How to Guard Dylan Harper
Dylan does most of his damage from at the rim (45.6% of his attempts) and is a below-the-arc scorer. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where Dylan scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend Dylan
Wall off the paint early
Dylan takes 45.6% of his shots at the rim and finishes 63.6% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup.
Go under screens, sag into the paint
He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (34.9% on 186 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
Where the ball goes when you help off Dylan
His most frequent assist targets this season. When he collapses the defense, these are the outlets to rotate to first.
Quiet edges on Dylan
- Clutch FG% is +9.5% vs season average — rises to the moment
- Barely affected by tight contests — 56.3% contested vs 53.5% open. Contest quality matters more than contest frequency.
Get Dylan's full matchup plan
HoopBrief turns this shot profile into a complete plan: the exact coverage to run, positioning, what to take away first, and the mistake to avoid, in your own coaching lens. Ask it directly.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard Dylan Harper?
Wall off the paint early: Dylan takes 45.6% of his shots at the rim and finishes 63.6% there. Build the wall before he turns the corner and force the ball back out rather than meeting him at the cup. Go under screens, sag into the paint: He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (34.9% on 186 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
What is Dylan Harper's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, Dylan is least efficient on his three-point attempts (34.9% on 186 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is Dylan Harper a good three-point shooter?
Dylan has taken 186 three-pointers this season and made 65 of them (34.9%). That share of his offense (27.1% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does Dylan Harper average?
Dylan is averaging 11.8 points per game this season, along with 3.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect Dylan Harper's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.