Dylan Harper Raises NBA Draft Stock with 36-Point Explosion

Rutgers freshman guard Dylan Harper played lights out in an overtime win versus Notre Dame on Tuesday night.

Nov 15, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) goes to the basket during the second half against the Monmouth Hawks at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In Tuesday night’s matchup between Rutgers and Notre Dame at the Players Era festival, freshman Dylan Harper looked the part of a future NBA star.

Harper did absolutely everything on the offensive end of the court, scoring 36 points on 12-for-22 shooting. He connected on two of his six attempted triples, adding six rebounds and six assists in the process.

With the ball in-hands, Harper mirrored so many talented NBA guards with his scoring prowess, awareness and basketball IQ. He made tough shots, dashed to the paint with ease, connected on long but seamless triples and more. All in all, it was one of the more impressive performances from any prospect so far.

Rutgers eventually won out in overtime due to Harper's heroics, with the Scarlet Knights continuing a heavy dose of the jumbo guard in a heated overtime.

His co-star Ace Bailey saw a tougher shooting night early, but still managed to add 10 points, including the late would-be go-ahead shot in regulation.

Should Harper continue to produce at his current level — which stood at 19.8 points, 5.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds on 54% shooting coming into the game against the Fighting Irish — he’ll likely be a shoo-in as a top-two selection alongside Duke’s Cooper Flagg.

Per NBA Draft on SI’s earlier scouting report on Harper: “As a scorer, Harper is lethal inside the arc as a driver and mid-range scorer. Continued improvement from beyond the arc as a shooter will be key, but he’s at least a solid 3-point shooter today. In the meantime, Harper can generate buckets for himself at any time on the move, whether it’s all the way to the rim or stopping and scoring in the midrange.”

The Scarlet Knights next take on No. 9 Alabama tomorrow in their toughest test of the season so far.

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