Dylan Harper's superstar answer to Popovich demand tells Spurs fans everything

Never underestimate the power of the text message. Dylan Harper received a strong one from Gregg Popovich after the Spurs dropped Game 5 on the road to OKC. The entire team disappointed, but Dylan Harper compounded the feeling. He hadn't performed well all series long, and a little encouragement from the greatest coach of all time seemed to give him a push.

Harper got the job done tonight. The Spurs' bench has been lackluster against OKC, to say the least, and fans knew that was a product of circumstance. De'Aaron Fox missed the first two games, forcing the rook into the starting lineup and removing a significant source of production from the second unit. But that doesn't take into account Harper's personal struggles.

Over the first five games of the series, the Spurs' rookie was averaging 11 points on 39% FG. Tonight, he stepped up and dropped 18/6/4 on 67% from the field. But the elephant in the room is that adductor injury. Harper isn't 100%, but he rose to the challenge anyway. That's real superstar behavior right there.

Dylan Harper will be a star for Spurs for a long time

If you've been putting trade packages together for San Antonio to go get Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lauri Markannen, or anyone else with Dylan Harper as an asset, go ahead and hit that delete button. There aren't many players in the league the Spurs would trade the All-Rookie First Team guard for. He's that good already.

Harper was already proving himself in his first postseason. He shot over 50% from the field in the first two rounds against Portland and Minnesota. Those are two teams with identities focused on defense. They have aggressive defenders with length and great instincts who would normally bother young ball handlers in such high-pressure situations. He hasn't been fazed.

Oklahoma City has the crown right now. They won the last Larry O'Brien trophy and then took the title for best record in the NBA this season. It's the Western Conference Finals. This is a big deal, make no mistake about it. NBA fans have seen countless young players fold in these moments just because they weren't ready for them. There's no shame in that. It just doesn't apply to Harper.

According to local media, Gregg Popovich has been around the entire season, sharing nuggets of basketball truth with coaches and players whenever they need him. His wisdom has been as important as ever during this playoff run, and Harper clearly got what he needed from El Jefe when he needed it most.

Whether he remains on the bench for the foreseeable future or makes his way into the starting lineup, the Spurs have a superstar player on their hands. He's checking every single box one could think of, and you can still see where he has room to grow. That's exciting for San Antonio. It's terrifying for everyone else.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow