2025 NBA Draft: Dylan Harper makes major announcement as Rutgers' season ends after loss to USC

Modified Mar 31, 2025 22:39 GMT

Dylan Harper makes a major announcement for the 2025 NBA Draft (Image Source: Imagn)

Dylan Harper, son of former NBA player Ron Harper, is entering the 2025 Draft after just one season of NCAA basketball. Harper's freshman year ended when Rutgers was eliminated in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. The promising talent finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in his final game of college basketball.

Harper made history at the age of 19 before even playing a game for Rutgers. In the university's history, he is regarded as one of the most respected recruits.

The news was announced by the son of the former Chicago Bulls star during Monday's broadcast of ESPN's NBA Today.

"I'll be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft," Harper said.

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Harper has the chance to be a high draft pick this year. Many mock drafts believe he could enter the league as the No. 2 pick, right behind Duke's Cooper Flagg. According to Bleacher Report's mock draft, the Rutgers star could end up being drafted by the Washington Wizards with the No. 2 pick.

This season, Harper has left a lasting impression with how well he's played. Through 29 games played, the 6-foot-6 guard has averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists. However, one area he needs to work on is his outside shooting. He shot 33.3% from deep during his freshman year.

Harper may become the first player directly selected from the Rutgers program since 2010, according to a Sports Illustrated piece by Karl Rasmussen. Hamady Ndiaye was the last member of the program to be drafted into the league. The Minnesota Timberwolves selected the Senegalese big man with the 56th pick in the draft.

Also read: "What a waste": Fans get ruthless with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper following first-round exit vs USC in Big 10 conference tournament

Executives view Dylan Harper as the "safest option" as the No. 2 pick

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie reported last month that many executives think Dylan Harper is the clear choice for the No. 2 pick. This is despite Rutgers missing out on the NCAA tournament.

Even ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote that executives believe the guard is the "safest option" at the No. 2 pick. This is because of the polished game and poise he presented in his lone season in college basketball. According to Woo, an unnamed Western Conference general manager believes teams can build a solid team around Harper.

"I think he should be [No.] 2. Isn't he what everyone is looking for? An offensive orchestrator with size... You can build a successful offense around the guy," Woo wrote.

The Draft Lottery on May 12 will determine which teams have a chance to select the star guard.

Also read: 5x NBA champ Ron Harper's son Dylan Harper drops 3-word reaction on post showing best father & son duos

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl