San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper recently underwent surgery on Friday to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb. This injury occurred during a workout earlier this week, according to a report from ESPN`s Shams Charania. There is optimistic hope that Harper will be available for San Antonio`s upcoming season opener against the Dallas Mavericks on October 22.
Harper, who was the second overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Rutgers, made only two appearances during the NBA Las Vegas Summer League. In those games, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. Notably, he did not participate in the California Classic, which serves as a preliminary event to the main Summer League competition in Las Vegas.
The Spurs significantly improved their draft position, climbing from the eighth-best odds to secure the No. 2 overall pick. They utilized this pick to select Harper, who was widely considered the consensus second-best prospect in his draft class, trailing only Cooper Flagg. This selection was made despite the team already having a strong backcourt featuring De`Aaron Fox and the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle. San Antonio had faced long odds, with only a 26.3% chance of landing a top-four draft slot.
With De`Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle solidified as San Antonio`s projected starting backcourt for the upcoming season, it was anticipated that Harper would likely begin his rookie year in a reserve role. The Spurs acquired Fox at the trade deadline last season and subsequently signed the former Sacramento Kings star to a substantial four-year, $229 million maximum extension.
The San Antonio Spurs are scheduled to commence their 2025-26 season on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. Their initial week also includes matchups against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 24 and the Brooklyn Nets on October 26.
