. 2 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. With his selection, Harper became the first New Jersey college basketball alum to receive such a high pick in the NBA Draft. Sun of the former NBA star Ron Harper, Dylan Harper’s selection continues the legacy of his family. Named NJ.com Player of the Year as a junior in high school, the 19-year-old finished his lone college season at an average of 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Harper will now join the roster alongside prized big man Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. After getting picked, he said, “I’m feeling everything – all the emotions mixed in one bucket. I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it brings the best out of you. They’ve got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact any way I can with those guys.”
San Antonio Spurs, who finished the 2024-25 season in the 13th spot with a 34-48 tally, got the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, which took place a few months ago. They utilized it to pick Dylan Harper, who was a consensus five-star recruit. Harper became the highest-rated recruit in the history of the program when he chose Rutgers after getting offers from Duke, Kansas and Auburn.
The 19-year-old entered his collegiate career, on the back of leading Don Bosco to a state title in his senior season. He finished his high school at an average of 22.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. While the Franklin Lakes-born was aiming to continue the same kind of dominance in college, things didn’t go as planned.
He averaged 22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 13 games before missing a game due to an illness. While he tried to play through it, the ailment compelled him to miss a few more games. However, despite everything, he recorded strong numbers in the final ten collegiate games, averaging 21.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.2 steals.
The San Antonio Spurs’ have been dealing with mediocrity for a few seasons. The five-time champions last made it to the playoffs in 2019, and have been dealing with a trophy drought for over a decade.
However, the addition of Harper might prove as the only change they were required to do so far. The Spurs have a few veteran players on the roster, but with a few shake ups in free agency, they could roll them out and come up with an extremely young yet energetic lineup.
Given below is what could be a possible starting lineup for the Spurs in the forthcoming season of the NBA.
De’Aaron Fox (guard)
De’Aaron Fox is one of the most dynamic and talented players that the Spurs have on their roster. The fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Kings, Fox moved to the Spurs following a trade from the Kings earlier this year. In his first game for the new side, he dropped 24 points, five rebounds, and 13 assists, and became the first player in the history of the franchise to post 20+ points and 10+ assists in a debut.
While his debut-season tenure with the Spurs remained short due to a left pinkie finger surgery, Fox posted an average of 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 17 games. He averaged 21.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 531 career games he has played since debut in the NBA along with 517 starts.
Stephon Castle (guard)
Stephon Castle, the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, is a 2024 NCAA National Champion. Having been drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Castle averages 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He made most of the opportunities and played in 81 games for the side along with 47 starts.
Harrison Barnes (forward)
Harrison Barnes entered the 2012 NBA Draft and was selected 7th overall by the Golden State Warriors. The 2015 NBA Champion was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2024, and in one season with the franchise he averaged 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Barnes is an experienced player, which would help the young lads of the Spurs grow.
Jeremy Sochan (forward)
Jeremy Sochan, a power forward, has been a part of the Spurs since the 2022-23 season, when he was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In his three seasons since then, Sochan has averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest. While he could play only 54 games due to a surgery, the 22-year-old has shown drastic improvements ever since entering the league.
Victor Wembanyama (center)
Victor Wembanyama is one of the gifted scorers that the Spurs have on their roster. While the team have other scorers as well, Wemby is likely to have control of the paint. He is considered as the one who could be considered as the most capable of elevating the team to a championship-winning contention.
The 2024 Rookie of the Year averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game in the recent past season. However, his season was cut short due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
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