Dylan Harper, the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, is one of the best point guard prospects in the draft. Despite Rutgers’s underwhelming season, the six-foot-six guard has shown throughout the year that he is worthy of being a top-two pick.
Dylan Harper 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
For his lone college season, Harper decided to take his talents to Rutgers, which is where his brother, Ron Harper Jr., attended. With the Scarlet Knights, Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He specifically shot 48.4% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 75% from the free throw line. For his season in particular, Harper had certainly impressed many with his skills. In brief, he successfully demonstrated that he has many qualities needed in a lead guard. While his team didn’t share the same success, Harper enjoyed significant personal success, allowing him to make the All-Big Ten Third Team and the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Strengths
As mentioned before, Harper possesses many skills needed in a lead guard. Specifically, Harper has the potential to be the offensive engine for whichever team drafts him. He is excellent at slashing into the paint and finishing, shooting an incredibly efficient 70% at the rim. With that type of efficiency, Harper can create elite rim pressure using his size, crafty handle, basketball IQ, and footwork. His ability to change his pace, paired with his strength, footwork, and ball-handling will make it difficult for any defender to stop his drives. Also, Harper has largely created his own looks when going to the rim. Not only that, but Harper generates free throws well, averaging 5.8 attempts per game.
Harper’s slashing and ball-handling skills allow him to open the court for his teammates as he is an effective playmaker. His rim pressure will naturally cause defenses to collapse on him, generating open looks for teammates. He has the passing vision to find those open teammates and get passes through tight windows. Additionally, Harper is an expert passer in the pick-and-roll and uses screens effectively.
On the defensive end, Harper has an NBA-ready body that gives him the potential to be a versatile defensive guard. While not necessarily the best defender, he has the physical tools and basketball IQ to be a capable defender at the next level. His size at six-foot-six and his six-foot-ten wingspan give Harper the upside to guard multiple positions and be a switchable defender.
Weaknesses
The clearest weakness in Harper’s game is that he isn’t a consistent shooter, especially on pull-ups. While Harper has shown clear flashes of three-level scoring, he still needs improvement in his consistency. His shooting form looks like it needs to be cleaned up a bit as well. If Harper wants to take his game to the next level, improving as a pull-up shooter is a must. Also, there are questions about whether his scoring can translate to the NBA level. Another area of concern for Harper is that he isn’t a great athlete or the quickest guard. He may struggle defensively against quicker perimeter players. Additionally, while Harper has defensive potential, much of it is still theoretical and will need polishing.
NBA Comparison
Harper’s point guard skills, alongside his physical tools, are reminiscent of several players. One comparison to make is Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, considering that they are both big guards that leverage their size to gain advantages over smaller defenders. Another name that comes to mind is James Harden, who is another big guard. While Harper may not have Harden’s career trajectory, his ability to break down his defender with his craftiness and on-ball offensive prowess spark similarities between the two.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
Top-three pick.
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