Dylan Harper has no shot at Rookie of the Year but has something the others don't

When Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle were in their inaugural seasons, I was pretty adamant that they'd win Rookie of the Year. Wemby's stake was obvious. Castle's was less so to start his campaign, but it became pretty clear by January. I was hopeful for Dylan Harper a few months ago, but it's pretty clear that it's not happening for him, and that's okay. He's getting something else extremely valuable.

Harper can't win ROY in his current role—that's okay

On this week's NBA Rookie Ladder, San Antonio's fourth overall pick was noticeably absent for the second straight week. He's spent the majority of the season as a weekly inclusion when he's played, so this is a concerning trend for those still holding on to hope.

The only time he found himself out of the top ten was when he missed a few weeks due to an injury, but once he came back, he played himself back onto the list. As the NBA season fully takes shape and roles are ironed out, it's clear that he just doesn't have a usage rate high enough to justify elevating him over other guys.

That's a gift and a curse. He doesn't get the chance to realistically vie for the ROY award and make San Antonio the first team in league history to have three straight winners. That would have been very cool, but he does get to learn from De'Aaron Fox in a winning environment.

Harper gets a masterclass from a skilled vet on a contending team

Who does Cooper Flagg get to learn from on the Mavericks who has a similar skillset to his and is elite enough to garner the kind of respect that Swipa does? Who is that player for Kon Knueppel? This is an astonishing rookie class, so those guys are playing great, but they're being forced to pull the organization up from the dirt without the same in-season guidance Harper gets to benefit from.

Fox catches flak from certain sections of the fan base because they expect him to score 30 points every night, but that's not what the Spurs are asking him to do. He's been extremely selfless during his time in silver and black, and he should be commended for it, as the blazing-quick playmaker does whatever the team requires.

When Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle were out, Swipa took over the offense. Everything ran through him, and the Spurs kept winning games because of him. When those guys came back, he fell into the background, stepping up when necessary but sharing the ball and the spotlight with his young guards, who need the reps to reach their full potential.

His professionalism and selflessness are exactly the kind of traits that make him perfect for this organization, and Harper gets to watch it all unfold for himself while getting on-hand experience. It's not like he rides the bench all game.

D. Harp has already shown his skill and intelligence out on that floor. The reps and training he's getting now will help turn him into something truly special that all of these Rookie of the Year candidates will want more than anything as their careers progress. A winner.