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Dylan Harper selected No. 2 by the San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n
Bryan Kalbrosky breaks down the game of Rutgers star Dylan Harper who was just selected in the NBA Draft.<\/p>\n
Sports Pulse<\/p>\n
Riley Minix\u2019s past 12 months have been nothing short of a whirlwind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft after leading Morehead State to the NCAA Tournament<\/a>, the 24-year old Vero Beach native earned a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> by turning heads at the Summer League.\u00a0<\/p>\n Minix returns to the West Coast for the California Classic and to Sin City for the Vegas Summer League with a different motive from his initial appearance. Last season was simply about making the team.<\/p>\n 2024 March Madness: Vero Beach High School alum Riley Minix set to live out childhood dream<\/a><\/p>\n ‘It’s a blessing’: Vero Beach’s 2028 QB Champ Monds appreciates his action-packed summer<\/a><\/p>\n This year, the 6-foot-7 forward plans to prove that he\u2019s an asset, and, more importantly, that he\u2019s healthy after recovering from a torn labrum in his left shoulder.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think I’m in a good spot,\u201d Minix said. \u201cI know that the Spurs are a great organization and I feel like they trusted me just to keep me on this two-way (contract) even through my injury. I’ve gotten back to work, been rehabbing and growing my confidence back in my shoulder and my body. Coming up soon, I think I’m gonna be ready and I’m confident in that and the work I put in to get back right. I’m going in with a chip on my shoulder, so to speak.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018It was just a normal play\u2019<\/p>\n Minix had his rookie professional season derailed after tearing his labrum during a G-League game against the Iowa Wolves on Jan. 1. He had surgery and was announced out for the remainder of the season two weeks later.<\/p>\n He vividly remembers the play, which appeared routine. Shortly after a slight bump while guarding a ball handler on a drive, Minix reached in for a strip when his shoulder gave out.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no insane fall or crazy catch or rebound, that would’ve been a lot cooler,\u201d he joked. \u201cIt was just a normal play and it just wound up popping out. It was all about, where do we go from here?\u201d<\/p>\n Minix suffered a similar injury on a similar play during his sophomore season while playing for Southeastern University, so he had an idea what the road to recovery would look like.\u00a0<\/p>\n His surgery was performed by Dr. John Kelly, an orthopedic surgeon and the director of the Sports Medicine Shoulder Program at the University of Pennsylvania. From there, Minix worked with the Spurs’ medical team to rehab his shoulder. He credited Marilyn Adams, director of performance therapy, and Logan Sullivan, senior performance therapist, as key members of the staff to get him back to 100%.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think when it first happened, there was a lot of sadness and frustration playing back in my head over and over,\u201d he said. \u201cThen it’s like, \u2018OK, I’m playing for the San Antonio Spurs. I’m going to get a great doctor to look at my shoulder, to do the surgery and then build your confidence in the fact that you have a great group of people around you that are going to help you through the process.\u2019 The fact that I’ve done this rehab and surgery before kind of elevated that confidence even more. \u2026 I think I did a good job of changing my mindset and my perspective throughout the process and getting to the point where it was about improving and not sitting in frustration.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018An amazing moment even though it was just seven minutes\u2019\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Prior to the injury, Minix put up solid numbers while appearing in 19 games with the G League Austin Spurs.\u00a0<\/p>\n He averaged 19.3 points per game on nearly 53% shooting from the field and 42% shooting from 3-point territory. The forward also put up an average of 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The highlight of rookie season occurred on Nov. 6, when he lived out the dream of millions as well as his own.\u00a0<\/p>\n Minix logged his first minutes on an NBA floor as he played the final 6 minutes, 45 seconds of San Antonio\u2019s blowout loss to the Houston Rockets. He missed his only shot from the field \u2013 a 3-pointer \u2013 but he entered the stat sheet with two rebounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was amazing, it was an amazing moment even though it was just seven minutes,\u201d Minix said. \u201cIt was great to be out there with a couple of rookies as well. It was something I had always dreamed about, to play at that level and get on the court. It\u2019s something I\u2019ll never forget, but I believe there\u2019s more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Just getting back out there\u2019<\/p>\n Minix says his left shoulder has been pain-free for the past month, as he\u2019s able to absorb and dish out contact.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to being healthy, the forward enters Summer League with some security with the Spurs as they tendered his qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent when free agency opened on July 1. The organization has the right to match any offer from another team.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, San Antonio\u2019s two lottery picks from this past NBA Draft, will get the brunt of the attention when the ball is tipped off in July. But another storyline to follow is Minix, who is eager to shake off any rust.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s been awhile since I’ve stepped on a court and played an organized basketball game,” he said. \u201cIt’s been just over seven months, so that’s what I’m most looking forward to, just getting back out there.\u201d<\/p>\n 2025 San Antonio Spurs Summer League ScheduleCalifornia Classic<\/p>\n Miami – 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 5 – NBA TV<\/p>\n Golden State – 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6 – NBA TV<\/p>\n L.A. Lakers – 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 8 – ESPN<\/p>\n Vegas Summer League<\/p>\n Philadelphia – 10 p.m. Thursday, July 10 – ESPN<\/p>\n Dallas – 4 p.m. Saturday, July 12 – ESPN<\/p>\n Utah – 8:30 p.m. Monday, July 14 – NBA TV<\/p>\n Charlotte – 7 p.m. Thursday, July 1 – ESPN<\/p>\n Road Trip Essentials<\/p>\n Expedia: Shop discounted airfare, transportation and more\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Kayak: Save on flights, hotels, and more<\/a><\/p>\n Airbnb:\u00a0Travel with the privacy of your own home<\/a><\/p>\n Top wireless charger:\u00a0Yootech Wireless Charger<\/a><\/p>\n Best portable battery pack:\u00a0Mophie Powerstation Plus<\/a><\/p>\n