The NBA named Dylan Harper to its All-Rookie First Team as the Spurs head to Oklahoma City for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Thunder. Harper’s honor comes after a series-opening Game 1 win in which he stepped up during
Oklahoma City didn’t need a loud spotlight to make Wednesday night feel different. It was enough that Dylan Harper’s name had just been elevated by the NBA—right before the Spurs returned for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
San Antonio had already given itself a cushion with a bruising Game 1 in which it knocked off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. 122-115. in an instant classic that stretched into two overtimes. In that win. Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant double-double with 41 points and 24 rebounds. and Stephon Castle followed with a double-double of his own—17 points and 11 assists.
But Harper’s role stood out for a different reason: he stepped up in D’Aaron Fox’s absence due to injury. In the series opener, the rookie scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, turning a complicated moment into production on the court.
When the NBA named its All-Rookie Team, Harper’s name landed on the first team. The five players on that first team were Harper, plus Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia 76ers rookie V.J. Edgecombe, Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
The Spurs marked the news on X Wednesday night with a direct message of celebration: “Congrats on being selected to the @kia NBA All-Rookie First Team, @dy1anharper!”
Harper’s selection comes as the team leans on a bench-ready brand of impact that has gradually made its way into bigger games. Drafted last June from Rutgers, he averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game this season. For much of the year. he carved out a strong role as a reserve. a kind of dependable spark off San Antonio’s bench that some around the league have believed could translate into starter-level contributions elsewhere.
Scoring still looks like the next step. He hasn’t produced a breakout single-game surge in the way fans often expect from a rising star. but he has logged several 24-point outings in the regular season. The Game 1 performance in the Western Conference Finals—24 points again—suggested that he can deliver when the stage gets smaller and the margins get tighter.
The Spurs didn’t arrive here by accident. Over the past three years. they have built a roster through high draft positioning. with picks that landed them the first. fourth. and second selections. Those choices shaped the spine of the current team: they added Wembanyama. the Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. and now Harper.
San Antonio finished the regular season with 60 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. In the Western Conference Finals, it has also shown it can press the defending champs hard. After its first game in the matchup. the Thunder found itself in a familiar kind of trouble: the Spurs beat Oklahoma City four times in the regular season out of five meetings. and Game 1’s double-overtime drama made that edge feel tangible.
Now, with Game 2 set to follow Harper’s All-Rookie Team recognition, the honor lands at the exact moment the Spurs need it most—when the series is still being written, possession by possession, in Oklahoma City.
Dylan Harper Spurs Thunder Western Conference Finals Game 2 NBA All-Rookie Team All-Rookie First Team Victor Wembanyama Stephon Castle D'Aaron Fox injury Kon Knueppel V.J. Edgecombe Cedric Coward Cooper Flagg