NBA Draft: The Questions Surrounding Dylan Harper

The Rutgers guard has played so well, questions around have begun to materialize...

Dec 21, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball while being defended by Princeton Tigers guard Dalen Davis (22) and guard Blake Peters (24) during the first half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images / Tom Horak-Imagn Images

In recent weeks, Dylan Harper has become a type of question.

"Did we expect him to be this good?" 

"Is his upside higher than we thought?" 

"Could he challenge Cooper Flagg for No. 1?" 

The Rutgers guard has been, in a word, impressive. Just 12 games into the season, Harper is averaging 23.3 points per game, with 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists to boot, while canning over 52% of his shots and getting to the line seven times per game.

The son of Ron Harper kind of looks like his dad in many ways. The production speaks for itself, but his patience and on-court feel is what sets him apart.

Harper just gets what constitutes a good shot, at the right time. 

Granted, at 6-foot-6 and a sturdy 215 pounds, Harper also has the ability to force the issue, and overpower his defender to the point where the majority of his shot attempts look good. 

But that's a plus, not a minus, especially as he'll have a similar size advantage at the point guard position in the NBA. Because there's no way around it: He's huge for his position, and his raw physical strength only adds to his intrigue. 

(The fact that his size also allows him to receive minutes at off-guard, and even spot minutes at the wing, is additionally alluring to NBA teams.) 

With Harper having generally leveled up, since arriving in college, NBA teams are asking themselves a different set of questions, that are more skeptical. 

"Is his production sustainable?"

"Can we trust his long-range shooting?"

"Does he have athletic pop for the NBA on a night-to-night basis?" 

These questions aren't meant to tear him down, but rather to complete their due diligence. We've seen players dominate statistically in college before, only to slip through the cracks in the NBA, and never realize their potential. (Michael Beasley is a prime example of a player who dominated his competition, but never quite was able to find his way in the league.) 

Harper, by all accounts, isn't cut from that cloth. The fact that he comes from a basketball family, and his father has won four NBA championships, suggests he understands what it takes to transition from college star, to become a positive influence on an NBA team.

It'll be interesting to see how he maintains his level for the rest of the season, and whether or not he can overtake Flagg in a potential race for No. 1.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac.

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