Dylan Harper's father flashes bold message after son matches rare Magic Johnson milestone

The San Antonio Spurs escaped Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals with a 122-115 double-overtime win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. This thrilling war literally needed 53 minutes of basketball to settle. 

Victor Wembanyama led the victory, recording 41 points and 24 rebounds. He helped to secure the win with two late dunks, including a three-point play. In the first overtime, Wemby forced a second OT by hitting a deep 3-pointer, just like Stephen Curry did back in 2016 on that very same floor.

But Wemby wasn't the only Spur who put on a show.

With De'Aaron Fox ruled out due to ankle soreness shortly before tip-off, rookie Dylan Harper stepped into the void and delivered the most complete rookie playoff game in 46 years. The 20-year-old finished with 24 points and seven steals, adding 11 rebounds and six assists in 47 minutes of action. 

This historic milestone placed him alongside Magic Johnson as the only rookies in NBA Playoffs history to record 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals in a postseason game.

Following the epic milestone, his father Ron Harper, a five-time NBA champion, threw his son's critics under the bus on X, writing, "You ask why he was the number 2 pick in the draft…. Sleep on it now."

You ask why he was the number 2 pick in the draft…. Sleep on it now. https://t.co/bvWrzegNMY

The Spurs raised significant eyebrows when they drafted the former Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft behind Cooper Flagg, especially since they had already built a starting backcourt around De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.

Doubts grew early in the season as Harper came off the bench while fellow rookies like V.J. Edgecombe and Kon Knueppel quickly earned larger roles with their respective teams. Moreover, he averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 22.6 minutes per game, making the "poor fit" argument seem valid.

But the playoffs changed that negative perception around him. Harper became the first rookie guard in NBA history with multiple 10-point, 10-rebound postseason games, passing Derrick Rose as the youngest guard to achieve multiple playoff double-doubles.

In the semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Harper had 24 points in Game 4 and a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double in Game 5. His performances helped push San Antonio ahead to eliminate the Wolves in Game 6. He followed that up with his best performance yet on a bigger stage.

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