Dylan Harper makes history as Rutgers’ highest draft pick, taken 2nd overall by Spurs

Dylan Harper embraces head coach Steve Pikiell after buzzer-beating 3-pointer to defeat Seton Hall in December. Harper became highest-drafted player in Rutgers history Wednesday when selected second overall in NBA Draft by San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

NEW YORK — Dylan Harper arrived at Rutgers in a wave of history, as he and teammate Ace Bailey became the highest-ranked recruits to attend New Jersey’s state university. He added more accolades to his resume during his five months on the floor as a Scarlet Knight, most notable among them the program’s single-season scoring record for a freshman, with 564 points and a 19.4 points per game average.

Therefore it was only fitting that Harper—the native son of the Garden State and second-generation Rutgers star, following his brother, Ron Harper, Jr.— made more history in his official farewell on the banks.

Dylan Harper concluded his Rutgers career Wednesday night by becoming the highest NBA Draft pick in school history, when the point guard was selected second overall by the San Antonio Spurs. The 19-year-old is also the first-ever draft pick produced by head coach Steve Pikiell in his 20-year career between Rutgers and Stony Brook. He will become the third member of his family to play in the NBA, following his brother—who saw action in 11 games for the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons—and his father, Ron, Sr., who won five NBA championships in a 15-year career that saw him play alongside legends the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

“Man, I’m feeling everything,” Harper told ESPN’s Monica McNutt shortly after his selection by the Spurs. “All the emotion…the crying, the laughing, I feel everything, man. I’m excited.”

The youngest Harper quickly made a name for himself and stepped out of his brother’s shadow almost instantly, beginning his own legacy with three consecutive 20-point efforts in his first three collegiate games. Shortly thereafter, he upped the ante with back-to-back 30-point games in the Players Era Festival against Notre Dame and Alabama, the first Rutgers player to do so since 2006, when Quincy Douby—Rutgers’ most recent first-round draft pick before Harper—accomplished the feat.

Harper cemented his name in Rutgers and New Jersey lore on December 14, when his buzzer-beater erased a double-digit deficit and downed Seton Hall. Two weeks later, he tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists for the first Rutgers triple-double since 1983 in a win over Columbia on December 30. Despite Rutgers finishing just 15-17 behind the elite talent of Harper and Bailey, Harper remained grateful to Pikiell and his staff for developing him into the professional he is today.

“It probably didn’t go as everybody expected,” Harper said of his freshman season at NBA Draft media day Tuesday. “But it shaped me to be a better man off the court and a better player on the court, with the coaching staff pouring it all into me for that one year. Obviously, what matters most is winning—and we didn’t do a lot of winning—but from the beginning of the season, me and Ace developed a lot.”

Harper now heads to San Antonio, where he will join the NBA’s two most recent Rookies of the Year in 7-foot-3 phenom Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, who won a national championship last year at UConn. Although his fit in the Spurs’ backcourt may appear somewhat complicated with Castle and De’Aaron Fox also receiving a majority of minutes, he reiterated that he would have no problem fitting in wherever needed, a testament to his work ethic and selflessness on and off the floor.

“Positionless basketball is a thing in this league,” Harper said. “The way to be the best is to play with the best players, being one of those guys who fits in even if you have to sacrifice.”

“I think when you play with a bunch of great players, they bring the best out of you. They’ve got a great young core over there. I’m just ready to get in there and make an impact any way I can with them guys.”