No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper is considered one of the most talented players in his draft class. Having joined the San Antonio Spurs, Harper is set to earn a whopping $56.1 million on his rookie contract, overshadowing his father’s career earnings as a professional. In light of the growing buzz around the situation on social media, Ron Harper gave the perfect response to netizens on X and said:
“You all are worried about the wrong things in life.. the joy of having my kids chase a dream and make it work, that’s awesome. Enjoy”
Ron Harper’s response is a solid reflection of his personality and his faith in his child. Dylan Harper’s draft value and ceiling were always viewed as one of the best in the class. Nearly edged out for the top spot by Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks, the Rutgers guard finds himself on an extremely talented Spurs side, regardless.
The rookie contracts from this season have seen a massive increase in value since Harper’s time. With Flagg earning $62.7 million, the Mavericks star has the potential to earn $1 billion purely in career earnings if he meets the criteria to become a superstar.
In comparison, Harper’s contract of $56.1 million pales in comparison. But considering that his father earned $35 million throughout his professional career, fans were rightfully shocked by the difference in player income.
Much like Flagg, Harper finds himself in a similar position to earn a sizeable income in career earnings, but there will be a few challenges. The Rutgers guard will find himself competing for a starting spot with Spurs star De’Aaron Fox and the reigning ROTY Stephon Castle. While there is some scope for San Antonio to run with a three-guard lineup, Harper will have his work cut out for him all the same.
Regardless, the response provided by his father is a positive sight. Even after his divorce in 2012, Ron appears to be close with his children. Having made an appearance at the 2025 NBA Draft, Ron was quick to embrace his son after he was selected.
The friendly banter between the two was also seen on draft night. When asked during an interview about what he does better than his father, Dylan responded by saying:
“Everything. My dad was definitely a great player. My dad could score the ball, pass the ball, and play defense. But I like to have the utmost confidence in myself.
“So I’m just saying I’m a little better at everything than him,” he continued. “Except for jumping. He might have jumping over me, but besides from that, I got myself.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:DLYo1UitS1W
Dylan Harper’s confidence is commendable, but when compared to his father, he has some big shoes to fill. With Ron Harper’s career achievements of being named to the All-Rookie Team along with his impressive five NBA titles, the champion’s son certainly has his work cut out for him.
