Dylan Harper makes his Rutgers basketball debut during introductions
Watch: Dylan Harper makes his Rutgers basketball debut during introductions
Most high NBA Draft picks head into rebuilding situations. Dylan Harper’s likely NBA destination already is loaded with young talent.
The Rutgers freshman point guard and former Don Bosco Prep star is widely projected to be the No. 2 pick in June’s NBA Draft, and that draft position was secured by the San Antonio Spurs in the lottery May 12. The Spurs already boast budding stars in center Victor Wembanyama and shooting guard Stephon Castle – the past two NBA Rookie of the Year winners.
The 19-year-old point guard from Franklin Lakes in Bergen County is the son of former NBA champion Ron Harper and younger brother of former Rutgers standout and Ron Harper Jr., who is playing in the G League on a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons.
The Dallas Mavericks drew the No. 1 pick, which is a lock to be Duke wing Cooper Flagg, who led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four as a freshman.
Most draft gurus have Dylan Harper at No. 2. ESPN expert Jonathan Givony lists Harper “solidly as the No. 2 pick, with NBA teams drawn to his size and all-around skill set” and added, “His versatility could make him a good fit even for teams with multiple ball handlers, having drawn comparisons from scouts to Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham.”
The NBA Draft takes place Wednesday, June 25 (first round) and Thursday, June 26 (second round) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The last former Rutgers player to be drafted in the first round was shooting guard Quincy Douby in 2006. The Scarlet Knights have two surefire first-rounders this year in Harper and freshman wing Ace Bailey, who spoke about each other during ESPN’s lottery broadcast.
“Dylan’s pace, he won’t let nobody speed him up or slow him down,” Bailey said. “His feel for the game is amazing.”
Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals this past season while shooting 48 percent from the field, 33 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line. He struggled through a nasty flu strain and an ankle injury as Rutgers finished 15-17 and did not come close to making the NCAA Tournament.
At the NBA Draft combine Harper measured 6-foot-4½ barefoot. Rutgers listed him at 6-foot-6. It’s standard for college programs to list players’ heights with sneakers, which add about an inch.
Asked on ESPN to describe what he will bring to an NBA franchise, Harper replied, “a winning personality and a coachable leader.”
Ace Bailey’s destination a bit murkier
Bailey’s destination is more up in the air at the moment. Prognosticators have the explosive 18-year-old wing going anywhere from No. 3 to No. 5 in the first round.
That could mean No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers, No. 4 Charlotte Hornets or No. 5 Utah Jazz.
Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game at Rutgers, exhibiting elite athleticism and versatility. But the Tennessee native was wildly inconsistent. He turned in some sensational performances: 39 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks at Indiana; 37 points, 6 boards and 3 blocks at Northwestern; 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 assists at Nebraska. There also were clunkers mixed in as he struggled with shot selection, ball-sharing and off-ball defense.
“He is a little more polarizing than some of the other prospects currently slated for the top of this draft class,” Givony wrote. “This is due to his extreme contrast of strengths and weaknesses, possibly requiring more work to be done on his part in the predraft process.”
Bailey was the talk of the NBA Draft Combine’s measurement session. Rutgers listed him at 6-foot-10, but his barefoot measurement was 6-foot-7½ — the Scarlet Knights added an inch to his height beyond the customary sneaker inclusion and occasional rounding up of a fraction.
Givony described Bailey as having “All-Star potential with exceptional shot-making prowess and overall scoring instincts.”’
Harper described his teammate to ESPN this way: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone 6-10 who can score the ball like he can.”
Whatever happens on draft night, it should be a good branding event for Rutgers basketball, which only had minor representation in the NBA this past season: Cam Spencer, who spent one season on the banks before transferring to UConn, played in 25 games for the Memphis Grizzlies.
NBA Draft picks: Rutgers basketball players
- 2024: Cam Spencer, who had transferred to UConn (2nd round, 53rd overall by Memphis)
- 2010: Hamady N’Diaye (2nd round, 56th overall by Minnesota)
- 2006: Quincy Douby (1st round, 19th overall by Sacramento)
- 2004: Luis Flores, who had transferred to Manhattan (2nd round, 55th overall by Houston)
- 2003: Dahntay Jones, who had transferred to Duke (1st round, 20th overall by Boston)
- 1991: Keith Hughes (2nd round, 47th overall by Houston)
- 1987: Eric Riggins (3rd round, 62nd overall by Philadelphia)
- 1985: John Battle (4th round, 84th overall by Atlanta)
- 1985: Chris Remly (7th round, 162 overall by Boston)
- 1984: Jeff Allen, who had transferred to St. John’s (3rd round, No. 56 overall by Kansas City)
- 1983: Roy Hinson (1st round, 20th overall by Cleveland)
- 1983: Kevin Black (9th round, 201st overall by New Jersey)
- 1982: Tim Byrne (9th round, 203rd overall by LA Lakers)
- 1981: Kelvin Troy (5th round, 113th overall by Milwaukee)
- 1980: Daryl Strickland (5th round, 105th overall by Washington)
- 1979: James Bailey (1st round, 6th overall by Seattle)
- 1978: Hollis Copeland (3rd round, 46th overall by Denver)
- 1977: Eddie Jordan (2nd round, 33rd overall by Cleveland)
- 1976: Mike Dabney (3rd round, 36th overall by LA Lakers)
- 1976: Phil Sellers (3rd round, 38th overall by Detroit)
- 1969: Bob Greacan (2nd round, 17th overall by Milwaukee)
- 1969: Dick Stewart (10th round, 137th overall by Atlanta)
- 1967: Bob Lloyd (7th round, 69th overall by Detroit)
- 1960: Don Parsons (6th round, 67th overall by New York)
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
