Photos from Associated Press, dylharpp/Instagram
Rutgers basketball star Dylan Harper has recently caught the attention of legendary NBA player LeBron James.
In a recent interview with sportswriter Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, James shared his admiration for the 6-foot-6 Filipino American player, praising his skills and work ethic.
“I’ve been watching him for quite a while. He calls me ‘unc,’ I call him ‘nephew.’ Special kid, special talent. He’s going to be really good in this league,” James told Robinson in a video shared on X.
Lakers All-Star LeBron James tells me that he rocks with @RutgersMBB star @dy1anharper and thinks that Harper will be special in the NBA: “Special kid, special talent. He’s gonna be really good in this league, comes from a great family….Me, Harp and his pops go back a while,… pic.twitter.com/UadESiPQFz
—
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) January 28, 2025
“Comes from a great family, obviously. Me and Harp, his pops, go back—a while back,” James said.
The Rutgers freshman guard is the son of former Chicago Bulls star Ron Harper and a Filipina mother who also played college basketball in New Orleans.
“I’m excited for what he’s doing right now at Rutgers and what he’s going to continue to do in the future,” James added.
Harper has become a top NBA Draft prospect, ranking no. 2 on ESPN’s 2025 Draft Board.
On Feb. 3, he was named one of the top 10 candidates for the prestigious Bob Cousy Award, an honor given to the best point guard in men’s college basketball division.
You may also like: A dream come true for Andy Gemao as only Filipino in NBA BWB Global Camp
Dylan Harper’s freshman season
Making waves this season in college basketball with his all-around game and elite scoring, the New Jersey native is averaging 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
View this post on Instagram
His breakout scoring display in back-to-back games against Alabama and Notre Dame, where he scored 37 and 36 points, solidified his status as a premier player.
Harper has been off the court due to a sprained ankle he suffered during a game against Penn State on Jan. 20, which worsened in the following game against Michigan State.
Because of this injury, he missed the game that Rutgers lost to Northwestern.
“(Harper) tried to play on it, so he’s going to try to get back as soon as he can. I wish I had a timeline on it. Need him back,” head coach Steve Pikiell told App News.
The post LeBron James praises Fil-Am NBA prospect Dylan Harper appeared first on USNewsRank.
Discover more from USNewsRank
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.