Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has made a significant impact in the playoffs for the Spurs, achieving multiple double-doubles. His performance contributes to San Antonio's strong playoff run alongside teammates Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
Key points
Dylan Harper was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Harper recorded multiple playoff double-doubles for the Spurs.
He achieved 12 points and 10 assists in Game 5 against the Timberwolves.
The Spurs prioritized talent by selecting Harper despite having other guards.
Harper is part of a core with Wembanyama and Castle leading the Spurs' playoff run.
Dylan HarperVictor WembanyamaStephon CastleDe'Aaron Fox
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One of the biggest storylines of the 2026 NBA Playoffs has been the play of Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2025 NBA Draft became the first Spurs rookie with multiple playoff double-doubles since Tim Duncan in 1998, after finishing with 12 points and 10 assists in San Antonio's 126-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the series.
Harper entered last summer as one of the best guard prospects of this decade and the consensus second-best prospect in the class behind former No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. San Antonio made Harper the pick despite already having former NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox on the roster.
The Spurs made the right decision by prioritizing talent over fit. San Antonio has had its fair share of lottery luck over the last three years. The Spurs have built a foundation that's one win away from the Western Conference finals because of the core of Victor Wembanyama, Harper and Castle. Those three will be cornerstone assets for years to come.
[Dylan Harper has turned into a monster as Spurs move within one win of showdown with Thunder
Brad Botkin
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Q&A
Why did the Spurs select Dylan Harper as the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?
The Spurs prioritized talent over fit, selecting Harper despite having established guards like Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox on their roster.
What record did Dylan Harper achieve as a Spurs rookie in the playoffs?
Harper became the first Spurs rookie since Tim Duncan in 1998 to record multiple playoff double-doubles.
How has Dylan Harper performed in the 2026 NBA Playoffs?
In Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Harper recorded 12 points and 10 assists, contributing to the Spurs' victory.
Who are the key players in the Spurs' playoff success alongside Dylan Harper?
Key players include Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, forming a strong core that has led the Spurs to the brink of the Western Conference finals.
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The Spurs aren't the only team happy with the decision the franchise made. Flagg won rookie of the year honors. Kon Knueppel, Flagg's former college teammate at Duke, also looked like a star for the Charlotte Hornets and could've very well won the award. VJ Edgecombe and Harper became the fifth pair of top-three picks to appear in the conference semifinals or later as rookies.
Even the Jazz are happy with how draft night shaped out. Despite Ace Bailey trying to influence his way to the Washington Wizards with the No. 6 pick, Utah called the bluff from his camp and picked him at No. 5. Bailey was the most polarizing prospect from last year's class and has a bright future with Utah.
With Harper's rise, and to give everyone a break from looking at dozens of 2026 mock drafts, it's time to look back on the 2025 class and assess what the lottery might've looked like if it happened today.
Before last year's draft lottery, the outlook of Dallas' franchise looked bleak. Luka Dončić was out the door, and Dallas was stuck with Anthony Davis on the roster. Then, everything changed. Flagg would be the pick 100 out of 100 times, no matter what team was selecting. He is on the trajectory to be an All-NBA player in the very near future. With Dallas having the No. 9 pick in this year's draft and Davis no longer on the roster, the organization can build its franchise around Flagg. The hires of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz should inspire confidence that the Mavericks are on the right track to build the roster around Flagg.
I think you could've made an argument a few months ago for Knueppel in this spot because of how good he was throughout the season. Still, if this pick were being made today, it would be Harper. If San Antonio had a crystal ball and knew it was getting the No. 2 pick -- and the right to select Harper -- I wonder if they still trade for De'Aaron Fox. Maybe they still do because the Spurs gave Fox a huge contract a few months after drafting Harper. Not sure how hot a take this is, but it wouldn't be surprising if by next year, around this time, Harper was the Spurs' second-best player behind Wembanyama. He's already entering those conversations as a rookie. He looks like a 10-year veteran when he plays.
Edgecombe was one of my favorite prospects in last year's cycle. I believe in the long-term fit with Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe in the backcourt. Again, this is a spot where you could consider Knueppel here, but I think the 76ers would still pick Edgecombe if they had the chance to do it all over again.
The Hornets made the best pick in the draft possible at No. 4. Despite struggling in the play-in game, Knueppel had an incredible rookie season. It looked like he was on track to win ROTY until Flagg had a late surge. Knueppel shattered the rookie record for the most 3-pointers made after shooting 42.5% on nearly eight attempts per game. He is already one of the best shooters in the league. Knueppel is a foundational pillar for Charlotte moving forward.
Bailey was the most polarizing prospect in last year's class. After declining to work out for the 76ers, Bailey "fell" to pick No. 5. He averaged 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 72 games. The biggest concern for Bailey coming out of Rutgers was his shot diet. He shot 44.3% from the floor and 34.4% from beyond the arc in his rookie campaign. Still, Bailey has one of the highest ceilings in this class. Utah would still make Bailey the pick if they could do it all over again.
This is the first change from how last year's draft actually went. I still believe in Johnson, but Coward was a stud during his rookie season for Memphis. After committing to Duke out of the transfer portal last offseason, Coward elected to stay in the draft and was one of the biggest risers of any prospect. He was selected at pick No. 11 by the Grizzlies, and he would go much higher in a redraft after averaging 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a rookie.
I had Murray-Boyles as my No. 8-ranked prospect on my personal board last summer. In a redraft, there's a chance he goes higher than No. 9. Murray-Boyles was terrific in the NBA Playoffs and showcased his versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He's in for a big Year 2 jump next season.
The most shocking pick of last year's lottery was Brooklyn taking Dёmin at No. 8. The Nets made five first-round picks last summer. Dёmin was by far their best rookie of the bunch. If Brooklyn had to do it all over again, Dёmin would definitely be in consideration. However, during the pre-draft process, Brooklyn was linked to Fears, who had a really solid rookie year with the Pelicans. You can make the case that Fears should've gone as high as pick No. 6.
With Murray-Boyles not an option at this spot, the next best thing would be Queen. It's somewhat unfair to Queen that he was part of one of the wildest draft night trades in recent memory that saw the Pelicans trade an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up to draft Queen. He is a good player. Luckily for New Orleans, its pick fell to No. 8 in this year's draft. Queen had some bright moments during his rookie season, but the long-term fit is still somewhat concerning.
You can argue that Johnson would go higher than this in a potential redraft. I loved his tape coming out of Texas. Johnson started 42 games for the Wizards this season and averaged 12.2 points. Washington can go in several different directions with the No. 1 pick this offseason. If Washington takes AJ Dybantsa, Johnson could be a starter next to Trae Young in the backcourt.
The Sacramento Kings didn't have many bright spots this season, but one of them was certainly Raynaud, who was drafted in the second round (No. 42 overall). With Domantas Sabonis missing most of the season due to injury, Raynaud was inserted into the starting lineup, where he showcased why he was the steal of the second round. Raynaud played in 74 games and averaged 26.5 minutes per game, while Maluach appeared in only 46 games.
Essengue appeared in just two NBA games during his rookie season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Essengue was one of the rawest prospects in the 2025 draft and still needs time to develop. He doesn't turn 20 until December. If the Bulls can do it over again, they might stick with the upside swing in Essengue or take another upside swing in Maluach, who appeared in just 46 games for Phoenix.
Coming out of BYU, there were question marks about how Dёmin would shoot the 3 ball at the NBA level. Ironically, that ended up being the biggest bright spot of his rookie season. He shot 38.5% from the 3-point line on over six attempts per game. However, he shot under 40% from the field. I still like Dёmin's potential with Brooklyn and think he would be a lottery pick in a redraft.
Bryant is a work in progress. He is buried in San Antonio's rotation because of how many wings it already has on the roster. Bryant appeared in 71 games for the Spurs but averaged 11.5 minutes per game. Bryant's 3-and-D potential is worth waiting on. One option San Antonio could consider in a redraft is Wizards guard Will Riley, who looked like one of the best picks in the 20s.
