Don Bosco Prep star becomes second player from Garden State to win high school basketball's highest honor.
"It honestly means a lot, just knowing how many great players are around the country." Harper said of winning MaxPreps National Player of the Year. "There are a lot of other people who could have of gotten this but for me to win it is truly a blessing."
For the season, Harper averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while leading Don Bosco Prep to a 29-3 record and the Non-Public A state championship. The Ironmen finished No. 9 in the MaxPreps Top 25, the highest-ever final national ranking for the program.
The state championship was the highlight for Harper.
"That was my first and only state championship I have and just the ride and journey I've been through with my teammates from when the season started to truly reaching our dream goals was great," Harper said.
Harper earned co-MVP honors in the McDonald's All American Game last week after tallying 22 points, six rebounds and five assists for the West. The 6-foot-6 guard was in control of the offense for the West throughout the contest and scored 14 points in the first half to help his team build a 17-point advantage before being subbed out.
Regarded as the No. 4 prospect in the Class of 2024 according to
247Sports, Harper signed with Rutgers last month after committing to the Scarlet Knights in December.
"My goal is to
win a national championship," Harper said. "The recruiting class we got in, the guys we
have coming back and some guys we will probably get in the transfer portal. I
think we are going to be really hard to beat.
"Staying home and having
the people who watched me since I was a little kid grow up and go
through stages of life, go through all the ups and downs. I think that is
probably the biggest part of me going to Rutgers."
Harper earned first team Junior All-America honors last season after
averaging 24.9 points per game to
help guide the Ironmen to a record of 26-3. For his career, he piled up over 1,600 points in 83 games at Don Bosco Prep.
The MaxPreps National Player of the Year saved some of the best performances of his career for the biggest games of his senior campaign. Harper posted a career-high 38 points, six rebounds and three steals in a win over No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) at the City of Palms Classic in December. The next day against independent powerhouse IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), he put up 33 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a win.
In the North Jersey Non-Public A title game, Harper matched his career high with 38 points to go along with eight rebounds in a 56-42 win over St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City).
"For Columbus it was just me finding a way and grinding through it," Harper said. "The team went down and for me it was just knowing that I have the capability to bring the team back. But the St. Peter's game, I think I was just on a whole other level. The crazy part is when LeBron said I was just trying stuff in that Game 6. When I got in that zone, I was really doing moves I had never done before so I'd say my best game was St. Peter's."
Harper had a strong summer leading into his senior season, averaging 18.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest during Nike EYBL regular season play before tallying 21.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per contest during the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. He also played for the 2023 U19 National Team, averaging 9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists across seven games
As he looks to the future, Harper hopes to do a lot more than just earn a roster spot in the NBA.
"Staying in the NBA and being one of the all-time greats, one of those people that everyone remembers like the Kobe's, the LeBron's and the Jordan's," Harper said of his career goals.
Past MaxPreps National Player of the Year
2006 — Greg Oden, Lawrence North (Indianapolis)
2007 — Kevin Love, Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
2008 — Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
2009 — Derrick Favors, South Atlanta (Atlanta)
2010 — Harrison Barnes, Ames (Iowa)
2011 — Austin Rivers, Winter Park (Fla.)
2012 — Kyle Anderson, St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
2013 — Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago)
2014 — Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2015 — Ben Simmons, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2016 — Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.)
2017 — Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle)
2018 — R.J. Barrett, Montverde Academy
2019 — Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
2020 — Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy
2021 — Chet Holmgren, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis)
2022 — Dariq Whitehead, Montverde Academy
2023 — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
