Just days after the Boston Celtics handed Ron Harper Jr. a two-year standard NBA contract, the 25-year-old wing has received another major boost to his rapidly rising career.
On Tuesday, the Maine Celtics — Boston’s G League affiliate — announced that Harper Jr. earned a spot on the All-NBA G League Third Team, capping off a dominant breakout season in the minors.
The honor is well-deserved. Harper Jr. exploded for averages of 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks across 18 games with Maine. His explosive two-way play turned heads all season long and ultimately forced the Celtics’ front office to give him real security.
Ron Harper Jr.’s Breakthrough Contract
The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Fresh off converting his two-way deal into a guaranteed multi-year standard contract over the weekend, Harper Jr. is now set to earn $2.7 million while helping Boston stay under the luxury-tax threshold. The deal also makes the undrafted guard fully playoff-eligible.
After going undrafted in 2022 and playing just 11 NBA games with zero starts entering this season, this new contract represents a life-changing leap for the young wing. Most of his career had been spent grinding in the G League, but his persistence has finally paid off in a big way.
Harper Jr. originally signed a two-way deal with the Toronto Raptors before being waived in December 2023. He landed with Boston after a strong summer league showing, was assigned to Maine, briefly tried his luck with the Detroit Pistons on another two-way, and ultimately returned to the Celtics organization in the summer of 2025.
A New, Professional Environment For the Rising Guard
This season, Harper Jr. appeared in 27 games for the Celtics, averaging 3.3 points in about 10 minutes per night. While his NBA role was limited, he dominated in Maine and flashed serious potential during his limited opportunities with the big club — most notably dropping a career-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting against the San Antonio Spurs in March. That performance, combined with his consistent two-way impact, convinced Boston to lock him in.
Harper Jr. becomes the third two-way player the Celtics have promoted to the standard roster this season, joining Amari Williams and Max Shulga. He also joins his younger brother, Dylan Harper — the No. 2 overall pick by the Spurs in the 2025 NBA Draft — as an official NBA pro.
Boston’s Playoff Push and Harper’s Future Role
The Celtics head into a high-stakes postseason with renewed hope, led by a fully healthy Jayson Tatum and league MVP candidate Jaylen Brown. While the roster isn’t quite as deep as the championship team from two years ago, Boston still possesses elite top-end talent capable of making a deep run.
Harper Jr. could emerge as a valuable spark off the bench — a dynamic, high-energy wing with defensive upside and scoring punch who can give the team a quick boost when needed. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder proved last year just how critical depth and versatile role players are during a long playoff journey.
Now with a guaranteed roster spot on one of the NBA’s premier franchises, Ron Harper Jr. is poised to continue his remarkable rise. What once looked like a long-shot career is suddenly turning into a compelling success story — and this latest twist in Boston has everyone paying attention.