The NBA’s Draft Lottery was completed on Monday, and the state of Texas did well for itself. The Dallas Mavericks overcame seriously long odds to move up and secure the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, from where they are expected to select Duke’s Cooper Flagg, giving them a superstar forward they can give away in a terrible trade in seven years time. And behind them, their interstate rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, will be picking second.
Flagg is not quite the surefire first overall pick that others such as Victor Wembanyama, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been over the years. However, he is – and has always been – the likely pick. The Spurs, therefore, essentially know the exact field of candidates that they can pick from,
Indeed, it would appear that they already have.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN – the founder of the DraftExpress brand, and an industry leader in draft-related information – reports that the Spurs have already made their decision. Speaking to NBA Today, he reported with “99.9%” confidence that the Spurs would select Dylan Harper, a freshman wing from Rutgers.
Spurs Already Settled On Harper
Having lucked into the unicorn that is Victor in 2023, made an excellent selection last year with Rookie of the Year award winner Stephon Castle, and traded for De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline, the Spurs have their foundational trio for the next few years established. They also have Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson as decent young players, too. And they continue to hold out hope that others such as Blake Wesley and Malakhi Branham will be able to join that core in the coming years.
With all that in place, winning the second pick was an excellent stroke of luck that just improved both their ceiling and their floor. In theory, Harper slides in between Castle and Fox to make a potent three-guard line-up full of creators and playmakers. In his only college season, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, shooting 48.4% from the field and exhibiting plenty of talent with the ball in his hands. He has size, skill, fluidity of motion and versatility, and has a very intriguing offensive package that should play well in an era of multi-positional playmaking.
Given that neither Fox nor Castle are high-quality outside shooters, the fact that Harper is not one would mean an area of concern in terms of the team’s fit going forward. Harper, like all freshmen, also has work to do to improve defensively. But Givony is clear in his reporting – the Spurs know all that, and want Harper anyway. They will work out the kinks later.
Trade A Possibility, But Unlikely
Of course, the Spurs do not have to use the #2 pick to draft somebody. They could in theory use the pick in trades, particularly for a veteran if they decide the time is right.
Similarly to the Detroit Pistons, if the Spurs feel they have enough young talent to proceed with and decide to change timelines, they could be in a position to get in the running for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The news around the league is that Giannis would have to want to be dealt, but if he does, a package that includes a guaranteed top two pick would absolutely merit the Bucks’ attention.
Of course, Antetokounmpo would not be the only name on the market worth exploring. And lest it be forgotten, we are only three short months since Luka Doncic was traded out of the blue. No one is ever truly off the table, so no pick should be either.
Once again, though, Givony is adamant that the Spurs know what they intend to do. They intend to keep the pick, they intend to select Harper, and they intend to pair him with Fox and Castle. Any upcoming drama in the 2025 NBA Draft, then, will seemingly have to start from the third pick.
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