The Rutgers men's basketball team was already set to be exciting next season with Airious "Ace" Bailey set to join the Scarlet Knights in New Jersey. Now, this roster is shaping up to be one of the most talented in the country with its newest addition.
On Wednesday afternoon, Rutgers landed Dylan Harper which will as a result form perhaps the most exciting freshman duo in college basketball next season. Behind Cooper Flagg, the next two highest ranked recruits in the 2024 class are Harper and Bailey, sitting at No. 2 and No. 3 in the ESPN Top 100 respectively.
Harper is a dynamic guard standing at 6-foot-5 who currently plays prep school ball in New Jersey. While he could have gone anywhere in the country to play, he ultimately chose the Scarlet Knights over Duke, Kansas, Indiana and Auburn.
"I have a deep connection with the staff over a long period of time," Harper told ESPN. "Head coach Steve Pikiell, associate head coach Brandin Knight and assistant coach TJ Thompson. Staying at home means everything for me. It is exciting for me knowing everyone who got to see me grow up, like my family, friends and coaches, can see me play. Knowing that I can make a stamp in my home state has always been a thing for me."
Harper will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Ron Harper Jr., who played at Rutgers before making the jump to the NBA. He now is on a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors. Furthermore, the newest Rutgers commit is the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., so the basketball pedigree is deep with this family.
This is a huge deal for Rutgers, who will now have two of the top three freshman talents joining the program in less than a year. As such, talent evaluators will be keeping a close eye on the Scarlet Knights next season to see both Harper and Bailey ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
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