BB Recruiting Twitter Thursday: Dylan Harper, Macaleab Rich, Mackenzie Mgbako

[Richie O]

Via Rivals National Hoops Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy.

https://rutgers.rivals.com/news/twitter-thursday-dylan-harper-macaleab-rich-mackenzie-mgbako

Saying this is a Duke-Rutgers battle isn’t exactly new news. I think Indiana and Kansas could be real players as well, but each feels a bit less likely than the Blue Devils or Scarlet Knights. There’s a lot of reason for me to think Rutgers is the current (ever so slight) leader, however. I’ve been told by people close to the situation that the Scarlet Knights are the team to beat if all things are equal.

In 2023 “if all things being equal” means, “can they figure out the NIL situation?”

It’s disingenuous and insulting to fans to pretend money doesn't matter in modern recruiting, so I’m going to do that. Being honest makes the answer simple. I think Rutgers will ultimately land Dylan Harper if it can figure out how to stand toe to toe with some heavy hitters from an NIL standpoint. If not, things get more interesting. That’s when a Duke, Indiana or even Kansas could slip in the door.

I’d feel cautiously optimistic if I were a Rutgers fan.

 

[Scarlet Blind_rivals]

Seeing Dylan repost Palmquist's commitment to Elon in his IG stories would tell me Rutgers is comfortably in the lead for him.

 

[jordkap]

Seeing Dylan repost Palmquist's commitment to Elon in his IG stories would tell me Rutgers is comfortably in the lead for him.

Or he knows him as he played with his brother for multiple years

 

[kcg88]

Or he knows him as he played with his brother for multiple years

I believe Oskar stayed with the Harpers during the summer of 2020.

 

[Mr Magoo_rivals90743]

Kansas, Duke and Rutgers all make sense for Harper. I can’t for the life of me think why he would go to Indiana…unless they are offering a lot more. Woodson is a very mediocre coach and the program is just above average.

 

[Shelby65]

OTOH, all things being equal, it's also very understandable for a kid to want to follow his own path and experience something different.

I'm sure quite many RU alums have kids who went to a different school than they did or than older siblings did.

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

OTOH, all things being equal, it's also very understandable for a kid to want to follow his own path and experience something different.

I'm sure quite many RU alums have kids who went to a different school than they did or than older siblings did.

Nothing wrong with that.

That won’t be the reason. We wouldn’t be in the thick of the final decision if so.

 

[fatsam98]

Seeing Dylan repost Palmquist's commitment to Elon in his IG stories would tell me Rutgers is comfortably in the lead for him.

Harper to Elon

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

Or he knows him as he played with his brother for multiple years

I believe Oskar stayed with the Harpers during the summer of 2020.

He actually lived with the Harpers through the initial COVID period when everyone thought it was going to be 2 weeks. Think Geo did as well.

 

[Shelby65]

PSAL You don’t know what his reasoning will be any more than I do. Is certainly plausible.

 

[fluoxetine]

Shelby doing his thing again lol

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

PSAL You don’t know what his reasoning will be any more than I do. Is certainly plausible.

No dude - it’s not plausible. If he had any concerns about following in his brothers foot steps Rutgers would not be in the running. He can go anywhere he wants to.

 

[BeantownKnight]

He actually lived with the Harpers through the initial COVID period when everyone thought it was going to be 2 weeks. Think Geo did as well.

So, you're saying Geo to Elon, as well?

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

So, you're saying Geo to Elon, as well?

Weirder things have happened....lol

 

[Shelby65]

No dude - it’s not plausible. If he had any concerns about following in his brothers foot steps Rutgers would not be in the running. He can go anywhere he wants to.

Not a concern, per se. All I am saying is, his final decision could be based on blazing his own path. Being a finalist means nothing #jaywilliams

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Not a concern, per se. All I am saying is, his final decision could be based on blazing his own path. Being a finalist means nothing #jaywilliams

If he chooses another school it’s because they offered more money or he simply decides he prefers another school over Rutgers (whether because it’s a blue blood or not and regardless of the reasons on he gives). The reason your putting out there would make no sense because the Ron connection has been there the whole time and we’re talking about a kid who has known he can go wherever he wants from the start. If he had even the slightest reservation about going to the same school as his brother, there would be no reason to consider RU in the first place.

 

[Shelby65]

You are missing several key points

1) he may decide later to go somewhere else exactly for the reason I say. Just because he's apparently got us in the mix now doesn't mean that won't be his personal reasoning in the end. How can you know that he won't decide to go elsewhere to blaze his own path ? You can't.

2) we may only be on his short-list as a hometown courtesy #briantoal and as stated #jaywilliams. This does happen.

You can't draw any conclusions from his list, nor can I. It doesn't necessarily speak to his true feelings about coming here. Or, maybe he just doesn't know yet.

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

You are missing several key points

1) he may decide later to go somewhere else exactly for the reason I say. Just because he's apparently got us in the mix now doesn't mean that won't be his personal reasoning in the end. How can you know that he won't decide to go elsewhere to blaze his own path ? You can't.

2) we may only be on his short-list as a hometown courtesy #briantoal and as stated #jaywilliams. This does happen.

You can't draw any conclusions from his list, nor can I. It doesn't necessarily speak to his true feelings about coming here. Or, maybe he just doesn't know yet.

I can draw conclusions from his list based on what we've been told on the premium side. His list is basically 2 teams with the others lurking in the background.

And to address your points:

#1 - He will blaze his own path whether he picks RU or another school. There is no comparing him and Ron.
#2 - Only someone who doesn't know anything about the Harper's would think this.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

You don’t have to know anything about the Harpers. If you don’t want to go to school where your brother played (because that’s an issue for you) you don’t ever have that school on you “list” in the first place let alone your final 2. He can go anywhere. It’s just common sense.

He’s also not putting Rutgers in his top 2 as a courtesy. He knows if he doesn’t choose RU in the end it’s to our detriment holding that spot and not focusing on others.

These are ridiculous theories in this case.

 

[RUShea]

You are missing several key points

1) he may decide later to go somewhere else exactly for the reason I say. Just because he's apparently got us in the mix now doesn't mean that won't be his personal reasoning in the end. How can you know that he won't decide to go elsewhere to blaze his own path ? You can't.

2) we may only be on his short-list as a hometown courtesy #briantoal and as stated #jaywilliams. This does happen.

You can't draw any conclusions from his list, nor can I. It doesn't necessarily speak to his true feelings about coming here. Or, maybe he just doesn't know yet.

Damn Brian Toal. There's a name I had forgotten about.

 

[Shelby65]

You don’t have to know anything about the Harpers. If you don’t want to go to school where your brother played (because that’s an issue for you) you don’t ever have that school on you “list” in the first place let alone your final 2. He can go anywhere. It’s just common sense.

He’s also not putting Rutgers in his top 2 as a courtesy. He knows if he doesn’t choose RU in the end it’s to our detriment holding that spot and not focusing on others.

These are ridiculous theories in this case.

All speculation. Carry on.

 

[Scarlet Blind_rivals]

Dylan posted this in his IG stories

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsKpNR-uApT/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

[iupackers54]

Kansas, Duke and Rutgers all make sense for Harper. I can’t for the life of me think why he would go to Indiana…unless they are offering a lot more. Woodson is a very mediocre coach and the program is just above average.

Well! we did make the tourney and you didn't. If we're above average, then where does that put your school? One last thing, I wouldn't keep my hopes up for Harper, He may end up in candy Stripes. No one thought we beat Kansas for Mgbako..

 

[RutgHoops]

Well! we did make the tourney and you didn't. If we're above average, then where does that put your school? One last thing, I wouldn't keep my hopes up for Harper, He may end up in candy Stripes. No one thought we beat Kansas for Mgbako..

Ron Harper Jr was 7-2 v IU and Rutgers finished behind IU once in the B1G standings in his RHJs 4 years at Rutgers. So we have that in our favor. Plus this....

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

All speculation. Carry on.

Your the one speculating ridiculous theories that make no sense at all. To be clear, I’m by no means saying this is in the bag for Rutgers. It’s just that your concocting possible explanations for it not going our way that are completely irrational.

You suggest maybe he’s doing Rutgers a “courtesy” favor by saying they are in the mix. Let’s intentionally lead them down a hopeful path with a predicated plan to burn them at the finish line with a final announcement (I.e he’s known all along he’s not going to Rutgers). What exactly would be the “courtesy” in that? It would literally be the opposite of courteous.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Well! we did make the tourney and you didn't. If we're above average, then where does that put your school? One last thing, I wouldn't keep my hopes up for Harper, He may end up in candy Stripes. No one thought we beat Kansas for Mgbako..

It’s a different situation. The only thing you have going for you is that he hasn’t officially ruled Indiana out. With his brothers disdain for the school, you’d think Indiana would be officially dismissed from his list if he wasn’t actually still considering it. It would really be spitting in Rutgers face if he ends up going there though.

 

[Mr Magoo_rivals90743]

Well! we did make the tourney and you didn't. If we're above average, then where does that put your school? One last thing, I wouldn't keep my hopes up for Harper, He may end up in candy Stripes. No one thought we beat Kansas for Mgbako..

We are also above average…with a recent penchant for beating you guys. For all your past glory, you should be light years ahead of us. I think you’d have a better shot at Harper if Mgbako wasn’t projected as one and done.

 

[Shelby65]

Your the one speculating ridiculous theories that make no sense at all. To be clear, I’m by no means saying this is in the bag for Rutgers. It’s just that your concocting possible explanations for it not going our way that are completely irrational.

You suggest maybe he’s doing Rutgers a “courtesy” favor by saying they are in the mix. Let’s intentionally lead them down a hopeful path with a predicated plan to burn them at the finish line with a final announcement (I.e he’s known all along he’s not going to Rutgers). What exactly would be the “courtesy” in that? It would literally be the opposite of courteous.

It is a real thing and does have some value for schools like ours. The courtesy does increase credibility of the program and the coach, even in not committing. Duke, Kansas, etc don’t benefit from these, but we would.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

It is a real thing and does have some value for schools like ours. The courtesy does increase credibility of the program and the coach, even in not committing. Duke, Kansas, etc don’t benefit from these, but we would.

Dude - just stop. Ace Bailey is a top 3 recruit. He’s committed to Rutgers among other 4 and 5 stars locked in. You might have a point if this were football but there’s no basis for it in this case at all. It’s simply not what’s going on. It’s not speculative to say as much based on the facts.

 

[Shelby65]

Yea, Freud. I concede you know exactly what he’s thinking. It’s good that you are 100% sure there’s a 0% chance he decides to go someplace different for that reason.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Yea, Freud. I concede you know exactly what he’s thinking. It’s good that you are 100% sure there’s a 0% chance he decides to go someplace different for that reason.

Or the other contradictory suggestion you made. At this point, if we lose - it’ll mean we lost a bidding war.

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

Or the other contradictory suggestion you made. At this point, if we lose - it’ll mean we lost a bidding war.

Why are you arguing with the self proclaimed Einstein. He will immediately insist RU was only a courtesy if Dylan decides elsewhere. And the fact he's making that claim means he's never listened to one podcast where they've discussed his recruitment.