At last year’s NBA Draft, Dylan Harper‘s mother, Maria Harper, went viral due to a variety of reasons.
The San Antonio Spurs selected Dylan with the second overall pick. He was immediately hugged by his parents, Maria and Ron Harper.
With Maria’s stunning dress and passionate speech about his son, she went viral on social media.
People also found out that she coached Dylan in high school and played college basketball at the University of New Orleans.
Maria Harper on Going Viral Last Year
In an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson earlier this week, Maria Harper was asked about her thoughts after trending on social media.
Maria was shocked to find out about it and felt the focus should have been on Dylan more.
“I had no idea until I got back to the table and checked my messages,” Maria said. “One of my best friends texted me saying, ‘Oh my god, girl! You are trending!’ I asked her what that even meant, and when she sent me the link, I said, ‘Oh my God! Make them stop!’ She told me, ‘Girl, that’s not how it works!’
“It was very humbling and nice of people, but I really wanted the focus to stay on my kid, not me.”
Maria’s dress first stole the spotlight before her interview about her sons, Ron Jr. and Dylan, followed.
Interest in her grew to a point where people found out that she was an assistant for Don Bosco Prep during Dylan’s entire high school career. She also played D-1 basketball at the University of New Orleans from 1993 to 1996.
Dylan Harper Got His Spotlight in the NBA Playoffs
While Dylan Harper’s mother stole the spotlight for a bit in the NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs guard immediately got it back in his rookie campaign.
Harper had a slow start to his career due to being down the pecking order behind De’Aaron Fox at point guard. He still managed to contribute off the bench, giving similar vibes to what Manu Ginobili was to the Spurs during their dominant run from 2003 to 2014.
In 69 regular-season games, Harper averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 50.5% shooting from the field. He was named to the All-Rookie First Team at the end of the season.
But Harper’s rookie campaign didn’t end there since the Spurs made it to the NBA Finals. He was even better in the playoffs, putting up 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game on 51.5% shooting.
The 20-year-old lefty guard looked like a star in the postseason and was one of the few bright spots for the Spurs in the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. He will enter his second season full of confidence, but he is expected to come off the bench.
Dylan Harper’s Mom Makes Feelings Clear About Going Viral Last Year