The San Antonio Spurs just fulfilled one of the wishes of their sophomore guard Dylan Harper, during their NBA Preseason campaign.
Dylan Harper was named to the starting lineup for the San Antonio Spurs in their preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
Head coach Mitch Johnson originally intended to unveil a three-guard starting group featuring Harper alongside De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. But Fox was a late scratch due to general soreness, giving the point guard slot to Harper.
Harper started alongside Victor Wembanyama, Julian Champagnie, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell.
Dylan Harper Impressed As A Spurs Starting Point Guard
In just 19 minutes of action, the sophomore guard Harper led all San Antonio players in scoring with a team-high 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting an efficient 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range. The Spurs lost their preseason debut against the Hawks, 123-116.
However, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson did not answer whether Harper will continue to be in the starting lineup moving forward.
“They’re still going to read into whatever they want to read into,” Johnson said after the game. “We have incredible depth that will, I’m sure, by circumstances out of our control at times even, have a lot of starting and finishing groups just like last year and excited to continue to grow and get these guys on the court and build off of what we’ve done in camp so far.”
After the Spurs’ NBA Finals run last season, Harper sparked discourse regarding his long-term role with the franchise. The conversation reached a fever pitch after a GQ Magazine feature where Harper boldly claimed he would not accept coming off the bench.
While he later walked back the statement during the Spurs’ Media Day, clarifying to reporters that it was a sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek comment, his drive to earn a starting spot is reportedly an open secret within the organization.
During his rookie season last year, Harper averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 assists per game before stepping up as the team’s primary point guard when starting guard De’Aaron Fox went down with an injury in the playoffs. Fox’s struggles, especially in the NBA Playoffs, further fueled the conversation on Harper’s long-term standing in the team.
Dylan Harper Feels He Has Proved His Case As A Spurs Starter
During media day, Dylan Harper clarified that his previous comment about being a starter is sarcastic but he believes that he has already proved himself to be a part of the team’s starting unit.
“There was definitely some sarcasm in it, especially in the second part,” Harper said in his interview with Don Harris of News4SA. But I feel like I’ve shown and proved that I can do whatever the team needs me to do, because time and time again I’ve done it. So I mean, if that’s coming off the bench and having to play that role, I’ll be fine with it because I did it all of last year.”
“Everyone has a competitive edge to them, but the biggest thing for me is whatever I can do, just like last year, to help the team win,” he added in the press conference. “Whatever position the coaching staff thinks is best for me to be in, that’s the position I’ll have to own… I’m always going to be at the forefront of keeping the team together.”
For now, Harper is expected to continue fighting for the starting point guard spot with Fox ahead of the regular season.
Spurs Fulfill Dylan Harper’s Wish In NBA Preseason Debut