Spurs' Dylan Harper Out for California Classic with Injury, Vegas Summer League TBD
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, won't take part in the first leg of the summer league schedule for the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs announced on Tuesday that Harper is dealing with a "minor" groin injury that will keep him out of the California Classic, which runs from July 5-8, but they are hopeful he can play in Las Vegas Summer League.
The Spurs are among four teams participating in the California Classic being hosted at Chase Center in San Francisco. They will be joined by the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
Since the California Classic is a four-day event with each team playing three games, Harper's absence isn't a reason to be concerned. The Spurs being hopeful that he could return for the Las Vegas schedule is a good sign his injury isn't serious.
The Vegas summer league will take place from July 10-20 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Pavilion on UNLV's campus, marking a quick turnaround from the end of the California schedule that could impact Harper's availability.
San Antonio's first two games in Vegas are against the Philadelphia 76ers (July 10) and Dallas Mavericks (July 12). This means if Harper is back on the court, he could square off against No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
Expectations are extremely high for Harper as he embarks on his NBA career. The 19-year-old was an All-Big Ten player during his lone season at Rutgers. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 29 appearances.
The Spurs drafted Harper with the hope he can develop into a star player next to Victor Wembanyama. His development this summer would give them some idea of how advanced his game is, but it might have to wait if he's not physically ready to go.
