Rutgers Basketball

Basketball fans hoping to see more of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper taking the court might have to wait until they are in the NBA.

Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press relayed a Sunday statement from the Rutgers men's basketball program that revealed the Scarlet Knights will not participate in the NIT or the College Basketball Crown this season.

"The Rutgers men's basketball program will not participate in any postseason tournaments this season," the statement said. "We would like to thank our players and staff for their hard work this year and our fans for their continued support."

The College Basketball Crown is a new tournament sponsored by Fox that will include teams that do not qualify for the NCAA tournament. It will have a 16-team field in Las Vegas that features at least two programs from each of the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12. 

Yet the timing of both that tournament and the NIT is less than ideal for teams and players looking ahead to next season.

Some players such as Harper and Bailey likely have their eyes on the NBA draft, while Rutgers' coaching staff has to focus on roster building. After all, the transfer portal opens on March 24, which is before the Crown even starts and the NIT ends.

Given the presence of two of the top draft prospects in the country, the Scarlet Knights are surely disappointed to be in this position instead of preparing for the Big Dance. They haven't been to the NCAA tournament since 2022 and were well-positioned to perhaps change that with two stars.

Instead, they went 15-17 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play.

They lost their first Big Ten tournament game against USC and struggled in large part because they didn't have enough firepower outside of their two go-to options.

While Harper (19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game) and Bailey (17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game) played well from a statistical standpoint, they were the only players on Rutgers who averaged double-figure scoring totals throughout the campaign.

Attention now turns to their looming NBA draft decisions as two of the best prospects behind Duke's Cooper Flagg.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman released a big board of prospects Friday and ranked Harper at No. 2 and Bailey at No. 5. Flagg was first, while Baylor's VJ Edgecombe checked in at No. 3 and Michigan State's Jase Richardson slotted fourth.

One of the most enticing NBA draft prospects will miss his team's game on Wednesday.

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Rutgers star freshman Dylan Harper is out of the Scarlet Knight's matchup against Northwestern. Brian Fonseca of the Star-Ledger added that Harper has been seen wearing a walking boot multiple times since Saturday and is evaluated as day-to-day.

Harper has been tremendous this season, putting up 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He's had a pair of 30-point-plus outings, dropping 36 against Notre Dame before posting 37 against Alabama.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects Harper to go to the Utah Jazz with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, only behind Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg.

Harper was a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 player in the country, according to 247Sports Composite. The New Jersey native picked Rutgers over Duke, Auburn and a handful of other top programs.

As good as Harper has been, it hasn't translated to wins for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are 10-10 on the year and 3-6 to start conference play, sitting in 13th in the Big Ten. They're coming off back-to-back losses to Penn State and Michigan State and are hoping to get back on track against Northwestern.

Without Harper, Rutgers will lean heavily on their other star freshman, Ace Bailey. The former No. 2 player in the nation is leading the Big Ten in scoring at 19.8 points per game while hauling in 7.9 boards.

Wasserman projects Bailey to go after Harper with the No. 3 pick in this year's draft.

LeBron James is a fan of Rutgers freshman guard Dylan Harper.

"I've been watching him for quite a while," James said Monday about the son of former Chicago Bulls star Ron Harper (h/t Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson.) "He calls me unc, I call him nephew."

The Los Angeles Lakers star continued: "Special kid, special talent. He's going to be really good in this league."

"Comes from a great family, obviously. Me and Harp, his pops, go back, a while back," James said. "So, I'm excited for what he's doing right now at Rutgers, and what he's going to continue to do in the future."

Harper is averaging 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals through 19 games at Rutgers. He sits at No. 2 in the latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

Wasserman wrote about Harper in his latest mock:

Harper has made a strong impression this season with how well he's able to get to spots and finish in traffic. He's been lethal so far from off the ball in catch-and-shoot situations, and despite underwhelming pull-up percentages, he's demonstrated enough shotmaking capability for an 18-year-old to keep scouts' hopeful.

Lottery teams will ultimately view Harper as a scoring lead guard whose creativity and gravity should result in sufficient playmaking for an offense's primary ball-handler.

Harper even impressed when most recently sitting out most of the second half of a Saturday loss to Michigan State.

Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said after the game that Harper was dealing with an ankle sprain suffered earlier that week (h/t NJ.com's Brian Fonseca.)

But both Pikiell and Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo praised Harper for the 13 minutes he recorded in the the loss.

"He's tough as nails. I'm proud of him," Pikiell said, per Fonseca. "He was in that training room, lived there practically for a couple days. I honestly did not think he was going to play. He said 'let me give it a whirl' and he gave us 13 minutes. That says a lot about him."

"That kid is a hell of a player," Izzo said, per Fonseca. "Your quarterback is your quarterback. He makes all the other players better."

Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who is listed at No. 3 in Wasserman's latest draft, has also lived up to the hype during his freshman season.

That hasn't been enough to put the Scarlet Knights on track for the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers is currently 10-10 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten.

Harper potentially being injured will make it even more difficult to improve those records. Rutgers will hope for him to return soon as possible for the sake of their tournament hopes, while Harper will look to solidify his standing as a top option behind Duke standout Cooper Flagg down the stretch of his freshman season.

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is maintaining a keen eye on the young players who are knocking on the door of the NBA.

Asked about Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey, Durant said he's a "pure, pure talent" who uses his 6'10" frame to be unguardable as a scorer at times. The 14-time All-Star added that Bailey and Scarlet Knights teammate Dylan Harper "are playing some great ball."

Rutgers scored a major coup when it signed Bailey and Harper, who were second and third respectively in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2024 class. They're also the two highest-ranked recruits for the program dating back to 2000.

Talent alone doesn't guarantee success, especially when a team is leaning on freshmen to the extent the Scarlet Knights are. Sure enough, they've started the season 7-5 and split their first two Big Ten contests.

But Bailey and Harper have affirmed their status as two of the top talents eligible for the 2025 NBA draft.

Harper is the team's leading scorer with 23.3 points per game on 52.1 percent shooting, and he's dishing out 4.2 assists per game. Bailey is averaging 17.6 points and displaying some solid range for his size with 1.4 made three-pointer per contest at a 33.3 percent clip.

Harper was the No. 2 overall pick in the most recent mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, while Bailey went one pick later.

On Harper, Wasserman wrote he "has begun to separate himself from the No. 3 prospect, whoever it may be come draft night" and is "at least putting pressure on Cooper Flagg in the No. 1 overall discussion." When it comes to Bailey, the Bleacher Report draft expert wrote his "shotmaking has looked as advertised, with the 6'10" wing consistently able to create and make high-difficulty jumpers off the dribble or from the post."

Now, the duo has Durant's seal of approval as well.

Ace Bailey has arrived.

Bailey was impressive in his college debut, leading No. 24 Rutgers to a 98-81 win over Monmouth on Friday night.

He finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and two steals in 30 minutes of action while shooting 5-10 from the field and showcasing his athleticism on several occasions. He also connected on one of his three attempts from behind the arc.

The Scarlet Knights cruised to the victory, leading 47-30 at halftime and extending their lead beyond 20 points multiple times in the second half.

Fellow freshman Dylan Harper also made an impact, scoring a team-high 20 points and racking up six assists while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

Bailey missed the first two games of the season due to a hip issue, but the injury didn't appear to hamper the No. 2 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class against Monmouth.

Fans were amazed by Bailey's performance.

Bailey will look to build upon his promising start as the Scarlet Knights wrap up a four-game homestand in their next contest, a matchup with Merrimack on Wednesday.

Rutgers fans will have to wait a bit longer before they get to see star freshman Ace Bailey in action.

The Scarlet Knights announced on Wednesday that Bailey suffered an undisclosed injury in practice that will force him to miss their season opener against Wagner. The highly-touted wing player is considered day-to-day.

According to Brian Fonseca of NJ Advance Media, one person with knowledge of the situation said Bailey's injury "is not expected to be a long-term issue" and his absence in Wednesday night's game "is precautionary." However, his status for Monday's game against St. Peter's remains "unclear."

A 5-star small forward, Bailey was ranked as the No. 2 overall player in the nation in the class of 2024 in 247Sports' composite behind only Duke star Cooper Flagg. He is the highest-rated recruit in Rutgers program history and a likely lottery pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Bailey gave Scarlet Knights fans a taste of what to expect from him in a charity exhibition against St. John's last month where he posted 25 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in a 91-85 loss.

Along with fellow 5-star prospect Dylan Harper, Bailey gives Rutgers its best chance to continue building on the turnaround the program has experienced under head coach Steve Pikiell, who led the team to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022 followed by a trip to the NIT in 2023.

It may take some patience, but fans will be in for a treat when Bailey is healthy enough to make his return to the court for the Scarlet Knights.

Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, is set to have an official visit with Rutgers.

Anthony told Dushawn London of 247Sports he will travel to Rutgers on Oct. 4 and 5.

The 17-year-old Anthony recently said on his YouTube show (starts at :50 mark) he is considering his father's alma mater, Syracuse, after they extended him a scholarship offer two years ago.

Rutgers and Syracuse were among the top six schools Anthony listed in July. Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State and USC are the other finalists.

Head coach Steve Pikiell and his staff are doing a terrific job in recruiting elite prospects to the program. The Scarlet Knights currently have the fourth-ranked class by 247Sports in the 2024 cycle, led by 5-star recruits Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

Anthony is a 4-star prospect and No. 28 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is listed at 6'5" and 185 pounds going into his senior season at Long Island Lutheran High School.

Eric Bossi of 247Sports noted Anthony is a "long and rangy two guard who, no surprise, is wired to score and to do so in bunches."

That scouting report is very similar to what his father did during his basketball career. Carmelo Anthony ranks 10th all-time in NBA history with 28,289 points during his 19-year career.

Prior to being the No. 3 pick in the 2003 NBA draft, Anthony was an All-American selection as a freshman at Syracuse in 2002-03. He led the Orange in scoring with 22.2 points per game en route to helping them win the first national title in program history.

Rutgers has only made the NCAA tournament twice since the 1991-92 season. The appearances came in back-to-back years in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Highly touted guard Dylan Harper is uncommitted no longer.

The 5-star prospect announced Wednesday his intention to suit up for Rutgers, picking the Scarlet Knights over other finalists Auburn, Duke, Indiana and Kansas, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Harper is the No. 1 combo guard and No. 2 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2024 class.

"Harper is a true combo-guard who is equally effective either on or off the ball," Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports wrote in his evaluation. "He's even versatile in different types of roles as he can thrive as a team's primary creator, as he did in the EYBL with the Rens, or as more of a secondary weapon, as he did with the USA Basketball u19 team. His poise, understanding of the game, and instinctive feel are constants."

On3's Jamie Shaw weighed in and praised Harper's offensive skill set.

"Harper has a supreme feel for angles and footwork," Shaw said. "His pace is never rushed; he always has a plan with the ball in his hands. He is more of a scorer than a shooter. While he can knock down a spot three, he does need to clean some things up there. Harper is great with angles around the basket and has great balance in the paint."

Harper told veteran basketball writer Adam Zagoria he has used Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham and Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić as points of reference on the court, which helps to further define his style. None of the three is necessarily an elite perimeter shooter, but Gilgeous-Alexander and Dončić have become versatile scorers from all three levels while facilitating the offense.

Harper's last name is familiar to plenty of basketball fans. His father, Ron, was a five-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, and his brother, Ron Jr., played a starring role at Rutgers.

As a junior at Don Bosco Prep, Harper averaged 24.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He also knocked down 34 three-pointers across 21 contests.

At the national team level, the New Jersey native represented the United States at the 2023 FIBA Men's U19 World Cup. He put up 9.3 points per game as Team USA advanced to the bronze-medal game, losing 84-70 to Turkey.

As one would expect, Harper is already garnering NBA buzz. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked him fifth when examining the 2025 draft class in October, and his stock has probably only improved since then.

Because of that, Harper is all but guaranteed to be a one-and-done. His lone season at Rutgers could still prove to be special.

While the Scarlet Knights aren't a traditional blue blood, staying home and following in his older brother's footsteps was always a logical outcome for Harper. It certainly helped that head coach Steve Pikiell already signed Ace Bailey, the No. 3 overall player in 2024.

Expectations for Rutgers in 2024-25 will be as high as they've been in a long time. Even if their stay in Piscataway is brief, their success could lay the foundation for years to come.

Airious "Ace" Bailey has committed to Rutgers, becoming the highest-rated prospect to ever join the men's basketball program, per Brian Fonseca of NJ Advance Media.

Associate head coach Brandin Knight posted a locker room video to social media with Bailey hugging head coach Steve Pikiell, who yelled, "He's coming," to cheers from the team:

The Scarlet Knights were celebrating a 68-64 overtime win over Ohio State on Sunday to improve to 13-5 on the season.

Bailey is a 5-star recruit and the No. 6 overall player in the 2024 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The 6'10" forward plays for McEachern High School in Georgia, showcasing his excellent length and athleticism to make an impact inside on both ends of the court.

He earned scholarship offers from top programs across the country, including Kentucky, Kansas, Texas and Oregon, but decided to forge a new path with Rutgers.

Bailey joins 4-star Dellquan Warren in the Scarlet Knights' 2024 class, continuing an impressive recruiting trend for Pikiell. The program's previous highest recruit was 2023 4-star Gavin Griffiths.

Pikiell has also found plenty of success on the court, leading the team to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances after breaking a 30-year gap between bids. The squad is red-hot this season with seven wins in the last eight games, including a road victory over then-No. 1 Purdue.

The 5-2 conference record is also good for second in the Big Ten.

With the addition of Bailey, it's clear this program is heading in an exciting direction.