Ron Harper Jr. Declares for 2022 NBA Draft

Rutgers forward Ron Harper Jr. announced earlier today that he is declaring for the NBA Draft and will not return to Rutgers next season.

While Harper Jr. was technically a senior, he still had eligibility due to the extra COVID year players received. In his senior season he averaged 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 39.8% from three.

“I’m ready to put myself out there to get myself in the best position possible to be drafted,” Harper said. “I’m going all in.”

Harper finished this season as an honorable mention All-American and was also a second team All-Big Ten selection. While the draft is still several months away, he currently projects as a second-round pick.

His emergence throughout his career at Rutgers was huge for the program, launching a Big Ten bottom dweller and turning them into a consistent NCAA Tournament caliber team. While the Scarlet Knights ended up losing in the First Four this year, Rutgers received a four seed in the Big Ten Tournament and picked up a double bye before losing to Iowa in the quarterfinals.

If Harper is drafted he will be the first player from Rutgers drafted since Hamady N’Diaye was selected in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.