Accolades
2021-22
- Honorable Mention All-American (Associated Press) - first RU All-American since Quincy Douby and first since Quincy Douby in 2005-06 (11th all-time)
- Second All-Big Ten selection (Coaches and Media)
- Highest all-conference honors for a Scarlet Knight in the Big Ten and highest all-conference selection for a RU player since Quincy Douby in 05-06
- First Team All-ECAC
- NABC Second Team All-District
2020-21:
- Third Team All-Big Ten
- First Team All-Met
- Academic All-Big Ten
2019-20:
- Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
- Second Team All-Met
On Rutgers' All-Time Lists:
Year-By-Year
2021-22 (Senior):
• Honored on the 2021-22 2nd Team All Big Ten, the highest team recognition honor given to RU in the conference.
• Leads team with 15.7 points-per-game
• Had career-highs of 31 points and six three pointers made against Maryland.
• Had 29 points in the victory over Nebraska and shot a perfect 10-10 at the free-throw line.
• Started the 2021-22 season with four consecutive double-doubles
• Led the way with 30 points and made a memorable buzzer-beating three-pointer to defeat No. 1 Purdue.
• Two-time Metropolitan Player of the Week following performances vs. Purdue and Michigan/Nebraska
• In four seasons at Rutgers, has played in 115 games with 12 starts.
• Nominated as a top 5 finalist on the 2022 Julius Irving Award Watch List given to the nation’s best SF.
• Entered named into NBA Draft process, but announced that he would
return to Rutgers for 2021-22 season
- On the Watch List for the Julius Erving Award (one of top 10 for nation's top small forward)
- Opened season with four consecutive double-doubles
- Scored 30 points, making buzzer-beating halfcourt shot to defeat No. 1 Purdue
- Named Metropolitan Player of the Week following the performance
- Posted 29 points in win over Nebraska
- Set new career-high with 31 points on career-high six three-pointers in leading RU to win at Maryland
- Scored 21 points to lead team in win at No. 14 Wisconsin
2020-21 (Junior):
- One of final 20 players on the Watch List for Wooden Award (nation's top player)
- One of five finalists for the Julius Erving Award (nation's top small forward)
- Named to Lute Olson Award Watch List
- Named top defensive player in the Big Ten in preseason by Lindy's Sports
- Ranked as No. 20 player in the nation midseason by ESPN.com
- Set career-bests in points (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rpg) on 44.1 percent shooting from the field
- Scored 20+ points in seven games and had double-digit points in 21 of 28 games played
- Finished 13th in the Big Ten in scoring (14.9 points per game)
- Posted double-double in season opener versus Sacred Heart (Nov. 25) with 18 points and 10 rebounds
- Set career-high with 30 points against Fairleigh Dickinson (Nov. 27)
- Led team with 26 points in win over Syracuse (Dec. 8)
- Notched 27 points, 19 coming after halftime, to lead team in victory in Big Ten opener at Maryland (Dec. 14)
- Posted 28 points and nine rebounds in win over No. 13 Illinois (Dec. 20)
- Named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com and College Sports Madness (Dec. 21)
- Led team with 20 points at No. 23 Ohio State (Dec. 23)
- Posted 20 points (four made three-pointers) and 8 rebounds against Indiana (Feb 24)
- Had double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in win over Indiana in Big Ten Tournament (March 11)
- Scored 21 points in Big Ten Tournament against Illinois (March 12)
2019-20 (Sophomore):
- Named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and Second Team All-Met
- Paced the team in scoring with 12.1 points per game and was second with 5.8 rebounds and 25 blocks
- Shot 45.2 percent from the field and posted 32 assists and 25 steals
- Played team-high 871 minutes (28.1 minutes per game).
- In Big Ten Conference games, had team-leading 11.9 points and averaged 5.6 rebounds on 43.4 percent shooting
- Starter at forward in all 31 games, one of two players to start all 31 contests
- Ranked 15th in the Big Ten free-throw percentage (70.8%), 17th in rebounding (5.8)
- Scored in double figures 18 times this season including five outputs of at least 20 points and 10 times leading the team in scoring
- Versus nationally-ranked foes, averaged 16.1 points-per-game while shooting 50 percent from the field, 87 percent from the free throw line, and collected 6.3 rebounds
- Named MET Player of the Week following game-high 18 points in win over No. 22 Seton Hall (Dec. 13), earning Joe Calabrese Game MVP Honors
- Scored career-high 29 points at No. 19 Iowa (Jan. 23), RU’s highest point total of the year
- Posted two double-doubles, with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Pittsburgh (Dec. 3) and 11 points and 10 rebounds at Nebraska (Jan. 3)
- Made 12 free throws in win over Penn State, tied for most ever by a RU player in a Big Ten game.
2018-19 (Freshman):
- Played in all 31 games, starting 18
- Averaged 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds
- Scored in double-digits 10 times, eight of those coming against Big Ten foes
- Among Big Ten freshmen in regular season, ranked seventh in blocks, 10th in assists, 14th in scoring and 14th in rebounding
- Scored 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting in win at No. 22/21 Iowa (March 2) to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Scholastic:
- A 2018 graduate of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey (N.J.)
- Rivals four star prospect
- Varsity Aces North Jersey Player of the Year who helped the Ironmen to their second straight Tournament of Champions (TOC) Final in 2017-18 under head coach Kevin Diverio
- Averaged 20.8 points-per-game, including 31 in the TOC final, to help Bosco to a 29-3 record and the State Non-Public A and Bergen County Jamboree titles
- Earned NJHoops.com First Team All-State, NJ.com Second Team All-State and First Team All-Bergen County honors
- Denoted as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports
- Averaged 10.1 points-per-game as a junior to help the Ironmen win their first NJSIAA Non-Public A title in 47 years
- Had 17 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in TOC semifinal victory over Linden
- Was recognized as a Standout Performer at the Oladipo Skills Academy in July 2017
- Competed on the AAU circuit for Ring City
Personal:
- Son of Maria and Ron Harper
- Mother played collegiately at the University of New Orleans
- Father was an AP All-American at Miami (Ohio) and had a 15-year career in the NBA, winning five titles combined with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, while averaging 13.8 points over 1,009 career games
- Signed with the Scarlet Knights over reported offers from Nebraska and Miami (Ohio)
- As signee, along with classmate Montez Mathis, provided Rutgers multiple four-star signees in the same class for the first time since 2008
- Major is Journalism & Media Studies
Feature:
Ron Harper Jr.: Hometown Hero |
2019-20 in Photos
Know Your Knights: Ron Harper Jr.
One word to describe Coach Pikiell: Hyper
Favorite Rutgers basketball player, past or present: Myles Mack
Best friend(s) on another collegiate team: Marcellus Earlington (SJMBB) & Tyler Friday (OSUFB)
Best player ever faced: Jahvon Quinerly
If I wasn’t playing basketball, I’d be: An actor
Favorite professional athlete: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Favorite professional sports team: Eagles
The person I most admire is: My mother
One word to describe myself on the court: Collected
One word to describe myself off the court: Funny
Few people know that I…: am the best 2k player on the team
Person who had greatest influence on my athletics career: Mother
I started playing basketball because…: My mom and dad
I chose Rutgers because…: JERSEY
The thing that most surprised me about Rutgers is...: The hospitality
I selected my jersey # because…: Kobe
Favorite cereal: Fruity pebble
Favorite pizza topping: Pepperoni
Favorite amusement park ride: El Toro
My first trophy was for…: Winning a tournament
Movie I have watched the most: Friday
Favorite musician/group: A boogie
The first song I knew all the words to was…: ABC
Favorite superhero/animated character: Spiderman
Famous people I have met include…: Michael Jordan & Lebron
Rituals I have before, during or after a game are…: None
If I didn’t have to sleep, I would do this with my extra time…: Play basketball
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would have a good chance at winning medal at…: NBA 2K19
Pets I had growing up were: Fish
The website I visit most often is…: Youtube
If my life was a book, the title would be…: JR.
My spirit animal is…: Caleb McConnell
Is it Taylor ham or pork roll?...: Taylor Ham
