Last week’s NBA draft saw Ron Harper Jr. go undrafted, a bit of a surprise since the former Rutgers basketball star was seen as a likely second round pick. So why wasn’t Harper, who had a strong senior season for the Scarlet Knights, taken in Thursday’s NBA draft?
First, the background…Harper checks off a lot of boxes for NBA teams. He improved in consistency and output during his four years at Rutgers. He is a solid shooter who showed up in clutch moments against big teams. His team was good, making the NCAA Tournament the last two years in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball.
And he has a strong bloodline, with his father a former NBA star who won five titles during his career. Not to mention, Harper was a team leader and a strong voice within the locker room.
But Michael VandeGarde wasn’t surprised at all that Harper didn’t hear his name called on Thursday night. Instead, after the draft the Rutgers forward signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors.
A former NBA scout of 18 years with the Philadelphia 76ers, VandeGarde didn’t see Harper as going in last Thursday’s two rounds.
“Not surprised at all…He was a borderline draft pick,” VandeGarde told RutgersWire.
“He has proved his worth in college and will have to navigate that again in the NBA. He will get his chance and it wouldn’t surprise me if he makes it -every year guys don’t get drafted and become NBA players…If he is good enough he will find his way onto a team in the next three-to-four years.”
This past season, Harper averaged 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He was named an AP All-American.
VandeGarde, a highly-respected scout and talent evaluator with nearly two decades of experience as an NBA scout, is currently working with CoachTube. An online portal, CoachTube offers sports coaching videos and training from former college and professional players as well as top coaches in a variety of sports.
He thinks that signing with the Raptors is a win-win scenario.
“Toronto is a great spot for him. They like to develop guys and he will have a chance to prove his worth,” VandeGarde said.
“They are willing to give undrafted players opportunities if they deserve the chance.”
Follow Kristian Dyer for Rutgers news, analysis and recruiting scoops @KristianRDyer
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