Rookie guard Dylan Harper was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team just minutes before Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
Harper made the First Team alongside Dallas Mavericks‘ Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, Charlotte Hornets‘ sharpshooting wing Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia 76ers’ VJ Edgecombe and Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward.
The son of Chicago Bulls legend Ron Harper, Dylan averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds from 69 games for the Spurs. Unlike his other four peers on the All-Rookie First Team, he got to start only four games and played an ancillary role for a Spurs team loaded with backcourt stars like De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
Cedric Coward VJ Edgecombe Cooper Flagg Dylan Harper Kon Knueppel
Dylan Harper Thanks De’Aaron Fox
On Wednesday, Harper will start only for the second time in his postseason career, following his historic outing in Game 1, when he finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a staggering seven steals. The second-generation star was inserted into the starting unit in place of All-Star guard Fox, who sat out with an ankle injury.
Harper became just the third rookie ever to record seven or more steals in a playoff game. Furthermore, his 24 points were the most by a rookie in a Conference Finals game since Philadelphia 76ers legend Andrew Toney in 1981.
Shortly before he received the All-NBA First Team honor, Harper told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears of the encouraging words Fox gave him before his first postseason start.
“He told me to be me,” Harper said of Fox’s advice.
“That’s the biggest thing. He’s been that person I’ve looked up to in terms of how he plays, how he moves and everything. He told me to be me out there and not take it for granted.”
Spurs vs Thunder Game 2
With Fox sitting out for a second consecutive game, Harper is ready to seize his moment — once again.
“When I’m on the court, it’s all business. I’m just trying to prove to the world and to me that I belong,” Harper said before Spurs vs Thunder Game 2.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson is ready to trust his rookie with big minutes.
“It has been very rewarding for someone that has tried to support him through this year and help him in terms of coaching him and giving him guidance of just trusting us,” Johnson said of Harper.
“He was this good eight months ago. But we wanted him to get some corporate knowledge, learn the program and get some fundamentals of this league and how tough it was, to get in better shape.
“He watched a lot of guys, in terms of his rookie class, put up bigger numbers. There was a lot of talk around that, and they deserved that, because they had big years, but that young man is everything that everyone is seeing right now.”
Harper has averaged 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals through his first 12 postseason games. He has seen his minutes rise from 22.6 in the regular season to 27.0 in the playoffs.
Major Dylan Harper News Drops Before Spurs-Thunder Game 2