San Antonio Spurs star Dylan Harper responded to rumors of a feud between him and veteran point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Harper is coming off a successful rookie season for the Spurs, where he made the NBA All-Rookie Team after averaging 11.8 points per game in 69 contests, but with only four starts.
In the playoffs, he was even better, averaging 14.1 points as the Spurs made a run to the NBA Finals, though they ultimately lost to the New York Knicks in five games.
Still, there was chatter after the season ended that Harper was not happy with his role and that he wanted to start ahead of Fox, the Spurs’ veteran PG who was an All-Star during the regular season, but who struggled during the playoffs.
But according to Harper, these rumors are just that: rumors.
Dylan Harper Responds to De’Aaron Fox Rumors
Speaking to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Harper commented on the rumors of a feud between him and Fox, saying that there is simply nothing to the chatter.
“I mean, I feel like what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained. I mean, Fox basically took me under his wing my whole first year and helped me and allowed me to grow in this space. And my thing is, me and him never had a problem. Like, what’s—I’ve never seen a problem playing with two to three ball-handlers on the floor. Everyone last year said that it was not going to work, this, that and the third, but I think it worked pretty fine this year. I think we exceeded expectations a lot. So, I mean… for me, all I care about is doing what’s best for the team and winning and he is a big factor and he’s a big piece in us winning now and in the future,” Harper said.
“So, I mean, for me, I have no—I don’t have anything bad to ever say about him because, at the end of the day, he’s taught me so much. And he’s taught me so much about the league and how to grind and just… take control of the game. And it’s like… it’s little things, like I’m close with him… every time I see his son, every time I see his family, like, we’re all super close. So it’s like me and him have a great relationship where it’s like, that’s kind of my—I joke with him all the time, it’s kind of my uncle. He kind of like—he just teaches me things that I don’t think anyone else that hasn’t been in his position could teach me.”
Dylan Harper Looking for 2nd-Year Breakout
After a successful rookie season, Harper is looking for a breakout in year two of his NBA career, though he will likely have to do so coming off the bench, at least at first.
Right now, Harper is blocked by both Fox and Stephon Castle in the Spurs’ backcourt. But even if he starts as a bench player for San Antonio, there is no reason to think he can’t be an elite sixth man in the league this year, and perhaps even be in the conversation for the award once the season ends — unless, of course, the Spurs trade Fox and Harper gets the starting gig.
Dylan Harper Responds to Rumors of Feud With De’Aaron Fox