Spurs' Dylan Harper Joins Magic Johnson in Elite NBA Playoff History

Headlines following Monday night’s thrilling Game 1 matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were dominated by Victor Wembanyama, who finished the 122-115 double-overtime win with 41 points and 24 rebounds.

But behind Wembanyama, rookie guard Dylan Harper delivered a masterful performance of his own.

Harper, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft, finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals. With this stat line, the 20-year-old rookie joined Magic Johnson in NBA playoff history.

Harper and Johnson are the only rookies to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in an NBA playoff game. Johnson accomplished the feat nearly 50 years ago in 1980.

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Harper is the third player in NBA playoff history to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in a conference finals game, joining Larry Bird and Julius Erving.

"I thought he was phenomenal, I thought he was even better defensively,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said of Harper’s performance after Game 1. “That young man is everything that everybody is seeing right now."

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Harper’s seven steals in a single playoff game mark the most by any Spur in franchise history.

"My seven steals was kind of a team thing,” Harper said postgame. “It was more just rotations and for me being in the right spots and letting my instincts take over."

Game 2 will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 9:12 AM.