Dylan Harper's mother stole the show on Wednesday night. After the former Rutgers standout was selected by the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, social media was set ablaze as Maria Harper joined Dylan and his older brother, Ron Jr., for a post-draft interview with ESPN's Monica McNutt.
Viewers were captivated by her striking presence. What caught many off guard was that Maria accompanied her son on camera, while his father — five-time NBA champion Ron Harper — remained seated in the audience. However, on Tuesday, Dylan explained that it made perfect sense: his mother had been his toughest motivator throughout his basketball journey.
Right Person to Join Son
In fact, Maria coached him all the way from first grade through the end of high school — a meaningful experience they both cherished. "His flat-out love for the game, his determination, hard work and humility, day in and day out," an emotional Maria told ESPN when asked about what had led her son to the NBA.
Her brief appearance on TV sparked a frenzy among basketball fans, with thousands flooding social media in awe.
"Dylan Harper's mom is top notch," one viewer wrote on X, while another said: "Dylan Harper's mom is about to go viral man."
"Respectfully Dylan Harper's mom is an absolute smoke show," wrote another fan.
Maria, who is of Filipino descent, moved to the United States when she was just 7 years old and was raised in Paterson, New Jersey.
While Harper is the son of former Los Angeles Lakers star Ron Harper, it's his mother who has played a pivotal role in his journey to the NBA.
Maria coached Dylan during his childhood and has a basketball background of her own, having played Division I hoops at the University of New Orleans.
Maria and Ron first met in 1998 and married in 2005. They became parents to Ron Jr. in 2000 and welcomed their second son, Dylan, in 2006.
Perfect Idol
Maria Pizarro, now 50, and Ron Harper ended their marriage in 2012 after seven years together. They share three children, including Dylan and a daughter. In a 2023 interview with The Athletic, Maria spoke openly about the major impact she had on his development, both on and off the court.
"I'm not big on girlfriends or house parties," she said. "We get up, we go to school, we have our activity, whether it's basketball or it's dance, we get our homework done, and that's about it. That's the tone that I set in the household."
She said of her son's abilities: "What makes him good is that he's a Swiss army knife. He sees the floor like an eagle. He knows how to get his teammates involved.
"He's a very capable scorer if you need him to be, but because he has a point guard mentality, he wants his teammates to succeed, even before himself."
Harper is set to join up with Victor Wembanyama and his new teammates following a challenging year for the Spurs.
San Antonio ended the season ranked 13th in the Western Conference, posting a 34-48 record. The team also faced difficulties when their iconic head coach, Gregg Popovich, had to temporarily step away after suffering a stroke midway through the season.
