Dylan Harper’s Steady Rise to the 2025 NBA Draft
Dylan Harper doesn’t race. He glides.
In a game addicted to speed, the 6-foot-6 combo guard from Rutgers made his name by mastering the pause. A hesitation here. A slow step, then a burst. “He has a change of speed that is real deceptive,” former Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson said. “You kind of got him corralled and then he has that hesitation… and then that next burst and he is at the rim. He has really good body control.”
This isn’t just style — it’s substance. Harper is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the 2025 Draft. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game as a freshman, finishing third among NCAA freshmen in scoring and fifth in the Big Ten overall. In back-to-back games against Notre Dame and No. 9 Alabama last November, he dropped 36 and 37 points, becoming the first D-I freshman in 20 years to go 35+ in consecutive contests. And on December 30, he made history again with the first triple-double by a Rutgers player since 1983.
A Rising Star With Deep Roots
While Harper’s name has been climbing NBA draft boards all season — currently projected to go No. 2 overall, likely to the Spurs — his roots run deeper than basketball.
His mother, Maria Pizarro–Harper, grew up in Bataan, Philippines before immigrating to the U.S. at age 7. She played college ball at the University of New Orleans and later coached her son at Don Bosco Prep. Dylan’s maternal grandfather, Manuel Pizarro, represented the Philippines in jai alai at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
“I’m proud of that side of my family,” Harper has said. Though he hasn’t visited the Philippines yet, he plans to “sooner rather than later,” eager to connect with the culture that shaped his mother and grandfather.
For Filipino fans, Dylan isn’t just another American star — he’s one of us. A Filipino-American athlete on the brink of NBA stardom, following a path once considered out of reach.
The Resume Dylan Brings
There’s no lack of hardware on Harper’s shelf. He was:
– A 2024-25 AP All-America Honorable Mention
– A Third Team All-Big Ten pick (media)
– One of 15 players on the Wooden Award National Ballot
– A Top 10 candidate for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award
– Ranked No. 4 overall by ESPN in the Class of 2024
He set a Rutgers freshman scoring record with 564 points and delivered a 27-8-8 line against USC in the Big Ten Tournament that had scouts scribbling stars.
His game is hard to peg into a box. He’s not the fastest guard in the class, nor the bounciest — but he gets to his spots, creates lanes out of nothing, and sees plays unfold before they happen. A smart pick-and-roll operator with deceptive strength, he’s hard to speed up and even harder to stop.
Built for the Big Stage
Harper’s pedigree is rare. His father, Ron Harper Sr., won five NBA championships with the Bulls and Lakers. His older brother, Ron Jr., also starred at Rutgers and just wrapped a stint as a two-way player with the Detroit Pistons.
That elite training came full circle last summer when Dylan worked out with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — a rite of passage for the next tier of pro-ready guards.
Now, all signs point to San Antonio. Barring a last-minute trade, the Spurs are expected to take Harper at No. 2 behind Duke phenom Cooper Flagg. Teams like the 76ers tried to move up for him, but it’s unlikely anyone leapfrogs San Antonio’s pick.
The fit makes sense. The Spurs value talent, character, and feel — three of Harper’s biggest strengths. His Filipino fans? They’re ready for the ride. From Bataan to the Big Ten, to maybe the Frost Bank Center and beyond.
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