AS EXPECTED, San Antonio Spurs selected Filipino-American guard Dylan Harper as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Rookie Draft on Wednesday evening (Thursday in the Philippines) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The 6-foot-6 Harper is regarded as the second-best prospect in the draft, following Cooper Flagg, who was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the top overall pick.
Harper will join the Spurs alongside the Rookie of the Year winners from the past two NBA seasons, Victor Wembanyama (2024) and Stephon Castle (2025).
“It’s just very surreal,” Harper stated in an interview with ESPN after being selected as the No. 2 overall pick. “I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it just brings the best out of you.”
“They got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact anywhere I can with those guys,” added the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper.
Dylan is now the fifth active Fil-Am player in the NBA, joining his older brother Ron of Detroit Pistons, Jordan Clarkson of Utah Jazz, Jalen Green of Phoenix Suns, and Jared McCain of Philadelphia 76ers.
During his lone season at Rutgers, Dylan averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals.
Philadelphia 76ers selected V.J. Edgecombe as the No. 3 overall pick, while Kon Knueppel was picked at No. 4 by Charlotte Hornets, Ace Bailey at No. 5 by Utah Jazz, and Tre Johnson at No. 6 by Washington Wizards.
Other selections included Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans), Egor Demin (Brooklyn Nets), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors), Khaman Maluach (Phoenix Suns), Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies), Noa Essengue (Chicago Bulls), Derik Queen (Atlanta Hawks), Carter Bryant (Spurs), and Thomas Sorber (Oklahoma City Thunder).
In a surprising move, Portland Trail Blazers selected Yang Hansen from China with the 16th pick, while other draft selections included Joan Beringer (Minnesota Timberwolves), Walter Clayton (Jazz), Nolan Traore (Nets), Kasparas Jakucionis (Miami Heat), Will Riley (Wizards), Drake Powell (Nets), Asa Newell (Hawks), Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings), Jase Richardson (Orlando Magic), Ben Saraf (Nets), Danny Wolf (Nets), Hugo Gonzales (Boston Celtics), Liam McNeeley (Hornets), and Yanic Niederhauser (Los Angeles Clippers)./PN
