New York Yankees bestow Dylan Harper with major honor as he arrives at NYC for the 2025 NBA draft (In Photos) 

As New York prepares for the 2025 NBA draft, Rutgers star Dylan Harper was welcomed to the city. In a social media post on Sunday, the guard was honored by the Yankees with the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium, just days before he hears his name called in Brooklyn.

Harper, who averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 48.4% shooting last season, looked comfortable in pinstripes. Dressed in a Yankees jersey and cap, Harper threw out the first pitch in front of thousands of fans.

The Yankees’ official Instagram account posted several images and a video of the him in the Bronx.

“Star @rutgersmbb guard & 2025 #NBA Draft Prospect @dylharpp with today’s ceremonial first pitch 🙌,” the Yankees captioned.

The post racked up thousands of likes and comments, with fans excited to see the New Jersey native receiving such recognition.

Photos from the event showed Harper smiling as he greeted fans and posed for pictures with Yankees players. One snap captured him mid-windup on the mound, while another showed him holding the game ball.

This special honor marked a high point for Harper, who arrived in New York as one of the draft’s most anticipated prospects. Harper’s performance with the Scarlet Knights projected him to be selected in the top five.

Rutgers star Dylan Harper draws comparisons to former top NBA picks

Duke’s Cooper Flagg has generated massive buzz ahead of the 2025 NBA draft, while Dylan Harper is projected to go at No. 2. Despite not being the projected top pick, Harper’s game has drawn major praise.

In a recent feature by The Athletic’s David Aldridge on Wednesday, coaches and NBA executives shared their thoughts on this year’s prospects. One college coach, who faced Harper last season, compared him to some of the NBA’s recent top picks.

“He’s as good as anyone we’ve played against, including Markelle Fultz and Jabari Smith,” the coach said. “He’s not quite on the level of Cade Cunningham or Anthony Edwards, who we also played but he’s got really good reads out of pick-and-rolls for his age.”

Harper entered the 2025 NBA draft with an impressive list of accolades that highlighted his collegiate and high school dominance. In his freshman season at Rutgers, he earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Before college, Harper was recognized as one of the top high school players in the country, winning the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year award in 2024. He also shined on the national stage as co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game, and competed in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.

The comparison to Fultz was noteworthy. The No. 1 pick by the 76ers in 2017 struggled due to injuries and inconsistency. However, unlike Fultz, Harper is expected to blossom in the NBA due to his track record of health, maturity and leadership.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez