San Antonio Spurs No. 2 overall 2025 NBA Draft pick Dylan Harper has high expectations entering his rookie season. The Spurs are hoping that Harper can be a nice fit next to franchise star Victor Wembynama and recent Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and can help bring San Antonio back to NBA Championship glory.
With the NBA Summer League wrapped up in Las Vegas and the season a little under two months away from tipping off, executives have begun to debate who will win Rookie of the Year. One NBA Western Conference scout is giving Harper high praise, comparing him to a former Spurs legend who won multiple championships with the franchise
Who is Harper being compared to?
Harper is being compared to by one Western Conference scout to NBA Hall of Famer and former Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who won four championships with the franchise. If this comparison comes to be fulfilled, then the San Antonio Spurs are in store for championship success, just like they experienced in the 2000s. Here's what the Western Conference scout had to say to ESPN when comparing Harper to Ginobili.
"Harper has some Manu Ginobili to his offensive game. If the three-point shot ever becomes a true weapon for him, he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice trade asset."
It'll be interesting to see how Harper plays alongside De'Aaron Fox, as both players are expected to be the starters next season in the Spurs' backcourt. If Castle continues to get better, Fox's role on the team may become diminished, and the Spurs may look to trade him for more young pieces.
With the Western Conference expected to be loaded with talent next season, the Spurs are most likely to flirt with the play-in game and a potential playoff spot, with many believing that the franchise is one year away from competing at a championship level.
Where does Harper rank in terms of NBA Rookie of the Year votes?
In terms of where Harper ranks among other top NBA rookies like No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg from the Dallas Mavericks, it's overwhelming. Flagg receives the majority of the votes for Rookie of the Year with 17, while Harper only has two votes in the anonymous survey conducted by ESPN.
Washington Wizards rookie Tre Johnson was placed in the other receiving votes category, while surprisingly, VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers wasn't in consideration.