Dylan Harper was one of the San Antonio Spurs‘ top two players during the 2026 NBA Finals.
The Spurs may have lost the series in five games to the New York Knicks, but they outplayed the Knicks for the vast duration of the series, leading 74% of the time. It was a matter of late-game execution for why the Spurs weren’t able to beat the Knicks, which wasn’t surprising considering San Antonio’s youth and the fact that they were going through their first postseason run together.
The 20-year-old Harper — who was at the tail end of his rookie season — was one of the Spurs’ most consistent bright spots during the series, posting a team-leading 25 points in Game 5 and exploding for 16 points in Game 1. Although he came off of the bench during all five games of the series, Harper was San Antonio’s second-leading scorer.
Spurs Will Have to Deal With LeBron James-led Philadelphia 76ers
As the Spurs prepare to defend their Western Conference and look to break through and win the NBA Finals next season, there will be a new contender lurking along with the Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s because the new-look Philadelphia 76ers featuring the likes of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown will factor into the equation.
The 76ers have been an annual playoff contender in the Joel Embiid era and they return a starting core featuring the likes of All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey and second-year player V.J. Edgecombe. The 76ers are considered one of the top betting favorites to win the NBA Finals next season.
Harper said he wasn’t surprised to see James sign with the 76ers.
“No, I feel like at the end of the day, obviously it’s LeBron James — I think his main objective is to win,” said Harper in a one-on-one interview with Heavy Sports. “I feel like he put himself in a position where he can go and win. So I mean, I feel like I don’t have no backlash or I don’t have any of that towards him. I don’t got anything too crazy to say about it.”
Dylan Harper Teaming With eBay and Topps Chrome For Rookie Card Event
James will be joining his fourth NBA team and he’ll be looking to become the first player in league history to win a championship with four different franchises. The 41-year-old signed a two-year deal with a player option in his second year, meaning he could be looking to match Harper’s father’s former teammate, Michael Jordan, for championship. Jordan won six championships and Ron Harper — Dylan’s dad — won three of those with Jordan during the 90s.
On Friday, July 31, Harper will be teaming up with Blez and Topps Chrome Basketball where fans can chase his rookie cards. The event will take place during a five-day convention at the eBay Arena at The 2026 National Sports Collectors Convention.
“I’m joining eBay Live on Friday, July 31st, with Blez, and basically we’re gonna be on the search to go find one of my rookie cards, especially a Chrome Topps card,” said Harper. “We’re gonna be on a hunt with that. We’re gonna do that. Plus, we’re gonna interact with the fans too, and allow them to try and get some.”
Also featured during the weekend is an exclusive eBay live auction featuring 10 authenticated Michael Jordan collectibles. Harper said he met Jordan when he was younger.
“I met him once at the Barclays Center when I was young, young,” said Harper of meeting Jordan. “But yeah, him and my dad played in Chicago, where it’s gonna be hosted. I feel like this whole event is gonna have that nostalgic feeling to it, and everyone there is in that kind of place.”
Harper said he’s looking forward to interacting and meeting with the fans at the event.
“I think the biggest part of the stream for me is just connecting with the fans and the community, and I think eBay Live brings all that together,” said Harper. “It brings me and Blez and just fans that want to kind of meet me and we get interact and we just go and try to find cards. I think the biggest thing is having a good time and interacting with everyone.”
Spurs’ Dylan Harper Gives Blunt Take on LeBron James Signing With 76ers