Sports
Dylan Harper: Top college basketball recruit gives update – NorthJersey.com
RAMSEY − Just about everywhere Dylan Harper goes, enthusiastic basketball fans offer their thoughts on where he should play in college.
The 6-foot-6 senior All-American from Don Bosco, among the nation’s most-coveted recruits, handles it with the maturity of someone raised in a basketball family.
“I’ll go out sometimes to the mall, or to get something to eat with my family, and you’re always getting people coming up to you and telling you, ‘This, that, and the third thing,’ and where you should go, and stuff like that,” Harper said calmly.
Harper, ranked as the nation’s No. 2 senior recruit by 247Sports, Rivals.com and ESPN, reiterated Tuesday afternoon that he remains focused on five colleges: Duke, Indiana, Rutgers, Kansas and Auburn.
Harper, whose father, Ron, played 15 seasons in the NBA, and whose older brother, Ron Jr., is in his second season with the Toronto Raptors after starring at Rutgers, said he has no timetable for his commitment.
“I think it’s more of a feel thing,” said Harper, the highest-ranked basketball player to ever come out of football-crazed Bergen County. “I think it will be when I feel most comfortable committing and knowing when the right opportunity is.”
Harper said he has visited Rutgers, Indiana and Duke, but has yet to visit Kansas or Auburn. Asked if he plans to visit those schools, he said, “I don’t know yet.” The college season opens Nov. 6 and the New Jersey high school season tips off Dec. 14.
Whether he follows in his brother’s footsteps from Don Bosco to Rutgers, or leaves New Jersey, the Franklin Lakes resident will make a major impact at the next level. He averaged 25 points, six rebounds and three assists as a junior, and showed he can excel at a variety of positions.
At 6-6 and 215 pounds, Harper could play point guard, shooting guard or small forward in college. During a busy summer, the left-hander worked to improve his long-range shooting.
“I think the biggest area of improvement has been his perimeter shooting,” said Don Bosco’s longtime coach, Kevin Diverio. “He’s been shooting at a very high level during the summer and into the fall here.”
“That’s just putting the reps in, always coming in the gym early mornings, late nights, and just trying to improve my craft,” said Harper, 17, who represented Team USA in the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Hungary. “That’s one of the main things I focused on and emphasized this summer.”
Harper’s summer also included a trip to California to compete at the Curry Camp, named for Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who has changed the NBA with his 3-point shooting prowess. Similar to Harper, Curry’s father, Dell, played in the NBA, and his younger brother, Seth, is also an NBA veteran.
“To pick his brain about certain stuff was really helpful,” said Harper, among a handful to earn honors as an “all-star” at the camp. “The way he emphasizes always moving, no matter if you have the ball or not. Always be involved and engaged in the game, no matter what.”
Harper is more than engaged in the game, thanks to an all-star support system.
His father not only played 15 NBA seasons (1986-2001), he won a combined five titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. His older brother led Don Bosco to two state titles and led Rutgers into two NCAA tournaments. His mother, Maria, played basketball in high school and college and is a veteran assistant at Don Bosco, an all-boys parochial school.
“They’ve really helped me out a lot, and my mom, too, just always telling me, ‘You could have all the fame, all the hype, and stuff like that, but if you’re not in the gym, it could all go away very quickly,’” Harper said. “So it’s keeping me humble, keeping me 10 toes down, just knowing that I have to be the hardest worker.”
Yes, his family helps him keep his feet on the ground, unless he’s about to elevate above the rim. He appreciates the notoriety, but he shows no signs of letting it go to his head. He handles interviews as calmly as a senior as he did as a sophomore and junior.
“I have not seen a difference in him,” said Diverio, whose Ironmen look to repeat as Bergen County champions and vie for a state title. “He’s very humble, kind of goes about his day, and I don’t see a difference from his freshman year to this year in terms of the type of kid he is.”
What Harper will see in the coming weeks and months is basketball fans, especially from the Garden State, continuing to offer their thoughts on where he should play in college. What he won’t see is older brother Ron Jr. donning a Rutgers hat and strongly suggesting he commit to the Scarlet Knights.
“He knows whatever I choose, it’s going to be the best thing for me,” Harper said. “So I think he’s really positive about that.”