The Rutgers Scarlet Knights haven’t found that much success this season. That’s a bit of a surprise, considering that they have the most exciting duo in all of college basketball.
Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are projected to be top-three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, with scouts going back and forth about who should go first between the two young stars.
With that in mind, LeBron James tipped his hat to him, talking about his special talent and the relationship they’ve built because of his friendship with his father, Ron Harper.
LeBron James says Dylan Harper is a ‘special kid’
“I’ve been watching him for quite a while,” James said. “He calls me unc and I call him nephew. I love what he’s been doing at Rutgers but I’ve been watching him for a long time now. A special kid, a special talent. He’s going to be really good in this league, comes from a great family. Me and Harp, his pops, go a while back. I’m excited for what he’s been doing right now at Rutgers and what he’s going to continue to do in the future.”
Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights celebrates defeating Notre Dame Fighting Irish 85-84 in overtime of their game during the Players Era Festival basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 26, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Through 19 games this season, the five-star freshman has posted averages of 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.4 minutes while shooting 48% from the field and almost 34% from deep.
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Unfortunately, Harper wasn’t much of a factor in his team’s loss to Michigan State. He’s dealing with an ankle injury, and it’ll be interesting to see if he decides to play through it or stay healthy for the NBA Draft.
