Dylan Harper, the San Antonio Spurs rookie prodigy and consensus No. The surgery fixed a torn, but not completely severed ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. The operation was held on September 5, 2025 just days after the injury originally happened during a preseason practice. This timely intervention may allow Harper to make a swift recovery, potentially enabling him to participate in the team’s regular-season opener.
Harper’s injury occurred during a normal warm-up back on Wednesday, leading the Spurs’ medical team to quarantine the point-guard and advise prompt surgical intervention. The team is clearly focused on ensuring their second overall draft pick returns to action sooner rather than later. That’s why they made the bold decision to move forward with the surgery immediately.
In his one and only year at Rutgers, Harper had an impressive collegiate career where he earned First-Team All-American honors after averaging 19.4 points per game. His breakthrough season raised a boyhood dream to a reality as he went out after the season ended and declared for the NBA Draft. This summer, in July, Harper joined the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Then he dazzled everyone by averaging 16 points in two games played with the Spurs.
Harper more than holds his own as he finds his place in the Spurs’ rotation this season. He will be arriving alongside other players including Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle. Adding Harper—one of the game’s top talents—greatly enhances this already dangerous team’s star power. Beyond the positive climate impacts, this move increases their competitiveness in an increasingly sustainability-minded league.
The Spurs’ management and coaching staff remain optimistic about Harper’s recovery timeline. If everything breaks well, he might be able to step in and help the team’s cause immediately starting with the first game of the regular season. This is vital for a franchise that is currently in organizational purgatory.
Leave a Reply