Spurs Guard Dylan Harper Dismisses Comparisons to Magic Johnson, Shares 1 Crucial Thing He Learned From Recent Finals Run

Dylan Harper has been compared to several NBA all-time greats despite being only in his rookie season last year. The San Antonio Spurs ' No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft was compared to James Harden because he is a left-handed guard, just like the 2018 MVP.

He was also compared to Spurs legend Manu Ginobili because of his explosiveness and his role as a guard playing alongside Victor Wembanyama , who himself has been compared to Tim Duncan .

Now, the 20-year-old is being compared to another NBA great, and this one probably came out of left field. The only point of comparison is their respective Finals runs during their rookie seasons.

Wembanyama was undeniably the best player on the Spurs' roster. He led his team to an NBA Finals appearance, won Defensive Player of the Year, and finished as a top-three MVP candidate while doing so.

The only problem was that the Spurs lost to the New York Knicks in five games, with their lack of maturity and late-game decision-making being among the main reasons for the defeat.

Harper, however, has been spared from similar criticism. Many believed he was the most composed player on the floor for coach Mitch Johnson. There were even calls for him to become a starter after his efficient performances.

He averaged 18.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, numbers that were enough for some to compare him to Magic Johnson, who won Finals MVP as a rookie in 1980 after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship over the Philadelphia 76ers .

Dylan Harper on Magic Johnson comparisons

Johnson remains the only rookie to win Finals MVP in NBA history. Harper reached a similar level during his team's playoff run, but the Spurs ultimately fell short.

That is where the two situations differ. The Spurs' incoming sophomore was aware of the comparisons being made, but he insisted that their circumstances were different.

Still, Harper believes there is something he can learn from Johnson's rookie Finals run.

"Yeah, definitely. But a little different, he won, you know. He had the Finals MVP. He had all that," Harper said during an interview with Scoop Robinson.

"But I think, just in a sense, I can compare my Finals run to his run and just see the things that he did to make himself successful. And I think that's probably what I've taken most from it."

Johnson averaged 21.5 points , 11.2 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game during his rookie Finals campaign.

Harper no longer has a chance to win the Rookie Finals MVP, but he can still accomplish plenty more. The Spurs are already projected to be among the top contenders for the 2026-27 season, with Harper, Wembanyama, and Stephon Castle expected to be at the center of their success.