Spurs vindicated for debated draft day selection as rookie guard blows up

Dylan Harper was made for San Antonio, and we're happy to have him. The Spurs were questioned left and right ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. "They can't draft another guard," they said. So shortsighted. They were absolutely wrong, as is often the case when outsiders try to tell the Silver and Black what they should be doing.

This is the best guard trio in the league, and two of them are just getting started. They're barely scratching the surface of their talent, but they dominate games when their team needs them to. Stephon Castle is out here running the offense when De'Aaron Fox is on the floor with him. Not because they're trying to teach him on the fly, but because he can do it.

Two games ago, Dylan Harper had his career high of 22 points and scored the go-ahead bucket to win the game when some of his teammates didn't have their usual juice. This is a deep team overall, but their depth at the guard position makes them a nightmare, and it's only just beginning.

The Spurs are going to run circles around certain teams

This is exactly what Spurs Nation has been waiting for. When Harper, Castle, and Fox are all healthy, defenses don't get any breaks. Every single possession for 48 minutes will be led by a guard with a special ability to penetrate the lane and wreak havoc in their own way. It wouldn't be nearly as effective as it is had Brian Wright listened to the naysayers and not drafted the former Rutgers star.

We saw it in the game last night. Steph absolutely terrorized the Lakers in the Quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup. He was a menace from start to finish. Shout out to Coach Mitch Johnson for trusting the young dynamo after he picked up his third foul early in the second quarter, and he deserves a little extra respect for being smart enough not to get himself fouled out of that game.

He defended Luka Doncic all night, and the Slovenian superstar is a master at drawing contact. When Castle and Fox needed a break, Harper was there. His 13 points kept the pressure up, never allowing the defense to rest. A smooth operator with the ball in his hands, Dylan shot 6/12 from the floor and added a few assists to his night.

We're only slightly over a quarter of the way through his rookie year, but no moment has looked too big for the 6'5" bully. He's been more than comfortable at the most important times of these games; he's been thriving. His game is effortless, making him look more like a veteran than a rookie. Drafting him was always the right decision.