Dylan Harper’s elite finishing sets him up to follow in Tony Parker’s footsteps

Just a dozen games into his sophomore season, and San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper is already doing things that only Hall of Famer Tony Parker could. Parker was well known for being an elite finisher at the rim. In fact, he even finished a season connecting on a staggering 70.5% of his shots at the rim.

For a 6-2 point guard to accomplish that feat set him apart as an all-time great finisher in the paint. Not to be outdone, Harper is putting up similarly eye-popping numbers at the rim.

Through 11 games, he is shooting a shocking 83.7% within three feet of the basket. That number is sure to come down, but if he finishes this season shooting above 75% at the basket, then that would put him in rare air.

Spurs' Dylan Harper is channeling his inner Tony Parker

Having a guard shoot around 66% within three feet of the basket is considered to be very good, but shooting north of 75% is top tier. That is especially true for players who get to the rim as much as Harper, with him outpacing even the best Parker season.

San Antonio having a guard who can put pressure on the rim as much as Harper does gives defenses another problem they must solve to slow San Antonio down.

Harper finishing at a high level in the NBA is even tougher than it looks. Most big men are 6'11 or taller and are specifically coached to use their length to challenge shots without fouling.

The fact that Harper has adjusted from college to the NBA and is leading all players in field goal percentage at the rim in just a second season is truly impressive.

Spurs' Dylan Harper's elite finishing primes him for stardom

Harper being an elite finisher is a great sign for his future and mirrors Parker's elite skill. However, Harper's improving three-point shooting is almost equally as important. He has shot the ball increasingly well from three since being drafted and is currently drilling 35% of his 3.3 3-point attempts per game.

Knocking down threes at a reliable clip will open up driving lanes for him and make finishing at the basket even easier. Teams not being able to sag off him when playing off-ball and being forced to aggressively close out could allow him to get downhill even easier than he already does.

Therefore, his improvement as a shooter could make stopping him at the basket next to impossible. We are just now seeing the glimpses of what his offensive ceiling can be, and the results are impressive.

Even while averaging only 13.5 attempts per game, he is currently second on the team in scoring, with his elite finishing helping to propel both his and the Spurs' success.

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