Rutgers was well-represented at the NBA Draft.
The Scarlet Knights had two of the top five picks in Wednesday night’s first round at Barclays Center, with guard Dylan Harper going No. 2 to the San Antonio Spurs and wing Ace Bailey going No. 5 to the Utah Jazz.
Harper joins an ascendant Spurs roster built around center Victor Wembanyama, who went first overall in 2023, and guard Stephon Castle, who was taken No. 4 last year. Both won Rookie of the Year.
“When you play with such good players, it just elevates your game,” said Harper, who was selected after the Dallas Mavericks took Duke forward Cooper Flagg first overall.
Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game as a freshman at Rutgers.
The 19-year-old hails from Franklin Lakes, N.J., and is the son of Ron Harper, a five-time NBA champion.
The 6-5 Harper adds another playmaker to a Spurs backcourt headlined by All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, whom the Spurs traded for in February.
The Spurs were widely expected to select Harper, but Bailey’s landing spot was much less predictable after the 6-8 scorer declined to work out for teams before the draft.
Most considered Bailey a top-three talent, but he fell to No. 5 when the Philadelphia 76ers drafted Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the third pick and the Charlotte Hornets took Duke forward Kon Knueppel with the fourth.
The Jazz were not a preferred destination for Bailey, according to a report on the ESPN broadcast, but he should help fill Utah’s scoring void.
The 18-year-old Bailey said he had “no idea” the Jazz were interested in him but described being drafted by them as a “blessing.”
“The little kid in me is smiling hard right now, because I know the hard work, the sacrifices, the blood, the sweat, the tears, not just from me, but my family,” Bailey said.
Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a freshman.
Harper and Bailey were both five-star recruits coming out of high school and arrived at Rutgers with considerable hype.
Despite that duo’s production, Rutgers went 15-17, including 8-12 in Big Ten play, and missed the NCAA Tournament.
