Former Rutgers basketball star Ron Harper Jr. put in a solid effort for the Toronto Raptors in an 80-69 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Sunday’s Summer League action.
Harper signed a two-way contract with the Raptors after going unselected during the 2022 NBA Draft. His efforts on both sides of the court have been strong enough to be considered for the roster.
After having up-and-down offensive performances in his first few games, he followed up this past Friday’s strong performance against the Miami Heat with another double-digit scoring day against the Bucks. Harper couldn’t find his stroke from deep, missing all five attempts from beyond the arc. He did get the action going inside though, going 3-for-5 from the floor and finished the game with 10 points.
Ron Harper Jr. throws it down on the break!
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— NBA (@NBA) July 17, 2022
Harper was able to show off his ability to score in transition and be positioned properly with his teammates, one thing he said he’s learned to refine during his short time with the Raptors so far. His aggression paid off as the team only took seven shots from the charity stripe, with Harper going 4-for-4 at the line. He added four defensive rebounds and two blocks to add to his strong performance.
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The former pillar of the Scarlet Knight program had an overall solid showing during Summer League. Harper finished Summer League with a team leading 25 rebounds, and was also top five on the Raptors in points, blocks, and steals.
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His shooting left something to be desired, but his aggression, effort, and defensive prowess were all displayed throughout the team’s five games. If he continues to challenge teammates in practice, there is a clear road to him earning a spot on the NBA roster.
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