Ron Harper Jr. did not hear his name called Thursday night during the 2022 NBA Draft, but that did not stop the Rutgers basketball star from getting closer to making his NBA dreams a reality.
According to a report from ESPN, Harper will be heading out of the country as he signed a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors. Players on two-way contracts are eligible to play in 50 of their team’s 82 games.
It was a surprise to not hear Harper’s name called on Thursday night. He was pegged as a likely second-round pick.
Harper averaged 15.8 points on 44.2 percent shooting, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game last season as a senior. Fans of the Scarlet Knights know that Harper can be a strong defender and can take over for stretches on both ends of the court.
Ron Harper Jr., — out of Rutgers and Don Bosco Prep — has agreed on a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2022
Harper was also clutch in propelling Rutgers to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1976.
@RutgersMBB just flamed @BoilerBall thanks to Ron Harper Jr’s buzzer beater! Down goes #1 #rutgersmbb #ncaabasketball #marchmadness #purduembb pic.twitter.com/Oo1caCG9GR
— Osman Alsharif (@OsmanAlshredded) December 10, 2021
Harper showed continued growth, year-over-year for the Scarlet Knights. Harper could definitely find a permanent spot on the roster if he continues to work as hard as he did during his time at Rutgers.
Raptors fans can look forward to welcoming a young man with a strong sense of leadership as well, as you can hear when he discussed his time at Rutgers after this past season.
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When the two-way contracts were initially introduced, players were limited to 45 days with the team, which included practice and travel days. The change to 50 games has greatly benefitted teams and the development of and opportunities for players.
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