Rutgers senior forward Ron Harper Jr. has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft he announced on Wednesday afternoon.
“The last four years have been nothing short of a dream come true,” Harper Jr. wrote on his social media channels. “I’ve made countless relationships that will last a lifetime. I watch the RAC/Jersey Mike’s Arena transform into the nation’s best home court advantage. It’s simple. The fans are the reason! These are the fans that have embraced me since I stepped onto the Rutgers campus in 2018. They are the best fans in college basketball hands down.”
“In over 30 years of coaching I have never had a player on and off the court like Ron Harper Jr.,” head coach Steve Pikiell said. “Ron has been the perfect ambassador for the Rutgers men’s basketball team these last four years. He came here when we were only talking about the things that we wanted to accomplish like making the NCAA Tournament. He’s given Rutgers fans some of the best moments in school history and helped lead us to three-straight NCAA Tournament bids. I truly believe that his best basketball is ahead of him, and I am excited to see him, and his family explore the opportunity of the 2022 NBA Draft.”
Harper Jr. was named an All-American Honorable Mention by the Associated Press last week. Harper Jr. is the 11th Scarlet Knight in program history to earn All-America honors. He is the first Rutgers player named All-American since Quincy Douby in 2006.
Harper Jr. was honored as a member of the 2021-22 All-Big Ten 2nd Team, the highest team recognition honor given to RU in the conference. The last time Rutgers had a member of the All-Conference Second Team or better was the same year when Douby was a member of the All-Big East First Team in 2005-06.
Harper Jr. led the team with 15.8 points per game in 32 starts this season. The Franklin Lakes, N.J. native shot 44.2 percent from the field and a career-best 39.8 percent from three-point distance this season, along with 5.9 rebounds per game, a career-best 33 steals and 20 blocks.
Harper Jr. had career-highs of 31 points and six three pointers made in the win over Maryland on Jan. 15. He had 29 points in the victory over Nebraska and shot a perfect 10-10 at the free-throw line on Jan. 8.
All season long Harper Jr. had a knack for knocking down clutch shots for the Scarlet Knights.
Harper Jr. led the way with 30 points and made a memorable buzzer-beating three-pointer to defeat No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 9. He hit another game-winning shot against Indiana at Assembly Hall on March 2 when he sank a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds on the clock. Harper Jr. sunk the game-tying three-point shot with under 10 seconds remaining in the double overtime loss to Notre Dame in the first round.
The Scarlet Knights were 7-0 this season when Harper Jr. scored 20+ points in a game. The forward started the 2021-22 season with four consecutive double-doubles,
In four seasons at Rutgers, has played in 121 games with 109 starts, scoring 1,525 points and collecting 622 rebounds, 94 steals and 78 blocks. He is tied for 12th all-time with RU legend Roy Hinson in points scored and 19th all-time in blocks in RU history.
Harper Jr. received a host of accolades this season, placing him among the nation’s best players. He is currently one of the top five players for the Julius Erving Award, given to the nation’s top small forward. He was also on the preseason Watch List for the Wooden Award, one of 50 players listed for the nation’s top player. Harper Jr. is a two-time All-Metropolitan Player of the Week following his performances vs. Purdue, Michigan, and Nebraska.
Harper Jr. was also honored on the USBWA’s All-America All District team voted on by the writers and the NWABC’s All-America 2nd All-District team voted on by the coaches.
(Release via Rutgers)
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram
