PISCATAWAY, N.J. – It's official on his birthday.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 player in the country, had his signed National Letter of Intent made official to join Rutgers men's basketball's 2024 class as he celebrates his 18
th birthday on Saturday.
"It feels great making this announcement on my birthday knowing all the hard work I have put in and all the hard work my family has put into my game," Harper said. "The connection I have with the coaching staff at Rutgers goes way back and it's a very special day."
Harper is a 6-foot-6, 180-pound combo guard from Don Bosco Prep and Franklin Lakes, N.J., and chose to play college basketball at Rutgers over a top-five list that included Duke, Kansas, Indiana, and Auburn.
Dylan Harper officially becomes the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers basketball history alongside his future teammate Ace Bailey who was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country in the 2024 class. Harper is ranked No. 2 by 247, On3.com, ESPN.com, and No. 3 in the country by Rivals. RU's 2024 class will mark the fourth time in the last 15 years that a college team has landed two of the top three players in the country in the last 15 years.
"In Dylan Harper, we are welcoming a great young man who comes from an outstanding family," head coach
Steve Pikiell said. "We are so excited to officially welcome Harper to the Rutgers basketball family and look forward to him becoming one of the all-time great Scarlet Knights."
The Don Bosco Prep star guard joins Bailey, center Lathan Sommerville (Peoria, Ill.), forward Bryce Dortch (Chestnut Hill, Mass.), and forward Dylan Grant (Mississauga, Canada) in what makes up the top recruiting class in Rutgers men's basketball history.
The only class in school history that compares with the 2024 class is the class of 1972 which consisted of the late great Phil Sellers and legend Mike Dabney before there were even recruiting rankings. Dabney and Sellers went on to be captains on RU's 1976 Final Four team. Next year's class is currently ranked as high as No. 3 in the entire country behind just Kentucky and Duke by Rivals.com.
Harper is of course the younger brother of
Ron Harper Jr., who played at Rutgers for four seasons, led the Scarlet Knights to two NCAA Tournament berths, and was the program's first All-American since Quincy Douby 2006.
"It means a lot that Dylan chose Rutgers because it's a place that's so close to my heart,"
Ron Harper Jr. said. "He's going to be around all the same people who gave me space to grow as a leader, as a person and as a human being. I obviously wanted him to go to Rutgers, but watching him make his own decision, with me giving him his space on it and seeing it still come to life was just surreal.
"He's going to entrust the same people I entrusted my college basketball career to," Harper added. "It's a testament to Coach Pikiell, Coach Knight, Coach Thompson and the rest of the staff over there."
Harper verbally committed to Rutgers on Dec. 6 at Fanatics in New York City alongside former NBA player and ESPN host Jalen Rose. His family of Ron, mother Maria, father Ron Sr., sister Mia, and grandparents joined him on the stage.
"Next year, I'm going to college at Rutgers University," Harper said, as his audience of family, friends, and high school teammates cheered.
"Looking back on that moment it was just surreal," Harper said. "All the people that were there to support me and showed love was amazing. Rutgers has had my back since day one."
The basketball bloodlines run deep in the Harper family as Ron Sr. is a five-time NBA champion and had an illustrious 17-year career in the NBA. His mother Maria has coached her son through youth, AAU, and is an assistant coach at Dylan's high school Don Bosco. Maria played college basketball at the University of New Orleans.
"I wanted to make sure he knew it was his decision and it wasn't about anyone else,"
Ron Harper Jr. said. "I know what it feels like to be chasing shadows and I had to do it with my dad. I never wanted any of that pressure on him. He wants to exceed expectations and as his big brother, I can appreciate that. I would always keep it real with him. I'm always here in his back pocket if he ever needs me for any advice."
Harper grabbed headlines during the 2022-2023 season when he won MVP of the prestigious John Wall Holiday Invitational and started January with a 36-point outburst on Showtime TV against 2023 five-star DJ Wagner. His junior season at Don Bosco Prep ended with a 38-point performance against Bergen Catholic in the North Non-Public A semifinals. He finished the 2022-2023 high school season averaging 23 points.
Harper was one of the most highly decorated players on the Nike EYBL last year and averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists for the NY Rens program. Harper also represented USA Basketball at the FIBA U-19 World Cup in Hungary, where he started two games and averaged 9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
This season Dylan Harper leads Don Bosco as one of the top teams in the country. Harper has led Don Bosco to a 26-3 record so far with hopes of competing in the NJSIAA State Final at Jersey Mike's Arena next week.
Harper is a McDonalds All-American and will compete in the game alongside future teammate Ace Bailey on April 2
nd in Houston, Texas. Harper and Bailey became the first McDonald's All-Americans to go to Rutgers since Mike Rosario. Harper and
Bailey were also named to the Naismith National High School Player of the Year Finalist list last month along with three other players in the nation.
Pikiell and staff traveled from Franklin Lakes to Europe to watch Harper play during one of the best high school careers in New Jersey's history.
Big brother Ron described the emotions he will feel when his younger brother takes the court in his Scarlet Red for the first time.
"It's going to be unbelievable, and I can't wait to see you guys post him on Instagram for the first time,"
Ron Harper Jr. laughed. "I can't wait to see all that content! It's a full-circle moment. I don't know what I'm going to feel when I see him on the court, but I know it's going to be pretty emotional for me and a lot of people."
Harper can't wait to step foot on campus and join his future teammates this summer.
"I think the sky is the limit for us," Harper said. "We all have to put our heads down starting this summer with one goal to win a national championship."
Gallery: (3-2-2024) RU Welcomes Dylan Harper
