It was a ‘surreal' night for Dylan Harper's mom after going viral at 2025 NBA Draft
'It's surreal,' Maria told ESPNW while at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 'The NBA is a very very exclusive club. He's worked so hard to get here. I'm just proud of him.'
Earlier that night, Maria nearly stole the spotlight when she joined the 6-foot-6 Rutgers product during his interview with ESPN's Monica McNutt.
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Maria, who looked stunning a black leather dress, stood in between Dylan and her other son Ron Jr. — a former Rutgers forward, who currently plays for the Pistons — while her ex-husband, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, stayed in his seat.
Maria and Ron divorced in 2012.
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3 Dylan Harper's mom Maria was taking in the moment of her son going second overall to the Spurs as the internet was buzzing about her at the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
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Prior to Dylan's stellar career with the Scarlet Knights, Maria wore multiple hats as a mom and basketball coach.
Maria — a former Division 1 basketball player at the University of New Orleans from 1993 to 1996 — coached Dylan through high school at Don Bosco Prep.
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3 Dylan Harper is joined by his mom Maria and older brother Ron Jr. while talking with ESPN's Monica McNutt after getting drafted by the Spurs with the second overall pick at the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
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3 Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs speaks to the media after being drafted second overall during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
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The 19-year-old guard joins French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs' first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
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The pair introduced themselves over a phone call on Day 1 of the draft, as seen in a video on social media.
'We lit,' Wembanyama said. 'Hell yeah, we gonna work for sure man. You should celebrate tonight… rest a little bit and we go back.'
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