On the first night of the 2025 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Rutgers freshman guard Dylan Harper with the second overall pick.
Shortly after Harper’s name was called out as the No. 2 pick by the Spurs, long-time friend Tahaad Pettiford took to his Instagram account to show his support.
Tahaad Pettiford’s Short but Endearing Reaction to Dylan Harper’s Draft
In a story, Pettiford shared a picture of Harper shaking hands with the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, on his television screen with four hearts and the caption, “My mf brother.”
The two guards share strong New Jersey roots, having grown up through high school and their early basketball careers together. Competing on the AAU circuit and sharing the spotlight as two of the top guards in the country, the two have been close friends and have shared a brotherhood for a long time.
Harper, the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., built a reputation as one of the top players in the 2024 recruiting class. He eventually committed to Rutgers, his brother Ron Harper Jr.’s alma mater, over offers from Duke, Kansas, and Auburn.
Pettiford chose Auburn and proved to be a standout during his freshman year. He decided to return to college for his sophomore season, but not before showing out at the NBA draft combine scrimmage in Chicago. With a 23-point, eight-assist, and two-steal performance, he drew significant interest from first-round teams.
While their paths diverged, with Harper heading to a college near home and Pettiford choosing the SEC grind, their friendship never wavered. They are often seen reacting to each other’s games on social media.
After a dynamic show by Pettiford, leading Team Lazare to a 104-80 win against Team Domercant at the Wintrust Arena, Harper shared a picture of his stats on the jumbotron on his Instagram story, saying, “You one of them ones, brother.”
Pettiford is expected to enter next season as a projected first-round pick in the 2026 draft.
“I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams,” Pettiford told ESPN. “Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn’t 100% this year, so I didn’t want to take that chance.”
Harper, meanwhile, is ready for the Spurs to bring out the best in him.
Dylan Harper is headed to the 210!@Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/8gxnPsLEyH
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 26, 2025
“I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it just brings the best out of you,” Harper told ESPN after being drafted. “They’ve got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact anywhere I can with those guys.”
Harper marks the Spurs’ third straight draft in the top four, after selecting Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama in the last two years.
