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Ron Harper Jr. is going to the NBA.
Just moments after not being selected in the 2022 NBA Draft, the former Rutgers Men's Basketball forward has agreed on a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harper was looking to become the first Scarlet Knight to be selected in the draft since center Hamady N'Diaye by the Washington Wizards by way of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010.
Per GLeague.NBA.com: "Beginning in the 2017 offseason, NBA rosters expanded from 15 to 17 players with the addition of two spots for players under 'Two-Way Contracts.'
"NBA teams may have up to two players under NBA Two-Way Contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Two-Way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players in their fourth NBA season or earlier are able to sign Two-Way Contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons."
Harper, a Franklin Lakes, N.J. native who spent four years at Rutgers after becoming a four-star recruit coming at Don Bosco Prep, averaged 15.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and had 33 steals and 20 blocks as a senior. He also shot career-highs in 3-point percentage (39.8%) and free throw percentage (79.5%).
For his career, Harper averaged 12.6 points while netting 1,525 total points. He racked up 622 rebounds, 94 steals, 78 blocks, made 181 threes, 260 foul shots, and 524 buckets 3,522 minutes. He started 108 of the 121 games he played in.
Harper, who measured in at 6-foot-5 at the NBA Scouting Combine, had the second-longest wingspan differential relative to his height at +9.25.
Harper won the Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award and earned Honorable Mention All-American, Second Team All-Big Ten, NABC Second Team All-District, and First Team All-ECAC honors this past season. He was the first Rutgers player since Quincy Douby to be named an All-American since 2006 and he had the highest all-conference accolade since Douby that year, who also won the Haggerty Award. Harper was a finalist for the Julius Erving Award, too.
Harper helped Rutgers to two-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, breaking a 30-year drought. This year, Harper scored 30 points and netted a buzzer-beater to beat then-No. 1 Purdue at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway. He also drained the game-winning shot at Indiana on March 2. The Scarlet Knights wound up falling to Notre Dame, but Harper made a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in double-overtime to force another extra period.
Harper ended his Rutgers career 12th all-time in points and 19th all-time in blocks.
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
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