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Dylan Harper cemented his position as a potential No. 1 pick with a dominant performance against Notre Dame.
The Rutgers Scarlet Nights secured a thrilling 86-85 overtime win over the Fighting Irish on Tuesday.
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His 36 points are the most by any freshman in the country this season.
Harper added six rebounds and six assists in a stunning all-round performance.
The last Division 1 freshman to have 36 points, six rebounds, and six assists was Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young in 2018.
Dad Ron Harper Sr. knows what it takes to win in the NBA after lifting five championships in a stellar 15-year career.
He was in the stands to watch and one moment, where Dylan drove to the basket and slammed the ball home, had him on his feet shouting his approval.
Harper Sr. played alongside Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls.
And as an oversized 6ft 6in guard, his son enjoys a similar stature to the NBA great.
Harper is averaging over 20 points a game and was tipped to be the second name called behind Flagg in SB Nation’s latest mock.
“As a scorer, Harper is lethal inside the arc as a driver and mid-range scorer,” read NBA Draft on SI’s scouting report.
“Continued improvement from beyond the arc as a shooter will be key, but he’s at least a solid 3-point shooter today.
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“In the meantime, Harper can generate buckets for himself at any time on the move, whether it’s all the way to the rim or stopping and scoring in the midrange.”
Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell thinks the only way is up for 18-year-old Harper, whose brother Ron Harper Jr. went undrafted in 2022 after playing for the Scarlet Knights.
“His best basketball is ahead of him,” he said.
“He just keeps working. And I’m proud of him, but it takes everybody, and those guys had to set the screens.
“We had to rebound the basketball. The whole group came together. And guys really stepped it up tonight against a really good basketball team.
“So proud of the whole group. He certainly had a special day. He certainly did some things out there that are quite impressive.”
Harper Sr. claimed his son steps up in level for the big occasions, but Dylan insists he is always fired up regardless of the opponent.
“I really try to approach every game the same way,” he said.
“Gotta go out there with that same chip on my shoulder that I always had.
“That’s one of the reasons I think Coach Pike recruited me, because he’s seen it in me at a young age even before I seen it in myself.”