Dylan Harper gets candid about drawing inevitable Bronny James parallels over pressure of carrying father Dylan Harper's NBA legacy

Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, could not escape Bronny James comparisons even before he entered the pros. As the son of Ron Harper, who won five NBA championships, the versatile guard played for Rutgers with the spotlight on. Although arguably not to the same degree as Bronny, Dylan has had his fair share of scrutiny.

During Thursday’s episode of 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Harper had this to say about dealing with pressure and criticism with all the lights on.

(52:50 mark)

“Everyone they own person. Bronny [James] ain’t the most outspoken person. … At the end of the day, you still get the same backlash no matter what you do whether it’s right or wrong. We’re the next generation. There’s always gonna be a spotlight on no matter what. Just being you, honestly. That’s how I look at it.”

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Bronny James might have been the most scrutinized prospect in NBA history. Leading into the 2024 draft, the former USC guard and his father, LeBron James, grabbed all the limelight. Most fans thought the younger James only got a shot at the NBA because of his all-time great dad.

Rich Paul, the Jameses’ agent, added more controversy by reportedly telling teams Bronny would not play for any team except the Lakers or the Phoenix Suns. ESPN analyst Bob Myers claimed that Bronny would take his talents to Australia if he landed outside his preferred destinations. Eventually, the Lakers picked the former Trojan at No. 55.

No such drama hounded Dylan Harper leading to and on draft night. He was the consensus second-best prospect based on mock drafts, just behind Cooper Flagg, who went No. 1 to Dallas. The San Antonio Spurs drafted Harper with the No. 2 pick.

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Dylan Harper claims he is better than his father “at everything” in basketball

Before the 2025 NBA draft started, ESPN’s Taylor Rooks had a chat with the top prospects, including Dylan Harper. Inevitably, Rooks asked the former Rutgers star to compare his game to his father, Ron Harper.

The 19-year-old did not hold back in his response.

"I mean, my dad definitely was a great player. My dad scored the ball, passed the ball, played defense, but ... I like to always have the utmost confidence in myself, so I'm saying I'm a little better at everything than him.”

Dylan Harper conceded that the former Chicago Bulls great was the better rebounder. Other than that, he claimed he surpassed his father in basketball.

Edited by Michael Macasero