It appears that rookie Dylan Harper got swept up in emotions after his NBA Finals debut ended with the San Antonio Spurs suffering a 95-105 loss to the New York Knicks. The loss centered on one player: De’Aaron Fox, who shot 3-of-13 and scored just seven points. Even Harper, a rookie, felt compelled to publicly critique his own teammate, a rare breach in locker-room code.

According to Internet sleuths, Dylan Harper was allegedly caught reposting a video on TikTok that directly mocked teammate De’Aaron Fox’s dismal performance in Game 1. X user @mymixtapez pointed this out, with the event occurring less than 24 hours after the Spurs surrendered a commanding 14-point second-half lead on their home floor, ultimately dropping Game 1 to the more experienced New York Knicks. Hours after his post-game comments saying, “being on the floor with them [De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle], it’s a blessing,” Harper reshared a mocking video on TikTok.

While Ron Harper Sr., an NBA champion and Dylan’s father, waged an online war against officiating, the rookie guard turned against his own teammate. ‘Allegedly’ because once he realized it, he apparently deleted it. So there’s no way to verify. However, there were enough screengrabs from his 580k followers of it.

The video, which was captured and reshared, showed a clip drawing comparisons between Fox’s severe shooting woes and the historic playoff struggles of Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden.

What should be noted is that shooting woes weren’t limited to Fox. The Knicks forced the Spurs, including Victor Wembanyama, into tougher shots, leading to a poor 3PT efficiency by the whole team. Only Harper broke through: 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds.

Despite the Knicks packing the paint, Harper battled one-on-one but couldn’t carry the load alone. It also left many frustrated that he wasn’t on the floor long enough.

Now his TikTok gaffe is raising concerns of friction within the Spurs’ locker room. Especially with the glaring disparity between the rookie’s stellar Finals debut and Fox’s costly performance.

The TikTok video was quickly deleted from Harper’s profile, but the digital footprint has already ignited intense speculation regarding San Antonio’s internal harmony ahead of a must-win Game 2.

Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox issue a byproduct of Mitch Johnson’s controversial decision

The social media drama has only amplified the immense frustration vibrating through the San Antonio community that’s on edge right now. The most amused of fans felt Harper was completely justified in his implied critique. Fox was arguably the worst player on the floor for San Antonio on Wednesday night, turning in an abysmal 3-of-13 FG and 0-of-4 from the arc and finishing with just seven points. While inside sources note that Fox is clearly not operating at 100% due to a lingering ankle injury, fans and analysts have argued that the grandest stage of basketball is no time for excuses.

In stark contrast to Fox’s sluggish night, Harper did not shy away from the bright lights of his first career Finals game. The rookie sensation emerged as the Spurs’ most consistent spark plug, racking up 16 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance while his aggression on the glass yielded eight rebounds.

Fans pinpoint Johnson’s fourth-quarter decision to bench Harper for Fox as the turning point. This is when Jalen Brunson is mounting a 13-point rally that puts the Knicks in the lead. Harper got only four minutes in the fourth before he was benched. In the 10 minutes Fox got, he was scoreless. Fans questioned Johnson’s decision to bench Harper for Fox.

“I’m going to keep on trusting in the coaching staff, trusting in Mitch, and just having that trust know that they know what’s best for the team, and if they think that’s the best thing for the team, and that helps us win the most, then I’m all for it. So, I mean, obviously wanted to be out there, but ain’t nothing to hang my head,” Harper said.

He also spoke at length about Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox’s importance in the lineup, along with his confidence to adjust for Game 2. The comments right before the TikTok debacle make it all the more jarring.

Despite the circumstances, not many are critical of Harper. Reeling from his late-game benching, fans are validating his sentiments behind posting that TikTok. They’re, however, also scared that this will cause trouble in Game 2.

Moving forward, the Spurs cannot afford a lingering rift between their veteran guard and rising star if they hope to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. For San Antonio to even up the series before traveling to New York, Fox and Harper will need to quickly get on the same page, iron out their grievances, and find a cohesive on-court rhythm. With Game 2 scheduled for Friday evening back at the Frost Bank Center, the ultimate response to this controversy will be under the microscope.