Family important for Dylan Harper, likely No. 2 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Family has been a top priority for Dylan Harper his entire life, and it's something he hopes he'll find within his new NBA home, too.
Luckily for the projected No. 2 pick in Wednesday's NBA draft, team chemistry was one of the first things that stood out when he visited with the Spurs.
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'You can just feel the family atmosphere when you walk in the facility,' Harper said Tuesday. 'For them it's really like, 'How can we get chemistry up? How can we keep everyone together?' … I can add value to that.'
Family was a recurring theme throughout the former Rutgers star's media appearance Tuesday, and it goes beyond the blood ties to the NBA — his father, Ron Harper, is a five-time champion, and his brother, Ron Jr., has been in the league for three seasons.
In fact, it was his mom, Maria, who Harper said coached him from elementary school through his senior year of high school and pushed him hardest with basketball.
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The trip to San Antonio was a good first impression for the 19-year-old, as he could see his own values within the team.
'Family, loyalty, everything like that. I think the best teams, the greatest teams, their chemistry is through the roof,' he said. 'They all hold value to their team — whether you're the head coach, to the best player, to the 15th man — everyone's connected and everyone feels equal.'
With the option to attend college virtually anywhere as a five-star recruit out of high school, Harper stayed home in New Jersey, giving him a chance to follow his older brother's Scarlet Knights legacy and stay close to his hometown of Franklin Lakes.
Rutgers star Dylan Harper talks with reporters at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2025.
AP
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Now, he'll leave the state while carrying his morals with him.
'It's definitely gonna mean a lot to [Ron Sr.] and a lot to everyone else — my mom, my brother, my grandparents and everyone else who's there,' Harper said. 'They kind of see me through the journey and watch me go about my days, even when I was high and low, they still stuck with me no matter what.'
Though there are some concerns over Harper's fit on a team that already has guards De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Harper mentioned Castle as one of the players he has already spoken with several times.
Rutgers star Dylan Harper throws out the first pitch before the Yankees' win over the Orioles on June 22, 2025.
Bill Kostroun for New York Post
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'It looks like a great and fun environment to be a part of,' Harper said.
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Egor Demin: Positional size and decision-making are important for the Thunder, which is why Demin would be another young jumbo guard to bring in and mold for the future. Nique Clifford: Although an older prospect, Clifford is a win-now piece who makes things happen on both ends. Thomas Sorber: An extremely lengthy center with much to still learn to reach his ceiling, Sorber could end up being one of the more underrated players in this class. Targets at No. 24 Again, it's even more difficult to predict who will be on the board when this late first-round pick comes around, but there are several players in this range who could potentially still be available and great fits in OKC. Rasheer Fleming: A tall forward with 3-point shooting upside, Fleming could be the modern forward the Thunder has been looking for to combat the same archetype of player on opposing teams that always gives OKC trouble. 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