Fans go wild for NBA Draft star Dylan Harper's mom
Dylan Harper was the No 2 pick on NBA Draft night in New York but his mom immediately stole the show after he was picked by the San Antonio Spurs.
Harper and his mother, Maria Pizarro, spoke to the ESPN moments after the 19-year-old was picked to join Victor Wembanyama in Texas.
When asked about her son's come up in the NBA an emotional Maria said: 'His flat-out love for the game, his determination, hard work and humility, day in and day out.'
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The real star: Fans have gone wild for Dylan Harper's mom Maria at the NBA Draft in New York on Wednesday
Maria's brief appearance on television sent thousands of basketball fans into meltdown on social media.
On X one fan wrote: 'Dylan Harper's mom is top notch.'
Another wrote: 'Dylan Harper's mom is about to go viral man.'
A different fan said: 'Respectfully, Dylan Harper's mom is an absolute smoke show.'
While Harper is the son of former LA Lakers player Ron Harper, a five-time NBA champion, and brother to Detroit Pistons player Ron Harper Jr, his mother has played a central role in his rise to the NBA.
Maria was her son's basketball coach when he was a kid and was a division one player herself during her time at the University Of New Orleans.
Pizarro, 50, and Ron divorced in 2012 after seven years of marriage and three children together - Dylan also has a sister.
Speaking to The Athletic in 2023, Maria's influence over Dylan was made very clear.
She said: 'I'm not big on girlfriends or house parties. We get up, we go to school, we have our activity, whether it's basketball or it's dance, we get our homework done, and that's about it. That's the tone that I set in the household.'
Speaking about her son's skillset Maria said: 'What makes him good is that he's a Swiss army knife. He sees the floor like an eagle. He knows how to get his teammates involved.
'He's a very capable scorer if you need him to be, but because he has a point guard mentality, he wants his teammates to succeed, even before himself.'
Speaking of his mother's influence in an interview with Swish Cultures in late 2024, Dylan said: 'She's really been there from the jump.
Dylan continued: 'She was my first ever coach and up to high school, my assistant coach. She does everything for me. She's always a provider, no matter what, hard times, good times, she's been there for me through thick and thin.'
Dylan's famous father didn't speak to the television cameras but was there to see his son picked by San Antonio and looked emotional in the moments after his name was read out.
Harper, who is now set to sign a rookie deal worth around $56million, will soon join up with Wembanyama and his new team after what has been a difficult season for the Spurs.
They finished 13th in the Western Conference with a 34-48 record after their legendary coach Gregg Popovich was forced to step aside after he suffered a stroke midway through the season.
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