Who Are the Sons of Former NBA Star Ron Harper? Inside His Family Dynamic
Ron won five NBA championships when he was a member of both the Chicago Bulls (1994–1999) and the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999 until 2001.
Published June 26 2025, 1:25 p.m. ET
The world of professional sports can often turn into a family affair, as the offspring of sports stars have been well known to follow in their footsteps. Former NBA star Ron Harper is the latest pro athlete to have his children follow his career path, as his sons have taken to basketball just like he has.
Ron made his NBA debut in 1986 when he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers before moving on to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989. He won five NBA championships when he was a member of both the Chicago Bulls (1994–1999) and the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999 until 2001.
Who are the sons of former NBA star Ron Harper?
Ron is the father of two sons, Ron Harper Jr. and Dylan Harper, both with his ex-wife.
Ron welcomed Ron Jr. and Dylan in 2000 and 2006, respectively — with Ron Jr being born when his father was still a member of the Lakers. Both of his sons are also professional basketball players in the NBA.
What are the details of Ron Jr. and Dylan’s careers?
Ron Jr. played college basketball for Rutgers University and declared for the 2022 NBA Draft, but was not selected, which resulted in him signing a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors in July 2022, according to NBA.com. He was waived by the team in December 2023 and in July 2024 signed with the Boston Celtics, but was waived again in October. He signed with the Maine Celtics a week later.
In January 2025, Ron Jr. signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons and also continues to play for the Motor City Cruise.
Dylan Harper, like his older brother, also played college basketball for Rutgers University. In June 2025, he was selected as the number two overall pick in the NBA Draft and joined the San Antonio Spurs, according to CBS Sports.
"You know when you feel a cry in your chest and you're trying to not to cry? I definitely felt that," he told the outlet following the draft announcement. "But just seeing my mom and everyone else cry, I honestly felt joy and happiness, just seeing them and how happy they were just for me."
“When you play with a bunch of great players, it just brings the best out of you," he continued. "They've got a great core over there. I'm just ready to get in there and make an impact any way I can with those guys."
“All the guys, but I think Stephon Castle is a big one, obviously besides Wemby," Dylan said of the players he’s excited to play with the most. "Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox. When you play with such good players, it just elevates your game.”
“When you've got that many ball handlers on the court, you can really space the court out. It makes the game so much easier for everyone else. Just having the opportunity to be on the floor with all of them is great."
Dylan was ranked second below Cooper Flagg, who was named the number one overall draft pick for the 2025 NBA Draft and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks.