Following the conclusion of the 2024 NBA Draft, early projections for next year’s class are already heating up—and Filipino American standout Dylan Harper is among the top names generating serious attention.
The 6-foot-7 point guard from New Jersey is considered a frontrunner for the 2025 NBA Draft, with scouts impressed by his court vision, size, and basketball IQ. Harper, whose roots trace back to the Philippines, has not only been turning heads in the high school circuit but also gained recognition from one of the NBA’s biggest names—LeBron James.
“I’ve been watching him for quite a while. He calls me ‘unc,’ I call him ‘nephew.’ Special kid, special talent. He’s going to be really good in this league,” James said in a message to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, praising the young star’s potential.
Beyond the highlights and hype, Harper’s work ethic has also stood out. In a recent feature by SLAM, a family member shared, “He works really hard. He’ll grind early morning and late night. When he cares about something, he’ll figure out every single way he can be good at it.”
“He’s determined and he doesn’t think like there’s anything he can’t accomplish,” she added.
Harper’s rise is also deeply personal for his family. His grandmother, speaking about the upcoming draft, said, “The draft is gonna happen for him and he had expressed that he wants us to be there. It would be the happiest moment for our lives because he had achieved his dreams.”
A product of a basketball dynasty, Dylan is the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper and the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr., a former Rutgers star. Alongside fellow recruit and teammate Ace Bailey, Harper is projected to be a top pick in the June 2025 NBA Draft, with CBS Sports previously predicting he could land with the San Antonio Spurs.
