Dylan Harper has directly addressed speculation surrounding his relationship with De’Aaron Fox, dismissing suggestions of tension between the San Antonio Spurs guards and emphasizing Fox’s role in his development during his rookie season.
In an exclusive conversation with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of ScoopB.com, Harper said he and Fox “never had a problem” despite online narratives questioning whether the backcourt could successfully coexist. Harper described Fox as a mentor and a major part of San Antonio’s future.
“I feel like what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained,” Harper said. “Fox basically took me under his wing my whole first year and helped me and allowed me to grow in this space.”
Harper also rejected the idea that sharing the floor with multiple ball-handlers created a problem for the Spurs. San Antonio featured Fox, Harper and Stephon Castle together during its run to the NBA Finals.
“My thing is, me and him never had a problem playing with two to three ball-handlers on the floor,” Harper said. “Everyone last year said that it was not going to work, this, that and the third, but I think it worked pretty fine this year.”
The results supported Harper’s argument. The Spurs finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 62-20 record before advancing to the NBA Finals, with Fox averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists in 72 regular-season games.
Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 11.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 69 games while shooting 50.5% from the field. He then increased his production in the postseason, averaging 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field across 23 playoff games.
Fox averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 21 playoff games, although his shooting efficiency dropped to 41.4% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range.
Harper said his relationship with Fox extends beyond basketball, explaining that he has become close with Fox’s family and considers the veteran guard almost like an uncle.
“He’s taught me so much about the league and how to grind and just take control of the game,” Harper said. “He kind of like—he just teaches me things that I don’t think anyone else that hasn’t been in his position could teach me.”
Harper also emphasized the versatility of San Antonio’s three-guard combination, pointing to their ability to contribute on both ends of the floor.
“I feel like there hasn’t been a team like us assembled where we all play both sides of the ball and we’re unselfish all the time,” Harper said.
The comments come after Harper’s first NBA season ended with a Finals appearance. Although the Spurs fell short of the championship, Harper said he has spent the offseason reviewing the experience and preparing to help San Antonio take another step forward.
For Harper, that development includes strengthening his body, improving his shooting and handle, and applying what he learned during his first season. His comments also make clear that he views Fox not as a roadblock to his development, but as one of the players helping accelerate it.
