Fans of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights probably knew that Dylan Harper would be a one-and-done player for their program. A squad that rarely makes a deep run in March Madness would find any attempts to stop a talented player from making the jump to the pros close to impossible.
Everyone waited for his decision when his final game for the Scarlet Knights this season ended in a loss. While there might have been a little hope that the soon-to-be second-generation NBA player would change his mind, they were certain that he would move on for the sake of his career.
Their fears became a reality when the guard recently announced his intent to join the 2025 NBA Draft class.
Dylan Harper leaves the Rutgers Scarlet Knights after declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft
Rutgers University Athletics released a press conference that one of the most exciting players to call Jersey Mike’s Arena home will be leaving after a successful one-year stint with the program:
“I want to say thank you to my mom, sister, agent, all my family, coaches, trainers, and people that have been there for me since day one,” Harper said in a live interview with Malika Andrews of NBA Today on ESPN. “With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft.”
It was easy to see why Harper decided to make the jump to the NBA. The 6’6″ guard would be a perfect fit in today’s NBA game, with averages of 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals. His shot selection could use a bit of work as he shot for 48% on the floor and 33% from deep.
His final game for the Scarlet Knights saw him put on a show. While his team lost to USC in the first round of the Big Ten tournament, he put up 27 points on 43% shooting, eight boards, eight dimes, two steals, and two blocked shots.
Will Harper get drafted ahead of Cooper Flagg?
Now that Harper has declared for the draft, comparisons between him and Cooper Flagg will continue to persist until Draft Day finally comes.
Many will point to Flagg as the consensus #1 pick in this year’s draft, with some pointing to his mid-season struggles with the Scarlet Knights as a big reason for his lower rank.
However, it’s also hard to deny that both players bring different things to the team that will get to draft them. Harper will back himself to become the game-changing player that a lottery team has longed for.
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