Dylan Harper made an impressive debut for the San Antonio Spurs at the summer league, scoring 16 points in just 20 minutes of play. This outing came after he sat out the team’s last four contests with a slight groin strain. Harper came out on the court for his much-hyped showdown with fellow junior Cooper Flagg. The first overall pick was only too happy to dazzle everybody with his talent, scoring a game-high 31 points.
It was a terrific scene, as the game played before an electric crowd. They were most excited just to see this matchup between these two future star legislators. Harper was doing more than just producing the scoring stats. He grabbed six boards, issued two assists, made two steals and swatted a shot, showing his all-around talent on both sides of the court.
Harper’s most impressive play of the game came as the second quarter was about to end. He closed the half with an and-1 completion of a 10-foot floater, all while being defended very tightly by Flagg. His converted bonus shot propelled San Antonio to a slim 33-32 advantage at intermission.
That beautiful play happened with a little over a minute left in the second quarter. This defensive play was a showcase of Harper’s athleticism and showcased her ability to make impactful contributions even when not scoring the ball.
Flagg’s gaudy offensive stats would prove to be just the tip of the iceberg. His performance was punctuated by a number of highlight-reel dunks, including an out-of-nowhere thunderous jam over San Antonio’s Riley Minnix. Flagg exhibited his defensive prowess, swatting Minnix’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer.
In addition to his scoring, Flagg contributed four rebounds, an assist, and a block, solidifying his status as a top prospect in the league.
After the game, Harper couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about getting back out on the court in such an electrifying environment.
“There’s not a better time to come back in a game like this and a crowd as electrifying as this,” – Dylan Harper.
He was quick to recognize the friendly competition that existed between him and Flagg, highlighting their joint willingness to push one another to greater success.
“We’re going to play them a lot this year. So, the future battles are going to be great. One thing that we’ve both got, we’re just competitors. We’re going to go out and compete,” – Dylan Harper.
Speak up Flagg reflected on what it’s been like to adjust to that new space and how that affected his racing.
“I think it’s a new environment, new setting,” – Cooper Flagg.
He was honest with himself about the fact that though he had been doing great, there was still a lot left for him to work on.
“They want to see me be aggressive and do that type of stuff. I think I did that a lot better today, just getting to the line, getting fouled, and that helped me to get comfortable and get settled in early. Still missed a bunch of free throws. I know my mom probably wasn’t very happy with that,” – Cooper Flagg.
Each player couldn’t be more excited about future matchups with each other. We look forward to watching both Harper and Flagg deliver highlight reel plays as they start their own NBA careers.
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