Dylan Harper, the San Antonio Spurs’ rising star, is officially on blast for a huge Year 2, with ESPN boldly predicting him to make a James Harden-like leap and snag the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. While the Spurs dynasty is famed for big men like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Victor Wembanyama, their success has always relied on an amazing supporting cast like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Harper is absolutely on that same trajectory, showing he’s got that next-level potential for a supporting cast player.
The Rookie Who Stepped Up When It Counted
Harper was a revelation for San Antonio during their postseason run all the way to the NBA Finals. Dude didn’t seem awed by the big stage as a rookie, which is huge! He might have finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, but his numbers were invaluable. When Victor Wembanyama was looking a little wonky, Harper’s postseason averages of 11.8 points on a 50.5% field goal percentage, alongside 3.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 0.8 steals, kept Coach Mitch Johnson’s squad afloat. That’s clutch stuff right there, especially when your main guy isn’t feeling 100%.
Eye-Popping Projections and the 6MOTY Race
ESPN is straight up saying Harper is a frontrunner for the 2026-27 NBA 6MOTY award heading into his second year. He is projected to be the second-favorite with 23 points, right between two Oklahoma City Thunder players, Alex Caruso (34 points) and Ajay Mitchell (22 points), with Reed Sheppard also getting 20 points. Analytically, Harper could actually edge out Caruso and Mitchell since they’ll be in a “zero-sum game” with their production for the Thunder. The wrinkle for the Spurs? Harper has to share that bench load with Keldon Johnson, who actually won the 6MOTY award himself in the 2025-26 season. ESPN even declared that Harper’s talent demands a starting role, setting up a “delicate dance” for the Spurs trying to balance their lineups, especially if he truly makes this James Harden-like jump.
His 2026-27 Per-36-minute projections are insane: 19.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. These numbers are projected career highs in every single category, mirroring the jump Harden made early in his career. And get this: his projected output is “very close” to the version of James Harden that won the NBA 6MOTY award way back in 2011-12. That’s the real deal right there.
So, can Dylan Harper really take this massive leap and grab the Sixth Man of the Year hardware? Can the Spurs navigate the “delicate dance” of his demanding talent and their existing lineup, especially with Keldon Johnson in the mix? Year 2 is shaping up to be absolutely massive for Harper, and all eyes will be on him to see if he can turn these wild predictions into reality.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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