Former Rutgers Basketball Star Ron Harper Jr. Makes Debut with Detroit Pistons
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Ron Harper Jr. signed a two-way contract early in the new year with the Detroit Pistons' G-League affiliate, the Motor City Crusie. On Sunday, April 13th, a day after celebrating his 25th birthday, Harper debuted with the NBA squad, logging 17 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring four points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing two assists. He took six shots from beyond the arc but did not connect on any.
Harper was initially signed by Boston this past summer after previously spending time with the Toronto Raptors. He played for the Maine Celtics in the G League before being released this past October.
Son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper and older brother of 2025 likely lottery pick Dylan, Harper Jr. cemented his legacy on the banks, helping break Rutgers' 30-year NCAA tournament drought. His most notable game was December 9th, 2021, where he tallied 30 points and 10 rebounds, making a half-court game-winning buzzer-beater to sink No. 1 Purdue.
Harper got the attention of the NBA club after a record-breaking performance on February 1st against the Long Island Nets in which he poured in 38 points and drained a franchise-record 11 three-pointers for the Motor City Cruise.
As a two-way player, Harper can split time between the G League and NBA, allowing him to develop his game with Detroit's affiliate while gaining valuable professional experience at the NBA level. Harper will not be eligible for the Pistons' playoff roster, but if he continues to perform at a high level in the G League, fans can expect to see plenty of him in the NBA next season. The Pistons will face the New York Knicks in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, with the first game on Saturday, April 19th.
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John Catapano graduated from Rutgers in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, covering the women’s field hockey and soccer teams for the campus paper, The Daily Targum. After college, he moved to Los Angeles, got a job at Walt Disney Television, and has worked in media ever since. John currently works with the Wasserman Media Group in their Brooklyn, NY office, collaborating with brands, influencers, and athletes across the globe. When the pandemic struck in 2020 and Catapano began working remotely, he resumed writing by contributing to a Rutgers fan blog. He covered various sports, highlighted human interest stories, and focused on topics that Scarlet Nation wanted to discuss. It’s never easy being a Rutgers fan, but with over 500,000 alumni living worldwide and a passionate fanbase, covering the Scarlet Knights is always engaging.