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Pelicans select Dylan Harper in latest 2025 NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report

This would change EVERYTHING for New Orleans.

While this draft was long considered one centered around Cooper Flagg, there is suddenly some competition at the top with Dylan Harper.

After a blazing start to the season for the Rutgers freshman, the 6-foot-6 guard is beginning to get some buzz to potentially enter the conversation at No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

As of right now, Flagg is still the overwhelming favorite to hear his name called with the first overall pick. But whatever team lands the second pick should not feel disappointed, either, especially if Harper keeps playing this well.

The latest projections from Jonathan Wasserman has the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American Game MVP at No. 2 overall to the Pelicans (via Bleacher Report):

“Dylan Harper has begun to separate himself from the No. 3 prospect, whoever it may be come draft night.

He’s coming off a buzzer-beater pull-up three to beat Seton Hall and continuing to sell scouts on his potential star capabilities.

Despite receiving unreliable support from Rutgers role players, Harper is leading all freshmen in scoring on an impressive efficiency (59.5 percent 2PT, 61.9 percent true shooting) while also still assisting on 29.2 percent of teammates’ field goals and taking excellent care of the ball.

He’s in a tough spot to be a No. 1 option and shoot a high percentage or limit the forced plays/decisions, but he’s averaging 23.5 points, 4.4 assists and 2.3 turnovers on 52.0 percent from the floor.

Three-point shooting consistency will inevitably come up when scouting Harper and perimeter players in general. But what we’ve seen feels different from the conversations around highly drafted, weaker shotmaking guards such as Scoot Henderson, Stephon Castle, the Thompson twins, Anthony Black, Jaden Ivey or Killian Hayes.

He’s at least putting pressure on Cooper Flagg in the No. 1 overall discussion.”

This would be a fantastic return in the draft for the Pelicans, who have had a season otherwise decimated by health.

While they traded for Dejounte Murray, his immediate injury made it a tough pill to swallow.

DYLAN HARPER: Rutgers star is the most exciting offensive prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft

New Orleans could add a potential franchise cornerstone in their backcourt with Harper as the future remains uncertain with both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

Harper would have the highest offensive box plus-minus (9.8) among all freshmen in the NCAA since Williamson (12.8) in 2019.

Here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win, where Harper goes to the Washington Wizards.

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Dylan Harper is the most exciting offensive prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft

Dylan Harper looks like a future STAR.

Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper may not go as the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he has the most potential of any player on offense.

Harper is currently playing in the Players Era Festival tournament in Las Vegas. During a win against Notre Dame on November 26, he scored 36 points. That was the most by any freshman so far this season and it was a breakout performance for the future pro.

Long considered the top lead guard in this draft class, Harper was named Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. He was honored as the MVP of the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.

The son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., the 6-foot-6 freshman is playing very well during his first collegiate campaign.

Harper has struggled to finish in transition but has played with excellent efficiency in a set offense. He looks difficult to stop in pick and roll and isolation and can create his own shot with ease, including this vicious dunk that got his father hyped:

He is averaging 4.2 unassisted field goals per game at the rim, per CBB Analytics. Most impressive: No player in Division I men’s college basketball is recording more unassisted field goals made (6.2) per game.

Next up is Kam Jones, a senior from Marquette projected as a potential first-rounder in our latest NBA mock draft, at 5.5 unassisted field goals per game.

The freshman is unafraid to finish at the rim, which is encouraging from a young guard, and it is working. He is shooting an unprecedented 37-of-47 (78.7 percent) near the rim, and while that is hardly sustainable, it is also a huge part of what makes him so appealing.

He is also doing a fantastic job drawing contact at the basket, via CBB Analytics, drawing 2.7 shooting fouls (the most among freshmen) and converting 0.7 and-one attempts per game. Harper attempted 14 free throws versus Notre Dame, which is excellent.

Harper has displayed fantastic court vision and ball control and he has also maintained a very high assist percentage and a low turnover ratio, which are both encouraging traits as a floor general.

Overall, per Bart Torvik, his points over replacement per game is among the highest on record from a freshman in a high-major conference since 2008.

Even if Duke prospect Cooper Flagg hears his name called first in this class, defense is his primary trait that excites evaluators. But for Harper, any NBA team that is looking to improve their offense will rush to the podium if he is available when they are on the clock.

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Notre Dame can’t overcome loss of Burton, falls to Rutgers in overtime

This will sting in more ways than one.

The Notre Dame men’s basketball team will remember its first game of the Players Era Festival for a lot of reasons. Unfortunately, it won’t be for a victory it lost an 85-84 overtime thriller to Rutgers in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] was lost to a knee injury early in the game, and it’s unknown how serious it is right now. If he’s lost for a long period, it could derail the Irish’s season.

But even without him, the Irish (4-2) engaged in what became a back-and-forth affair with the Scarlet Knights (5-1), featuring 10 ties and 16 lead changes. It only was appropriate that [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag] hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime.

The Knights appeared to have the game won when they went up six with 57.3 seconds left. Instead, Allocco made 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to tie score at 84. The Irish suddenly had a shot at double overtime.

However, [autotag]Cole Certa[/autotag] lost track of the situation and immediately fouled future NBA first-round pick Dylan Harper, who split two free throws to put the Knights back up one. After a pair of Irish timeouts with 3.8 seconds on the clock, Allocco fired up a prayer from 3-point range for a last-second heroic, but he missed, and the Irish had suffered a tough defeat.

Harper set the freshman scoring high for college basketball so far this season with 36 points and also dished out a game-high six assists. Jordan Derkack scored 16 points off the bench. Jerem Williams scored 10, as did future NBA first-round pick Ace Bailey.

Allocco played the entire game and achieved a double-double of 24 points, which included six 3-pointers, and 10 rebounds. He also led the Irish with five assists.

[autotag]Braeden Shrewsberry[/autotag] scored 16 points but shot 6 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 13 from 3-point range. [autotag]Tae Davis[/autotag] had 15 points but committed a game-high seven turnovers.

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Notre Dame standout guard Markus Burton leaves game with knee injury

Losing him long-term would be a brutal blow to the Irish.

(This story has been updated to correct a typo.)

Disaster struck for Notre Dame only a few minutes into its Players Era Festival opener against Rutgers in Las Vegas. As standout guard [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] drove to the basket for a short field goal, he fell down, and Scarlet Knights forward Emmanuel Ogbole landed on his knee.

Burton got up but clearly was in pain and headed for the bench, then to the locker room. When he reemerged, he was out of his uniform and in his sweatsuit with his leg elevated on a chair. It was a clear indication that he would not return to the game.

Burton was last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year and entered this game second in the ACC in scoring with 21.4 points a game. He also leads the Irish in assists (5.2), steals (1.6) and minutes (33.2).

Burton’s absence hurt the Irish’s chances against the Knights, but it could be disastrous for the team if he’s out for an extended period. Hopefully, that’s not the case. Keep reading here for any updates.

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Kickoff time information for Michigan State football vs. Rutgers announced

We now know when the final MSU football game of the year will kickoff

For what has to be the first time ever, Michigan State will make it through the entire football season without a single noon kickoff.

The details for MSU’s final game of the season at home against Rutgers on Nov. 30 were revealed on Monday, and it will be another later game, this time kicking off at 3:30pm ET.

We knew there would be a lot of changes this year following the Big Ten’s expansion, but this trend of not having any noon games has gotten a bit out of control.

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Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles one of five national players of the week

Another honor for her.

Notre Dame guard [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] already was named the ACC Player of the Week for the first week of the season. That only proved to be the beginning though.

Miles has been named one of five national players of the week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Joining her are Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers, Rutgers’ Destiny Adams, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Norfolk State’s Diamond Johnson.

To say Miles has wasted no time announcing her return after missing all of last season with a knee injury is an understatement. She achieved a triple-double in the season opener against Mercyhurst and scored 17 points against Purdue, three of them coming on a shot from beyond half-court at the third-quarter buzzer.

In this young season, Miles is averaging 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists a game. She will have a chance to improve on those numbers in the Irish’s next game Wednesday against James Madison. That will be followed by a contest Sunday against Lafayette.

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Wisconsin future opponent inexplicably ends Rutgers four-game losing streak

Brutal loss for PJ Fleck on Saturday

There’s a reason that college football is among the toughest things to accurately predict, let alone just in sports.

A primary example is seen in Minnesota’s 26-19 loss to Rutgers on Saturday.

Related: Bye Week Report Card: Grading Wisconsin’s offense and Grading Wisconsin’s defense

Every trend line pointed toward a Golden Gopher victory. The team had won four straight games after starting the season 2-3, including a narrow triumph over USC, a blowout over Maryland and a big road win over Illinois. The team appeared to have elevated itself into the top third of the Big Ten power rankings.

Rutgers, meanwhile, entered Saturday losers of four straight. The team entered a nosedive after a 4-0 start. The Minnesota game was thought to eventually be yet another blemish on a poor final record.

But the Scarlet Knights won.

QB Athan Kaliakmanis led the way with 240 passing yards and three touchdowns in a rematch against his former program. Rutgers held Minnesota to only 35 total yards on 1.8 yards per carry. In all, the Scarlet Knights out-gained the Gophers 354-297. It was a somewhat decisive victory for Rutgers standards.

The result is notable for the Wisconsin Badgers as it halts Minnesota’s momentum entering the final weeks of the season. The Gophers fall to 6-4 (4-3 Big Ten) with the loss, dropping from their previous position of long shot Big Ten contention. The team now enters a bye week before hosting No. 6 Penn State. Now, there’s a real chance the team is riding a two-game losing streak when it travels to Madison to close the regular season.

Wisconsin and Minnesota will meet in that annual battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Black Friday. Depending on the next few weeks, the contest could be pivotal for Wisconsin’s bowl hopes.

Any Minnesota loss is somewhat notable for Wisconsin fans. This one, however, could have significant impact on the rest-of-season outlook.

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Wisconsin continues rise in ESPN SP+ after big win over Rutgers

Wisconsin continued to rise in ESPN SP+ after its big 42-7 win over Rutgers on Saturday.

The win improved the Badgers to 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Big Ten play. It jumped Luke Fickell’s group from SP+’s No. 39 overall team (No. 80 on offense, No. 19 on defense) to No. 32 overall (No. 64 on offense, No. 16 on defense).

The Badgers are now the metric’s 10th-highest-ranked Big Ten team, behind Ohio State at No. 2, Penn State at No. 6, Oregon at No. 7, Indiana at No. 15, Iowa at No. 19, Michigan at No. 21, Nebraska at No. 22, USC at No. 27 and Washington at No. 28.

They now proceed with games against Northwestern (No. 71 in SP+), Penn State (No. 6), Iowa (No. 19), Oregon (No. 7), Nebraska (No. 22) and Minnesota (No. 41) to close the season.

Bowl eligibility looks likely for the Badgers after the back-to-back blowout wins over Purdue and Rutgers. The team could still accomplish much more, however, if those big-time home matchups against Penn State and Oregon turn into wins.

https://twitter.com/ESPN_BillC/status/1845492367429701703

Wisconsin’s combined 94-13 margin over Purdue and Rutgers signals a possible ‘turning of the corner’ for Fickell’s group, and possibly the program as a whole. SP+ agrees, as Wisconsin has risen from No. 66 in the nation to No. 32 after the two wins.

A strong showing on Saturday at Rutgers would continue that forward momentum and enter the Badgers into the national conversation.

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Wisconsin rockets up ESPN FPI power rankings after big win over Rutgers

Wisconsin rockets up ESPN FPI rankings after big win over Rutgers

The Wisconsin Badgers (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) are trending in the right direction after a second consecutive dominant win, this a 42-7 road victory over Rutgers.

The team’s two recent wins over Purdue and Rutgers have been by a combined margin of 94-13. That level of dominance had not been seen during the Luke Fickell era — signaling substantial growth in his second year in charge.

One accurate barometer of the team’s current trajectory is its ESPN FPI.

Wisconsin entered the week 54th in the metric, 10 spots behind Rutgers. After the win, Wisconsin is up 26 spots, to 28th, in the nation. That rise includes a new projected final record of 6.9 — 5.1, an 86.2% chance to reach a bowl game and a rising 1.8% chance to make the College Football Playoff.

The Badgers are the seventh highest-rated team in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 8), Penn State (No. 9), USC (No. 13), Indiana (No. 15) and Iowa (No. 23).

Wisconsin’s rest-of-season outlook has changed dramatically over the last few weeks. The remaining schedule has games against Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska and Iowa. But the Badgers are on a steep ascent and are quickly becoming a team nobody in the conference wants to face.

Fickell’s team is back on the field next Saturday at Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten). Another strong showing would only continue what has become a potential program resurgence.

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RECAP: Wisconsin dominates Rutgers 42-7 in statement win of 2024 season

Quick reaction to Wisconsin’s dominant win over Rutgers:

Wisconsin improved to 4-2 on the 2024 season and 2-1 in Big Ten play with a dominant 42-7 win over Rutgers on Saturday.

The win is a further statement from Luke Fickell’s team. It struggled to a 2-2 record through the first four games of the season. It has now opened a two-game winning streak with victories over Purdue and Rutgers by a combined margin of 94-13.

The story of the game was, yet again, a suddenly dominant offensive unit. Phil Longo’s group totaled 549 yards (240 passing, 309 rushing). Veteran running back Tawee Walker led the way with 24 carries, 198 yards, 8.3 yards per carry and three rushing touchdowns — that output thanks in part to another dominant afternoon from the Badgers’ offensive line.

QB Braedyn Locke also added another 20 for 28 passing for 240 yards and one touchdown to his season total. 81 of those yards came to WR Vinny Anthony who continues to emerge as a big-time playmaker for Longo’s unit.

Mike Tressel’s defense also played a big role in the blowout victory. The unit held Rutgers star RB Kyle Monangai to only 72 total yards and 3.8 yards per carry. They forced Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis to throw the football, which he did not do effectively.

Overall, Wisconsin appears to have turned a corner. The Badgers have made clear strides on both sides of the football after some sub-par play to begin the season. That improvement has helped the team’s rest-of-season outlook with games still remaining against Northwestern, vs. No. 4 Penn State, at Iowa, vs. No. 3 Oregon, at Nebraska and vs. Minnesota.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.