2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper
Latif Love: A
The Spurs already have two other ball-handling guards on the roster, but they were right to pick the best player available. When selecting at #2, it is best to choose talent over fit. Harper is a big combo guard who was able to get to the rim at will. He did a fantastic job handling high usage on an underwhelming Rutgers team while avoiding turnovers. The Spurs have starved for guards who can place pressure on the rim, and now they have three.
Harper will need to improve as a pull-up three-point shooter for him to become a star in the NBA and for the fit to work in San Antonio, but his volume, catch-and-shoot percentage, and solid free throw shooting give him a solid opportunity to do so.
Joey LeMaster: A-
The San Antonio Spurs have a backcourt that consists of Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. Simply put, the Spurs have their backcourt for the next decade.
Harper is a tall point guard who can attack the rim while still hitting a consistent jumper. There is a reason the Spurs held onto this pick instead of trading it away for a star.
However, not trading that pick for an elite player will put pressure on Harper to be an elite player the second he touches the basketball court. The Spurs want to win now, and Harper must meet those expectations. It will also be interesting to see how the Spurs balance out this backcourt rotation.
There are some big questions surrounding this pick. However, there are no questions regarding Harper's talent. The sky is the limit.