Rutgers basketball star Dylan Harper officially declares for NBA Draft
03/31/2025 03:52 PM
There was plenty of hype around Rutgers basketball coming into the season with star freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. The team didn’t live up to those expectations, missing out on the NCAA Tournament after a 15-17 season. Despite that, Harper and Bailey still showed off what makes them top prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft.
On Monday, Harper officially announced his intentions to enter the NBA Draft on NBA Today, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
“NEWS: Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper, the projected No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, announced he will declare for the draft on ESPN’s ‘NBA Today,'” Givony reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Harper is No. 2 on most NBA Draft big boards heading into the offseason, just behind Duke star Cooper Flagg. Bailey came into the year as a top-three prospect, but some up-and-down play has seen him slide in some places.
Harper was the rock of this Rutgers team and consistently showed off what makes him such a tantalizing prospect. He stands at 6-foot-6 but also has the ability to be a big lead guard for an NBA team due to strong playmaking feel. While Harper’s defense went in and out at times this season, he has the length to bother ball handlers on the perimeter.
Harper’s primary asset to any team is his scoring. He is a smooth lefty who gets to the rim at will and is a great finisher around the cup. He also gets to the free throw line plenty and should only be able to improve on that skill as he develops more savvy.
The 19-year-old finished fifth in the Big Ten in scoring at 19,3 points per game. He isn’t a great pull-up shooter, but he has a smooth release and looks comfortable getting into his shot with a variety of moves. His willingness to attempt both mid-range shots and 3-pointers is encouraging to go along with a 75% free throw percentage, which suggests that his shot has the potential to improve.
Harper had some of his best games against good competition. He scored 37 points in a very close loss to Alabama in November and dropped 28 in an upset win over Illinois in February. Expect to hear his name called very early on draft night in June.
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