“Situational Evaluation” is a sequence of articles that seeks to look at the circumstances that the majority usually affect an NBA prospect’s success. Every participant will probably be scored on a scale from 1-10 in 4 completely different classes: NBA-specific ability(s), deadly flaw(s), collegiate/abroad/pre-NBA surroundings, and best NBA ecosystem.
Dylan Harper is a 19-year-old guard from New Jersey who averaged 19.4 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He’s anticipated to be a top-three decide within the 2025 NBA Draft. NBADraft.internet at present has him projected at No. 2.
NBA-Particular Abilities
You ever watch somebody dribble a basketball for 10 seconds and know past any shadow of a doubt that participant has critical recreation?
There may be an ease and a consolation with how that participant handles the ball. It looks as if the ball has been an extension of that participant’s hand for so long as they’ve been capable of stroll. Via the fakes, the adjustments of tempo, the crosses, the double crosses – the ball is at all times the place that participant desires it. It’s management. It’s polish.
It’s Dylan Harper.
Harper approaches the sport as if he was a 10-year veteran. Regardless of not being essentially the most explosive guard on this 12 months’s class, no one can appear to remain in entrance of him. Harper can get anyplace he desires to go. He weaves by defenses like a shifty southpaw boxer, jabbing, feinting, ducking, and finally touchdown physique photographs on the rim.
Harper tasks as a foul magnet on the subsequent degree. Search for him to dwell on the foul line and probably enter the “moral basketball” debate alongside James Harden, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trae Younger, and different contact seekers. Regardless how you’re feeling about it, these sorts of gamers usually discover themselves on All-NBA Groups and All-Star rosters.
Harper is the type of guard who can each arrange an offense and play off the ball as a secondary slasher/creator. It’s uncommon to discover a participant at his measurement (6-6, 215) who can do each. That measurement and power additionally grants Harper the type of defensive switchability/versatility that can enable him to carry up and even perhaps excel on that finish of the ground.
Very like Ron, his NBA champion father, Dylan Harper brings a number of fascinating abilities to the desk and tasks as a great fifth starter at worst or a multiyear All-Star at greatest. Some scouts see SGA after they see Harper, which appears ludicrous for the time being, however keep in mind – SGA wasn’t SGA when he was drafted in 2018.
On a scale from 1-10, Harper’s polish and flexibility charges at a 9.
Deadly Flaws
Rutgers positive misplaced a whole lot of video games, didn’t they?
Forgive me, however I’ll at all times be not less than barely skeptical of prospects projected to go at/close to the highest of any draft who struggled to really, you realize, win video games. I get it – context issues, and Rutgers didn’t have a whole lot of expertise or help round Harper and Ace Bailey (to be lined later). However this can be a staff that appeared to get awfully snug with dropping.
School basketball has subsequent to no relationship with NBA basketball, and I totally anticipate Harper’s skillset to translate significantly better to the ability/spacing of the skilled recreation, however c’mon. After beginning the season 4-0 in opposition to decrease competitors, the Scarlet Knights by no means received greater than two video games in a row the remainder of the season.
The repetitive dropping caught in my thoughts when evaluating Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz, too. I’m simply mentioning it. Feels related.
Additionally, Harper received’t wow anybody within the athletic checks. He’s not a subpar athlete, however he’s not an eye-popping one, both. Will his start-stop-shifty strategy translate to a league as athletic and complex because the NBA? I feel it would, however it’s one thing to observe, significantly as Harper will get his ft moist.
On a scale from 1 (not a priority) to 10 (critical hindrance), Harper’s funky school season and relative lack of explosion charges at a 7. No purpose to go on him, however one thing to think about.
Pre-NBA Setting
It was apparent immediately. Ron Harper’s child might ball.
He dominated the New Jersey prep circuit earlier than becoming a member of forces with fellow uber-prospect Ace Bailey to remain near dwelling and elevate Rutgers to the nationwide dialog.
No 15-17 school staff ever acquired extra protection.
Harper’s particular person brilliance popped regardless of the up-and-down season and his spotlight reel makes him appear like a future All-Star. However successful basketball is about greater than the spotlight reel.
Maybe his single-best pre-NBA accomplishment got here within the McDonald’s All-American Sport, the place he received co-MVP with Derik Queen (additionally coming later) and appeared like a celebrity amongst future stars. But it surely’s exhausting to essentially dig deep in a prospect’s analysis when we have now but to see him in an actual recreation with stakes.
On a scale from 1-10, Harper’s pre-NBA profession charges at a 5.
Ideally suited NBA Ecosystem
Let’s make this fast: Dylan Harper is probably going going to be drafted with the No. 2 decide. Who will make that decide? Let’s see.
The chances-on favourite to pick out Harper: The San Antonio Spurs. Certain, they’d a lot quite have Cooper Flagg, however Harper is an intriguing addition to the De’Aaron Fox/Stephon Fort/Devin Vassell backcourt. Fort and Harper every have the scale/size to defend larger gamers (Fort particularly has All-Defensive Staff potential) and all three gamers convey sufficient ballhandling and creativity (Harper particularly) to enrich Fox.
Is it a seamless match? Not essentially. Each Fox and Harper are extra snug with the ball of their palms. It might be to Harper’s long-term profit, nonetheless, to discover ways to play off the ball in Fox-heavy lineups and shift into playmaker mode when Fox sits. Groups in right now’s NBA want as many artistic ballhandlers as doable to poke holes within the protection.
The one state of affairs the place Harper performs elsewhere is that if the No. 2 decide is concerned in a deal for a participant like that man in Milwaukee who might or will not be obtainable. The Phoenix Suns would positive like to snag this decide as a part of a Kevin Durant deal, however that appears unlikely at greatest.
On a scale from 1-10, Harper’s situational slot in San Antonio is an 8.5 – not an ideal 10, however it’s fascinating all the identical. New Spurs coach Mitch Johnson can have each alternative to flex his creativity with all of the younger potential surrounding Victor Wembanyama.
