By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-07-09 13:11:38
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2025年7月6日，在加利福尼亚州旧金山的大通中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 在加州精英赛夏季联赛下半场对阵金州勇士队的比赛中，在替补席上观战。尽管在旧金山未能出战，但哈珀凭借其言语上的领袖气质，给队友和教练留下了积极印象，他正等待自己的NBA夏季联赛首秀。(摄影：西伦·W·亨德森/盖蒂图片社)
旧金山——周二晚在大通中心进行的比赛中，第二节中段，马刺队后卫凯尔·芒加斯 (Kyle Mangas) 面对洛杉矶湖人队完成了一次巧妙的上篮。
迪伦·哈珀再也按捺不住了。
“好样的，凯尔！”哈珀从替补席上大声喊道，同时一跃而起，振臂欢呼。
这不是这位上个月选秀大会上备受瞩目的榜眼秀哈珀，在马刺队于加州精英赛收官战中以88-89的比分在最后时刻惜败洛杉矶湖人队的比赛中，第一次离开座位。
也不是最后一次。
尽管哈珀因为球队所说的“轻微腹股沟问题”而至今未能参加夏季联赛，但他却从未停止过活跃。
周二，他在第一节为内特·门萨 (Nate Mensah) 的补扣上下跳动着鼓掌。在莱利·米尼克斯 (Riley Minix) 命中急停跳投后，他手舞足蹈。大卫·琼斯-加西亚 (David Jones-Garcia) 命中了全部四记三分球，他都为此大声欢呼。
当然，他还曾因为裁判看似的漏判而对他们大声抱怨。
哈珀虽未出战但却从未置身事外，这对于球队其他成员来说意义重大，因为他们当中最受瞩目的新秀正一步步接近他的夏季联赛首秀。
“他带来的能量提升了场上所有人的士气，”周二迎来今年夏季联赛首秀的二年级前锋米尼克斯说道，“当他能上场时，每个人都会看到他在没有踏上球场时所做的一切，而这一切将是水到渠成的。”
哈珀即将到来的首秀具体细节仍不明朗。
进入七月，此前的设想是这位19岁的前罗格斯大学 (Rutgers) 球星会在旧金山休息，然后等夏季联赛移师拉斯维加斯时再上场。
这是否意味着哈珀将在周四马刺队对阵费城队的拉斯维加斯揭幕战中登场，目前仍有待确定。
当被问及哈珀是否仍计划在马刺队“罪恶之城” (Sin City) 之旅的某个时候完成首秀时，夏季联赛主教练迈克·诺伊斯 (Mike Noyes) 采取了谨慎的态度。
“我不知道‘计划’这个词是否合适，但这肯定是我们所希望的，”诺伊斯说道，“我们会做出最有利于长远发展的决定，但作为教练和组织中的每一个人，我们当然希望他能上场。他会帮助我们。”
哈珀首秀的延迟只会加剧人们的期待。
作为一名充满活力的6英尺6英寸（约1.98米）高控球后卫，哈珀是马刺队史中，除大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson)、蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 和维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 之外，选秀顺位最高的球员。
他自带NBA血统，是五届NBA总冠军罗恩·哈珀 (Ron Harper) 之子。在罗格斯大学，哈珀创造了新生得分纪录，并成为该校历史上选秀顺位最高的球员。
随着夏季联赛的开启，球迷们渴望看到他不仅仅是穿着便装在场边助威。他的教练和队友们也同样如此。
哈珀本人亦是如此。
“我知道迪伦想要上场比赛，”诺伊斯说道，“任何一名有竞争心的球员都会如此。”
2025年6月28日，周六，在圣安东尼奥的胜利资本训练中心举行的圣安东尼奥马刺队2025年选秀球员户外球迷见面会上，马刺队首轮新秀卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant)（左）和迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 登台亮相。尽管在加州精英赛未能出战，哈珀凭借其言语上的领袖气质，给队友和教练留下了积极印象，他正等待自己的NBA夏季联赛首秀。
对于马刺队2025届选秀的另一名成员来说，哈珀的首秀真是令人迫不及待。来自亚利桑那大学 (Arizona) 的第14顺位新秀卡特·布莱恩特，自从与哈珀在高中一年级时于AAU联赛 (AAU circuit) 相遇以来，他们一直是朋友。
曾有一段时间，他们计划一起在大学打球，但未能实现。
布莱恩特已经迫不及待地想要在拉斯维加斯，让与哈珀并肩作战的梦想成为现实。
“他是一个非常出色的球员，”布莱恩特说道，“谁会不想和他一起打球呢？我期待着能和他并肩作战。”
马刺夏季联赛队周围的人，即使哈珀还没有真正碰过篮球，也对他的态度印象深刻。
他参与每一次暂停布置，为每一次得分庆祝，是球队最积极的鼓励者之一。他做这一切都是为了队友，而其中大多数人哈珀将永远不会再与他们并肩作战。
其他人也注意到了哈珀在场边的高度投入。
“迪伦是个领袖，”布莱恩特说道，“一支胜利的球队，需要的远不止某一个特定个人，但他知道如何领导，他知道如何培养球队文化。他一次又一次地证明了这一点。”
在接下来的一周某个时候，也许最快是周四，哈珀将穿上他的2号马刺队球衣，首次代表这支球队登场。
然而，在哈珀甚至还没来得及系好球鞋的鞋带之前，马刺队已经从他们这位珍贵的顶级新秀身上学到了一些宝贵的东西。
“他直言不讳，充满活力，自信，而且他是一名团队球员，”诺伊斯说道，“我们很高兴看到这些特质能够体现在球场上，无论是几天后还是几个月后。”
The No. 2 and No. 14 overall picks in the 2025 NBA draft, Dylan Harper (left) and Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs chat with each other while there’s a time out against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic summer league game at Chase Center on July 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Despite being inactive in San Francisco, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs’ first round draft pick Dylan Harper receives his jersey from general manager Brian Wright during a press conference to introduce the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut.
San Antonio Spurs’ first round draft pick Dylan Harper answers questions during a press conference to introduce the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut.
San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, front, and Carter Bryant greet fans as they enter the court during a press conference to introduce the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut.
Dylan Harper reacts after being selected second by the San Antonio Spurs In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Dylan Harper hugs supporters after being selected second by the San Antonio Spurs In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Dylan Harper reacts after being selected second by the San Antonio Spurs In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Former Spur Sean Elliott, from left, interviews the Spurs’ first round draft picks Carter Bryant and Dylan Harper during an outdoor fan introduction of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut.
点击查看原文：Dylan Harper a vocal leader for Summer League Spurs despite injury
Dylan Harper a vocal leader for Summer League Spurs despite injury
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper looks on from the bench against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic summer league game at Chase Center on July 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Despite being inactive in San Francisco, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO — Midway through the second quarter Tuesday night at the Chase Center, a Spurs guard named Kyle Mangas maneuvered for a layup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dylan Harper could contain himself no longer.
“Hell yeah, Kyle!” Harper hollered from the bench as he leapt to his feet and pumped a fist.
It wasn’t the first time Harper, the ballyhooed No. 2 pick in last month’s draft, got off his seat during the Spurs’ last-second 89-88 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers in the California Classic finale.
It was not the last.
Though Harper has been idle so far in Summer League, slowed by what the team calls a mild groin issue, he has been anything but still.
Tuesday, he bounced up and down to applaud a put-back dunk by Nate Mensah in the first quarter. He danced about after Riley Minix dropped in a pull-up jumper. He howled at all four of David Jones-Garcia’s made 3-pointers.
And yes, he barked at officials for perceived missed calls.
Harper has been inactive but not disengaged, and it speaks volumes to the rest of the team as the most highly touted prospect among them closes in on his Summer League debut.
“The energy he brings lifts everybody else up on the court,” said Minix, a second-year forward who made his first Summer League appearance of the year Tuesday. “When he comes back in, everybody is going to see what he’s done without touching the court, and it’s going to be seamless.”
The specifics of Harper’s impending debut remain up in the air.
Heading into July, the assumption was the 19-year-old former Rutgers star would rest in San Francisco and then take the floor once the proceedings moved to the Las Vegas Summer League.
Whether that means Harper will play in the Spurs’ Vegas opener on Thursday against Philadelphia is still to be determined.
Asked if the plan was still for Harper to debut at some point during the Spurs’ run in Sin City, Summer League coach Mike Noyes struck a cautious tone.
“I don’t know if ‘plan’ is the right word, but it’s the hope for sure,” Noyes said. “We’ll make the decision that is best for the long term, but as a coach and everyone in the organization, we want him out there for sure. He will help us.”
The delay in Harper’s debut has only served to heighten the anticipation.
A dynamic 6-foot-6 point guard, Harper is the highest-drafted player in Spurs’ history outside of David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama.
He comes complete with an NBA pedigree as the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. At Rutgers, Harper set a freshman scoring record and became the highest-drafted player in school history.
Now that Summer League has dawned, fans are eager to see him do more than cheer from the sidelines in street clothes. So are his coaches. So are his teammates.
And so is Harper.
“I know Dylan wants to play,” Noyes said. “Any competitor would.”
San Antonio Spurs’ first round draft picks Carter Bryant, left, and Dylan Harper onstage during an outdoor fan introduction of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Despite being inactive at the California Classic, Harper has made a positive impression on teammates and coaches with his vocal leadership as he awaits his NBA Summer League debut.
For the other member of the Spurs’ 2025 draft class, Harper’s first game cannot come soon enough. Carter Bryant, the 14th pick out of Arizona, has been friends with Harper since they met on the AAU circuit as high school freshmen.
For a while, they plotted playing together in college. It did not work out.
Bryant is champing at the bit to make his dream of sharing the floor with Harper a reality at some point in Las Vegas.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Bryant said. “Who wouldn’t want to play with him? I’m looking forward to getting after it with him.”
Those around the Spurs’ Summer League team have been impressed at Harper’s approach even if he has yet to pick up a ball.
He is involved in every timeout huddle. He has celebrated every basket. He has been one of the squad’s biggest encouragers. He has done all of this in service of teammates most of whom Harper will never play alongside again.
Others have taken note of Harper’s level of engagement on the sidelines.
“Dylan’s a leader,” Bryant said. “There’s so much that goes into a winning team than one certain individual, but he knows how to lead. He knows how to cultivate a culture. And he’s shown that time after time again.”
At some point in the week to come, perhaps as soon as Thursday, Harper will slide on his No. 2 Spurs jersey and take the floor for the franchise for the first time.
Before Harper has so much as laced up a sneaker, however, the Spurs have already learned something valuable about their prized top draft choice.
“He’s outspoken, he’s energetic, he’s self-confident and he’s a team player,” Noyes said. “We’re excited for that to transfer to the court, whether it’s in a few days or a few months.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News