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With his San Antonio Spurs having just knocked off Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA Summer League battle that pitted the league's top two draft picks in 2025, Dylan Harper recounted a moment in which Flagg was coming at him during the contest.
“I think with a player that good sometimes you have to live with the tough shots he makes, but just keep staying in front of him,” Harper said of the top overall selection last month. “Keep, keeping him right in front of you. Just always having a hand up when he shoots the ball, just trying to avoid a dunk attempt.”
Though Flagg led all scorers with 31 points and shot 50% from the field including three-of-eight from beyond the arc, Dylan Harper scored 16 of his own while outperforming the former Duke star across the stat sheet with six rebounds (Flagg had 4), two assists (Flagg had 1), two steals (Flag had none) and a highlight-worthy block.
Another of Harper's notable plays came when Flagg switched on to him defensively, resulting in an and-one for the son of three-time NBA champion Ron Harper.
“I was just trying to touch the paint, honestly, and then whatever option I had, that was my best option. I was going to go take and get a little floater. That's all,” the former Scarlett Knight revealed.
Dylan Harper is sooo crafty! 👏@spurs | #NBASummerLeague pic.twitter.com/9ylCY32mFj
— NBA Summer League (@NBASummerLeague) July 12, 2025
Dylan Harper happy to be back vs. Cooper Flagg
Held out of the Spurs first four Summer League games out of precaution related to a groin injury, Harper's match-up against Flagg marked his first action as a member of the Silver and Black.
“I think the plan is always to play if I'm available. If I feel ready, if I'm right, if the time is right, if stuff is right and I'm all good to go, I feel like I'm always going to play,” Harper declared.
His 17 minutes in Las Vegas, Nevada also represented Harper's first truly competitive action since mid-March. Already winners in three of their games (including three in San Francisco, California), the Summer Spurs were that much better with Harper.
“Ain't played in a little while, so just being out there felt good,” the 19-year-old guard admitted. “Felt loose and just go and win the game. So, yeah, that was the best part about it.”
“I feel great,” Harper continued. “I was itching to get back on that court. Once the ball went up, it just felt like regular basketball to me again, so I definitely feel great.”
Before what proved an impressive outing for both, Harper and Flagg joined together with both their teams featuring warm-up shirts that said Texas Strong in tribute to the tragic floods that have caused at least 129 deaths in Central Texas.
“That was definitely a big thing,” the second overall pick of the draft shared. “ Just our thoughts and prayers out to those families who lost someone, whether it was a father, a mother, child or anyone like that, aunt, whoever, a friend. Just want ti show that we've got their backs to the fullest.”
