Ron Harper Jr.

Ronald Harper Jr., born on April 12 in the year 2000, is an American-born professional basketball player currently playing for the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. The sport is in his blood; he is the son of none other than famed NBA player Ron Harper. His journey in the world of basketball began in Paterson, New Jersey, where he was born while his father was playing for the renowned Los Angeles Lakers.

Raised in Upper Saddle River and Franklin Lakes, Harper attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey. His initial forays into the sport were guided under the nurturing coaching of his mother, Maria. Additionally, on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit, he gave standout performances playing for Ring City Basketball, owned by his very own parents.

In his junior high school year, he displayed promising prowess claiming an average of 10.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, with a commendable 37 percent from the 3-point range. This significant contribution played a key role in his team achieving its first Non-Public A state title in nearly five decades. His senior year saw an impressive leap in his performance, scoring an average of 20.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, again leading his team to clinch the Non-Public A state championship for the second consecutive time.

Displaying consistent growth, Harper scored a career-high of 33 points in a game against Roselle Catholic High School at the Tournament of Champions final despite the team’s loss. His drive and skill led him to be named North Jersey Player of the Year by The Record, capping off his high school career. Despite these accomplishments, ‘Rivals’, a college sports recruiting website, considered him a four-star recruit. He received Power Five scholarship offers only from Nebraska and Rutgers. He made the significant decision to commit to Rutgers to play college basketball on August 11, 2017.

Harper’s debut in the collegiate sphere was marked by impressive 15 points against Fairleigh Dickinson. His prowess only increased, scoring a freshman season-high of 27 points for Rutgers in a win against Iowa. After averaging 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in his first year, Harper committed to focus on strength and conditioning in the offseason. During his sophomore year, Harper earned a regular starting position. Demonstrating his capabilities on the court, he registered top scores, with a season-high of 29 points and nine rebounds in one game.

Harper continued to excel in his junior year, recording a career-high thirty points in a game, and leading Rutgers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in thirty years. After this season, Harper initially declared for the 2021 NBA draft but eventually chose to return to Rutgers for further development.

In December of 2021, Harper once again exhibited his excellence, scoring the game-winning buzzer-beater against Purdue, thus securing Rutgers’ first victory over a No.1 ranked team. Following Rutgers’ loss in the First Four of the 2022 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, he decided to declare himself for the 2022 NBA draft, though he went undrafted.

After this setback, on July 14, 2022, Harper clinched a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, making his debut against the Atlanta Hawks. However, his career with the Raptors ended in December 2023 when he was let go by the team. He subsequently joined the Boston Celtics after performing well in the 2024 NBA Summer League, but this phase also ended soon as he was waived off in October 2024. Nevertheless, perseverance paid off when he became part of the Maine Celtics on October 26.

His love for the game is not just a personal passion but also a familial one, with his father, Ron Harper, having served in the NBA for a stellar 15 seasons and winning five NBA titles. His mother, Maria, of Bataan, Philippines, also had an illustrious college basketball career at New Orleans before transitioning into coaching. His maternal grandfather too, carried the sports legacy, representing the Philippines in jai alai at the 1968 Summer Olympics.