Would Dylan Harper Be the No. 1 Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?

Dylan Harper is evolving.

What was supposed to be a developmental rookie season for the former Rutgers star has turned into one that could bring him a championship in his first year as one of the San Antonio Spurs‘ star players.

Harper had a solid first regular season, averaging 11.8 points and doing the little things to help his team win, but since moving into the playoffs, he’s taken the massive step San Antonio needed to become a legitimate threat to win the championship.

After a quiet first round against the Portland Trail Blazers, he took center stage during the Minnesota Timberwolves series, scoring 24 in Game 4 after Victor Wembanyama was ejected due to a flagrant 2 foul.

Harper’s ascension has raised the question as we prepare for the next crop of rookies joining the league in June: Where would the Spurs guard go in this upcoming 2026 NBA Draft?

As a prisoner of the moment, obviously, if we take the current Harper and what he’s doing against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’d feel foolish not to take him first.

But, if we’re taking Harper the prospect, it becomes a much tougher discussion.

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While I’d have Cooper Flagg as still the No. 1 pick even with the golden crop of blue-chip prospects coming in this 2026 draft, Harper is tougher to place.

In the end, I still think I’d take AJ Dybantsa from BYU over Harper as a prospect, ultimately choosing Dybantsa’s size and scoring upside.

It’s a much more direct competition between Harper and Kansas Jayhawk Darryn Peterson, both of whom are similar in height and build. Peterson most likely has the higher ceiling and looked more polished coming out of college, but there are question marks surrounding him due to his constant cramping and other miscellaneous ailments.

Harper is a safer bet, but Peterson is the lottery ticket that could transform into a top-five player in the league by 2028 or 2029 if the stars align perfectly.

Overall, I think I’d lean towards Peterson as a pure prospect, but Harper has already shown that it would be a massive mistake to overlook him due to his time on a dysfunctional Rutgers squad.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 5:44 PM.