Harper led Rutgers against USC with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a losing effort. He put the team on his back in both overtime periods with star teammate Ace Bailey fouling out at the end of regulation. The first-round defeat dropped the Scarlet Knights to 15-17 on the year, far outside of the 2025 March Madness pool.

Despite Rutgers' 14-16 season, the projected top-five picks have shown why they're elite prospects. Here's what NBA executives and scouts are saying.

Rutgers basketball freshmen duo Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have no regrets about their time with the Scarlet Knights.

From the corner of the tiny Rutgers locker room at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the team’s two star freshmen were sitting practically shoulder to shoulder when they were asked each of them a natural question after the end of a disappointing season.