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[Saba Sports News] Dylan Harper was selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, and his proud mother Maria is celebrating the moment right alongside him.
Harper, who is headed to the San Antonio Spurs, now follows in the footsteps of his father, a longtime NBA veteran. But his mother also played a major role in shaping his basketball journey.
Maria Harper, a former college basketball player at New Orleans and a high school head coach, spoke with ESPNW after Dylan was drafted.
“It’s surreal. The NBA is a very, very exclusive club. He’s worked so hard to get here. I’m just proud of him,” she said.
Maria has also coached at Dylan’s alma mater, Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, where she helped guide his development early on.
“She was probably my first ever coach,” Dylan once said. “She’s everything to me. She does everything for me. She’s always a provider, no matter what — hard times, good times, she’s been there for me through thick and thin.”
Dylan had an impressive freshman season at Rutgers, averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He joins a basketball family that includes his older brother Ron Harper Jr., who also starred at Rutgers and is currently working his way up from the G League.