Dylan Harper can’t help but be thankful.
The highly touted prospect entered his time with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with high expectations. Paired with fellow top recruit Ace Bailey, Harper and the Scarlet Knights began the season ranked No. 25 in the AP poll with hype built around the program.
Rutgers didn’t live up to those expectations, though. The Scarlet Knights went 8–12 in the Big Ten and 15–17 overall, ultimately falling in the first round of the Big Ten tournament to the 16–17 USC Trojans.
It was not the season Harper had anticipated, but he still finds lessons in the journey.
“Just fortunate for the great time I had here at Rutgers,” Harper tells Sports Illustrated. “Even though it looked like we had a lot of ups and downs, I had a great season with a great group of guys and great culture staff. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but just things I’ve taken away in the season is just really [how] I’ll go about my everyday life, it’s the little things that I gotta do.”
With Rutgers opting out of all postseason tournaments, Harper’s college career is likely done. The star guard, who averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 48.4% shooting over 29 games as a freshman, is expected to enter the 2025 NBA draft alongside teammate Bailey and both players are projected to be lottery picks come June.
Despite the Scarlet Knights’ struggles to find consistency throughout the season, Harper looks back fondly at the times the team came together in big moments. From stopping the Nebraska’s 22-game home winning streak to his game-winner against in-state rival Seton Hall and a rallying win over UCLA, Harper has plenty to take with him from his freshman season.
DYLAN HARPER GAME-WINNER!!!!!! 🔥 @RUTGERSMBB pic.twitter.com/1uioEWb3vW
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) December 14, 2024
“I definitely have a lot of great memories off the court with my guys as well,” Harper adds.
As the son of former basketball players Ron and Maria Harper, March Madness was a big deal growing up in the Harper household. Dylan recalls the TV being on “all day” watching the men’s and women’s tournaments at home and school.
Despite not making the NCAA tournament with Rutgers, Harper says he’ll be tuned in to the men’s and women’s games “no matter what.” He plans to root for friends he grew up playing with while enjoying the action, including Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, North Carolina’s Elliot Cadeau and Baylor’s Rob Wright.
Harper is also teaming up with Kinder Bueno this March to give away a year’s supply of Kinder Bueno chocolate bars. Fans can go to Harper’s Instagram post about the “Bueno Buckets” promotion to enter and try to win the big prize.
“My mom always tells me to stay where my two feet are,” Harper says. “[The next] few months are gonna be crazy, but you know, right now we got to focus on one day at a time.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dylan Harper Has No Regrets After Roller-Coaster Freshman Season at Rutgers.
