SAN ANTONIO — A rookie season that concluded with two months of borrowed time might have done it for Dylan Harper. He needed no more proof he was in the right place.
“Not a lot of people get this experience,” the San Antonio Spurs’ standout rookie told reporters during the Western Conference Finals in May, still weeks away from facing the New York Knicks on the biggest stage in basketball. “I feel like the locker room is great.”
For months, the Spurs spoke about their chemistry; any team that makes the NBA Finals runs on it. And this group was younger than every other squad to make it that far but two. Harper, still not old enough to drink locker room champagne, played a crucial part.
The rising sophomore even likened the group’s dynamic to his time on the AAU circuit.
“We’re around each other more than … our families,” Harper said. “That’s kind of what you have to be if you want to be this good. We all do a great job at buying into the little things.”
Harper finished his first postseason averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and one steal across 23 appearances while shooting 52 percent from the field — all increases from the regular season averages that earned him an even bigger role in the playoffs.
His teammates had trouble comprehending what they were seeing. Even if he wasn’t an All-Star, he certainly wasn’t a rookie. Twenty-year-olds don’t come with that kind of poise.
“The way he’s able to get the paint (and) finish, I haven’t seen it like that before,” Devin Vassell said. “Truthfully. To think he’s just a rookie and he’s going to keep growing, keep getting better — the sky is the limit for him … the league is in trouble for a very long time.”
Harper, who seldom shared the court with both De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, found ways to impact the game alongside each of them in separate capacities. Among all two-man lineups that logged at least 20 playoff games, Harper was part of the top two.
“We’re three dominant guards, but we all play both sides,” he said.
Given his clear talent, questions arose about whether or not Harper should have closed games more often than he did. Mitch Johnson, who doubled down on trusting Fox in crunch time on the day of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, opted instead for the 28-year-old’s experience.
That materialized in Harper missing the final four minutes of Game 1, in which San Antonio gave up an 11-0 run to the Knicks to fall behind 1-0 in the series. It wasn’t the only time Harper found himself on the bench in crucial moments, but he never made an issue of it.
Three months later, Harper doubled down himself on his relationship with Johnson. In a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, he offered high praise.
“He fits perfectly,” Harper said of Johnson. “He’s a player’s coach … he understands what goes through a player’s head, and I think that’s very important. He’s been great just allowing us to grow, but also teaching us the game. He’s growing right with us.”
The praise was reciprocated. Perhaps more than his on-court abilities, Johnson praised Harper’s willingness to assimilate to a system in which he was not the only weapon.
“He didn’t just get this talented or this good,” Johnson said. “For him to buy into the role in front of him … it’s hard to do any time. To do it as a rookie in the playoffs is ridiculous.”
While Johnson will have spent ample time analyzing places where he can improve by the time he faces media for the first time of the season in late September, he’s made clear his decision to roll with Fox, despite his struggles, was not made on a personal basis.
Harper, meanwhile, will undoubtedly receive a bigger role this season. And if it doesn’t mean a spot in the starting lineup, he has another coach to turn to within the Spurs’ facility: Gregg Popovich continues to maintain frequent contact with the team behind the scenes.
“He might know who I am better than I know who I am,” Harper said. “In times where I might be a little passive, he’ll … send me texts like, ‘No, this is not how you’re going to play. You’re going to play how we know you can play.’ Having that push from a legend … is unbelievable.”
Knowing the work required to return to the NBA Finals, Harper plans to take everything ahead of him in stride. Whether he’s a starter or in a bench role again, nothing about his demeanor will change. Instead, he’s learned to trust the voices of reason around him.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Harper said. “This is where I’m supposed to be.”
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