Tag: Rutgers basketball recruiting

Watch future Rutgers basketball guard Dylan Harper goes off for 30 points in the Jordan Brand Classic

Dylan Harper was sensational in the Jordan Brand Classic.

Dylan Harper had a big showing at the Jordan Brand Classic, the future Rutgers guard putting up 30 points in the Sunday night showcase.

A five-star guard who committed to Rutgers in December, Harper was named the game’s Co-MVP.

The showing from Harper follows up another recent dominant performance at the McDonald’s All-American Game. Harper shared co-MVP honors in that game as well.

A guard from Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey), Harper is a cornerstone piece of the 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers, one that is a consensus top-10 class in the nation. Harper joins Ace Bailey as the first five-star players to ever commit to Rutgers.

ESPN ranks Harper as the third-best player in this class.

Bailey was the top-ranked player in the nation in the most recent USA TODAY High School Sports rankings.

[lawrence-related id=37548,37531]

Check out the Sunday night highlights from Harper, who showed everything in guiding Team Flight to a win over Team Air: His dribble-drive was on display as was his range and high-end defensive abilities.

 

The game was held at the Barclays Center (New York City).

5-star Rutgers basketball signee Dylan Harper named MaxPrep National Player of the Year

Dylan Harper was nationally recognized by MaxPreps as their player of the year.

Dylan Harper was announced as the 2023-24 MaxPreps National Player of the Year on Wednesday. It is a statement award for Harper, A Rutgers basketball commit who was the most dominant player in New Jersey this year.

Harper committed to Rutgers basketball in December during a commitment ceremony at the Fanatics headquarters in New York City.

A five-star guard, Harper led Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) to a state championship this season.

He capped off his season last week by being named Co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. In that game he partnered with future Rutgers basketball teammate Ace Bailey, a five-star forward.

[lawrence-related id=37285,37206,37185]

As for the MaxPreps honor, Harper is very much deserving even with a crowded field of candidates for the honor including Duke commit Cooper Flagg and the aforementioned Bailey.

“My goal is to win a national championship,” Harper told MaxPreps.
“The recruiting class we got in, the guys we have coming back and some guys we will probably get in the transfer portal. I think we are going to be really hard to beat.
“Staying home and having the people who watched me since I was a little kid grow up and go through stages of life, go through all the ups and downs. I think that is probably the biggest part of me going to Rutgers.”

 

Dylan Harper of New Jersey is the 2023-24 MaxPreps National Player of the Year 🏆🔥

Full story ⬇️https://t.co/qIoja7p5Wz pic.twitter.com/uQUjaDosa2

In the USA TODAY High School Sports rankings, Harper is the No. 6 overall player in the nation. Bailey, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the top overall player in the nation.

 

Watch as future Rutgers basketball star Dylan Harper dominates at the McDonald’s All-American Game, wins co-MVP

Rutgers basketball guard Dylan Harper wins Co-MVP at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

It was a special night for Rutgers basketball as future guard Dylan Harper put on a show at the McDonald’s All-American Game. Before a national audience on ESPN, Harper was nothing short of dominant on both ends of the court.

Harper shared the Co-MVP honors of the game with Derik Queen, a Maryland basketball commit. The East beat the West 88-86 on Tuesday night in Houston.

Harper’s teammate on the West team, Ace Bailey, will join him at Rutgers this summer. The five-star forward finished with six points.

As for Harper, he went off for 22 points, making three-of-five from three-point range. And for Rutgers basketball fans who closely track these things, he made both of his free throws.

At the McDonald’s game, Harper showed his versatility but also flashes of explosiveness while going up against elite competition.

He is the No. 3 recruit in the nation in the ESPN 100.

 

Harper won a championship with Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) this spring. He and Bailey are part of a recruiting class at Rutgers that is ranked among the top 10 players in the nation.

[lawrence-related id=37045,37047]

Bailey is the top-ranked player in the nation according to USA TODAY High School Sports.

ESPN analyst says Rutgers basketball’s Ace Bailey ‘is as good as advertised’

Meghan McKeown Wallace breaks down how Ace Bailey has looked in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

ESPN analyst and reporter Meghan McKeown Wallace has been impressed with Ace Bailey’s performance this week at the McDonald’s All-American Game. The five-star forward has certainly lived up to the hype.

Bailey signed with Rutgers basketball in December. He was electric during the slam dunk competition on Monday night and has earned rave reviews for his performance in practice the past couple of days at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Multiple rankings have Bailey as the second-best recruit in the nation. The only outlier is USA TODAY High School Sports, which has Bailey as the best player in the country.

Meghan McKeown Wallace, who will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for the game, has watched Bailey the past couple of days and has been impressed.

“Ace Bailey is as good as advertised. His athleticism and raw talent means he has an unlimited ceiling,” Wallace told Rutgers Wire on Tuesday morning.

“He’s been one of, if not the most impressive player throughout the scrimmage and JamFest of the McDonald’s All-American Game.”

 

At a press conference this week for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Cooper Flagg was asked about going up against Bailey. A five-star forward, Flagg is ranked as the top player in the 2025 class by multiple media outlets including ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=37037,37026]

The Duke commit was asked about squaring off against Bailey, who is contending with Flagg to be the nation’s top recruit.

“I mean, I think he’s a great player. Really versatile, really well-rounded,” Flagg said during Monday’s press conference.

“And to be honest, I’m not really looking for specific matchups. I’m just playing to have fun and compete. I’m just always trying to win.”

The boys edition of the McDonald’s All-American game will tip-off at 9 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. The girls game will air on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Watch future Rutgers basketball stars Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey connect on a backboard lob at the McDonald’s All-American Game

Future Rutgers basketball teammates Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper connect at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are already looking like difference-makers for Rutgers basketball. The five-star duo showed flashes of their synergy on Monday at a scrimmage for the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Bailey, the top-ranked player in the nation according to USA TODAY High School Sports, is the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers basketball history. Harper, ranked third nationally by many recruiting outlets, is the second-highest-ranked commit to ever sign with the program.

(For those not good with math, that is a complicated way to say that Bailey and Harper are the highest-ranked commits/signees in Scarlet Knights history).

Playing for the West team, Harper and Bailey showed the potential of their partnership on Monday during a scrimmage for the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Check out this backboard lob from Harper to Bailey. The point guard drives well to the basket, and he sees Bailey moving in from the wing.

Bailey finishes off the play nicely.

 

The all-star competition takes place on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Cooper Flagg, a five-star commit to Duke, praised Bailey’s play during Monday’s press conference.

[lawrence-related id=37026,37027]

On Monday, Harper talked about the potential for Rutgers basketball to change, as he put it, the program’s history.

What does representing Rutgers in the McDonald’s All-American game mean to five-star forward Ace Bailey?

Airious Bailey talks about representing Rutgers at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

On Tuesday night, Ace Bailey will play in the McDonald’s All-American Game. The five-star forward will partner with future Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper in the game.

The five-star tandem of Bailey and Harper are among the best players in the nation in the 2025 recruiting class. They represent the highest-ranked recruiting class in Rutgers basketball history.

Bailey is the top-ranked player in the nation according to USA TODAY High School Sports. He will face off against Duke commit Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top-ranked player by all the other recruiting outlets.

Going up against Flagg will be a marquee measuring stick for Bailey, but it isn’t one that concerns him.

“I mean, I mean it is what it is, just come to play. Play my heart out. Play my game, just do what I do best,” Bailey said.

“So the end results are going to be the end results.”

Philosophical from Bailey if not level-headed.

Bailey will play on the West team and will count Harper as his teammate on Tuesday night and moving forward. Potentially, it is a preview of things to come for Rutgers fans.

[lawrence-related id=37023,37015]

The duo of Bailey and Harper are the highest-ranked players to ever sign with Rutgers.

And with this star-studded class comes a lot of attention and buzz. For Bailey, speaking on Monday during a press conference for the McDonald’s All-American Game, the attention is something that leads him to be thankful.

“I mean, it’s a pleasure like I said, just thank God,” Bailey said.

“I mean for me and Dylan to come here – him being a New Jersey kid me being a Tennessee kid – just a blessing to come support and to show where we are going to bring Rutgers. It’s just a blessing.”

What did Cooper Flagg say about Rutgers basketball commit Ace Bailey?

Cooper Flagg talks about Rutgers commit Ace Bailey at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Count Duke commit and five-star forward Cooper Flagg among those who admire the play of Ace Bailey. Also a five-star forward, Bailey signed with Rutgers in December.

Bailey is the highest-ranked recruit in the history of Rutgers basketball. On Tuesday, he will go up against Flagg in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Flagg is the top-ranked player in the class of 2025 by most scouting and recruiting outlets, including ESPN. Bailey is the second-highest-ranked recruit in the 2025 class on most boards.

The only exception is USA TODAY High School Sports, which has Bailey as the top-ranked player in the nation.

On Monday during a press conference for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Flagg was asked about going up against Bailey. The Rutgers commit has been talked about for the last two months as potentially becoming the top player in the country by other media outlets.

“I mean, I think he’s a great player. Really versatile, really well-rounded,” Flagg said during Monday’s press conference.

“And to be honest, I’m not really looking for specific matchups. I’m just playing to have fun and compete. I’m just always trying to win.”

The boys edition of the McDonald’s All-American game will tip-off at 9 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. The girls game will air on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Dylan Harper says that this Rutgers basketball recruiting class can change the program

Dylan Harper talks about the future of Rutgers basketball and the impact he believes this class can have on the program.

Dylan Harper believes that this class can change the trajectory of Rutgers basketball moving forward. That was the message on Monday from the five-star guard, a Rutgers basketball commit who is set to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Tuesday.

Speaking on Monday afternoon at a press conference for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Harper said that this star-studded class can be a program changer for Rutgers. Harper is joined by fellow five-star [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] in the Rutgers 2024 recruiting class.

And Bailey, like Harper, is playing in the McDonald’s All-American Game this week. Harper is the No. 3 player in the nation according to ESPN.

Asked on Monday if Rutgers can become a destination program for top recruits, Harper said that this class can do just that.

“Definitely, I think they’ve had other great players like my brother (Ron Harper, Jr.), Geo Baker, people like that,” Dylan Harper said.

“But I think for me and Ace to come in there and just change the culture, I think it’s going to change a lot of Rutgers history.”

Dylan Harper committed to Rutgers in December at an event in New York City that was hosted at the Fanatics headquarters. It wasn’t an easy decision, he said.

[lawrence-related id=37015,37011]

Long considered a Rutgers lean, he remained uncommitted for much of year, choosing to carefully and pragmatically make his decision.

“I mean first off my decision – it was probably one of the hardest decisions I had to make – probably in my lifetime,” Dylan Harper said.

“Just staying home – doing (it for) your family and just the people that are always there for you since Day 1. So I think that was probably the main thing that went to it.”

Harper’s teammate Bailey is the No. 1 player in the nation according to USA TODAY High School Sports.

Former Rutgers basketball recruit Gus Yalden is in the transfer portal

Gus Yalden is in the transfer portal. The former Rutgers basketball recruit entered last week.

Gus Yalden entered the transfer portal last week. A former four-star recruit, Yalden was heavily involved with Rutgers basketball in his recruitment.

Rutgers could be an interesting landing spot for Yalden, given that Rutgers came in second in his recruitment to Wisconsin.

And with Rutgers needing a center following Cliff Omoruyi’s entrance into the transfer portal, there could be a need and a fit for Yalden.

Nicknamed ‘Gus Bus,’ Yalden is a 6-foot-8 center who was a four-star recruit when he was in the 2023 class. Rivals ranked him as the No. 114 player in the nation and the No. 22 center.

He has the ability to bang inside, rebound and block shots. But Yalden also has a nice outside game and can put the ball on the court.

Rutgers has been active in the transfer portal and will likely be looking for at least one center to come in and challenge for playing time.

[lawrence-related id=36977,36974]

In the 2024 recruiting class, Rutgers has center [autotag]Lathan Sommerville[/autotag], a four-star recruit coming in. Sommerville is coming off a tremendous senior season, including several dominant performances in the Illinois playoffs.

What is Zach Laput hearing from Rutgers basketball in the transfer portal? What other schools are involved?

Zach Laput updates his recruitment including interest from Rutgers basketball.

For Division II standout guard Zach Laput, the process of navigating the transfer portal has generated some significant interest. Several programs from power conferences have reached out to Laput, including Rutgers basketball.

An All-American selection at Bentley (Waltham, Massachusetts), Laput is all business about his portal decision.

Laput isn’t wasting any time in the recruiting process, having already eliminated 40 schools that have reached out in the recruiting process. He has about two dozen schools that are in the mix, including Davidson, Iona, Liberty, Louisville, Marist, Rutgers and San Diego among others.

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 18.4 points per game in his three years at Bentley, shooting 49.7 percent from the floor. From three-point range, Laput is 41.4 percent.

He has been receiving interest from Rutgers and said that he is open to visiting from Rutgers if “Coach Pikiell expresses that during our call.”

“I enjoyed my talk with coach Larkin (assistant coach and director of basketball operations Mike Larkin) and believe I can highly impact winning at the Big Ten level,” Laput told Rutgers Wire this weekend.

“No offer, (they) just expressed interest and further developing the relationship to see if it is the right fit.”

Another program that is engaged in the recruiting process with Laput is Louisville.

[lawrence-related id=36952,36933]

“Same thing (as with Rutgers) – I believe because of my relentless work ethic I will win at any level and those are the two highest levels,” Laput said of why Louisville made his cutdown.

He is at Northeastern and Quinnipiac this weekend on unofficial visits. He will begin to narrow down the process after those visits, he said, because “I have a ballpark of schools I think I will (visit).”

[lawrence-related id=36907]

Having played at the Division II level, the transfer portal represents a big opportunity for Laput to potentially play at a higher level and prove himself. He admits to having a chip on his shoulder.

“Of course I do. Everywhere I’ve went I’ve won championships, dominated and been player of the year from high school to college,” Laput said.

“The results and the work will always speak louder than opinions and the schools that don’t offer will lose out on someone that is willing to do more than anyone else in their locker room could even think of to win. I am blessed to be in this position now and don’t take a second of it for granted. I give my best to getting better every second and am made for this.”