When it comes to college basketball, the hottest name in town is Duke Blue Devils star freshman Cooper Flagg. He started the season strong and is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
But right next to him is fellow five-star freshman Dylan Harper. He was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2024 class and immediately burst onto the scene with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Harper, a native of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, chose to remain with his hometown team and committed to Rutgers, attracting fellow five-star freshman Ace Bailey, who was the No. 2 overall recruit for the cycle.
Bailey garnered attention early with a 25-point performance in an exhibition game against St. John's, but the 6-foot-9 wing missed the first two games of the season, leaving Harper in the spotlight early at Rutgers. paved the way for obtaining .
And the 6-foot-3, 215-pound point guard did just that. Harper began his collegiate career scoring 20 points in three consecutive games, shooting 57.5 percent from the field and dishing out 3.7 assists, which was better than Rutgers' first three wins.
With Bailey back on the team and Harper not letting up on the gas, the two stars will find a way to coexist nicely, leading to a thriller in Tuesday's Players Era Tournament featuring Rutgers, Notre Dame, Alabama and Houston. .
It was a Harper show for the Scarlet Knights on Tuesday against a high-octane Fighting Irish team, with the point guard exploding with 36 points on 12-of-22 shooting, the most points in a game by a freshman this year. Marked.
This was a dominant performance by the freshman, as Harper got to the free throw line 14 times and progressed smoothly inside the arc, leading to a very efficient performance. The five-star player filled the stat sheet, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out six assists and turning the ball just once, proving a calming presence in Rutgers' backcourt.
Bailey struggled with his shot, making just four of 12 attempts. Harper won in overtime, 85-84.scored eight of Rutgers' 16 points in overtime, including a free throw when he reached the line with 11 seconds left in the game.
It was a memorable moment as the New Jersey native found a way to shine in his biggest test yet, with the lights bright and the game on the line. What made things even more special was that Harper performed in front of his father, Ron Harper Sr., who enjoyed the moment courtside.
“The bigger the stage, the bigger performances you're going to see from him,” said his father, Ron Harper Sr. Via nj.com. “I already know that because he was raised that way. Raised by an older brother who could play. His old man won those championships. Now it's all about him.”
If you thought those were the words of a talented freshman, think again. Because when Rutgers faced Alabama on the second day of the in-season tournament and found a way to shine under the bright lights again in an even bigger test, Harper found a way to rack up winning plays in another tightrope match. It is.
Facing a ferocious Crimson Tide attack, Harper was the spark that led the Scarlet Knights once again, but they fell just short in a 95-90 loss that lasted until the final seconds.
In Wednesday's game, Harper scored 37 points, surpassing the freshman season record he set the night before, making 11 of 19 from the field and making a series of quality shots to the rim in the second half.
The point guard once again had a blast at the free throw line, making 15 of 16 from the charity stripe. And he was in attack mode all night en route to a major scoring performance, getting help from his five-star counterpart Ace Bailey. He scored 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field.
The Crimson Tide shot 51.7 percent from the field and had a significant three-point advantage, which wasn't enough to counter Alabama's offense.
But Harper played the role of an NBA guard in his seventh game of his collegiate career, finding a way to be surprisingly efficient at the rim while showing point guard qualities by involving his teammates and limiting turnovers. There is.
If Rutgers is going to make any noise this season, Harper will undoubtedly be one of the leaders of that charge, and it was a memorable two days for the five-star freshman here at the Players Era Festival.
