For five time NBA champion Ron Harper, and his son Dylan Harper, “the son also rises.” If we can get Hemingwayesque here. Actually this is the second instance of the son also rising, as Ron Harper Jr. is currently a member of the reigning champion Boston Celtics. But the potential is there for Dylan Harper to someday, down the line, surpass both of them.
Dylan Harper is the reigning Morgan Wooten National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American Game MVP.
He’s a five-star freshman at Rutgers, and would make a perfect fit for the Chicago Bulls, once his college career ends. After all, the second generation baller thing seems to be a theme with the Bulls.
As we learned about rookie Matas Buzelis, in an exclusive with RG.org, his grandfather, Petras Buzelis, was a standout captain for Zalgiris Kaunas, where he won six Lithuanian menโs championships in the mid-1950s and โ60s.
Another grandfather to the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Arvydas Jankauskas, also played professionally.
So Dylan Harper, or Ron Harper Jr. for that matter, would fit in nicely with the team where their father was an integral part of the second portion of the Bulls dynasty in the 1990s.
“I’ve heard a lot of the Chicago stories too, from his dad, who’s a really good guy,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said of Dylan Harper, in reference to his father.
“Obviously Dylan’s dad had a legacy here (Chicago- where this interview was conducted, at Big Ten Media Days) and a lot of the other NBA teams too. So I think it’s an exciting time for our program and especially for those guys with ties here.
“He’s (Dylan) been a winner from day one. He loves basketball. He’s from a great family, obviously great bloodlines too. He’s unique.
“He passes the basketball. He’s a lefty.
“He’s got great size. He loves being on the court, so he’s happy to be practicing basketball. The court is where he feels most comfortable. He’s talented. He’s going to play basketball for a long time.”
Buzelis started his high school career at suburban Hinsdale Central, and he’s one of several players with local ties: Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago- Morgan Park, Illinois), Talen Horton-Tucker (Chicago- Simeon), Jevon Carter, E.J. Liddell and DJ Steward.
As they try to finally get a rebuild right, for once, why not keep it local/in the family? Keep it familiar?
“We were blessed to coach Ron Harper Junior, so, you know, Dylan was around our program,” Pikiell continued.
“We’re thankful that he wanted to stay home. Could have went anywhere. New Jersey’s important to him. Playing at the State University of New Jersey was part of what he wanted to do.
Pikiell continued discussing the recruitment of the blue chip combo guard.
“Brandon Knight did a fantastic job,” the Rutgers coach said.
“We just wanted him to know that we would take care of him the same way we took care of his brother, blessed that he gave us that opportunity. These guys get choices all the time, and that they picked Rutgers.
“I’m honored that they did, and I’m going to give him a great year. And Dylan and Ace (Bailey) are going to have a great year this year, and that’s all you can do.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank.ย Heโs also theย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ andย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow himย on Linked In and Twitter.
