Ron Harper Jr. Reflects on Journey from Exhibit 10 Deal to Contract Extension

BOSTON – Ron Harper Jr. has been a fixture at the Auerbach Center of late, spending much of the offseason training in Brighton and preparing for what he hopes will be a larger role during the 2026-27 season.

On Tuesday afternoon, however, the Celtics wing stepped away from his summer routine and crossed the street to The Track at New Balance, where he spent time with campers at the Jr. Celtics Academy summer camp presented by New Balance.

After participating in drills and a Q&A session with the campers, Harper met with reporters and reflected on a summer that has already included one major milestone: signing a multiyear contract extension with Boston.

“It felt really rewarding,” Harper said. “This is a team that I have a lot of respect for, a team that I want to play for for a long time. So, for it to happen in a city like this, playing for a team like the Boston Celtics, I’m honored and I’m ready to put the work in.”

The extension marked the latest step in a remarkable rise for the 26-year-old. Less than a year ago, Harper arrived in Boston on an Exhibit 10 contract for training camp. That opportunity led to a two-way deal to begin the season, which eventually became a standard NBA contract before the Celtics rewarded him with a long-term extension in July.

Along the way, Harper earned the trust of Boston’s coaching staff through his versatility, defensive toughness, and ability to contribute both on and off the ball.

That trust was most evident during Game 7 of Boston’s first-round playoff series against Philadelphia, when Harper was inserted into the starting lineup to help fill the void left by an injured Jayson Tatum.

“I literally found out when I got to [TD Garden],” Harper recalled. “I got on the court for my shooting time, and (assistant coach) Da’Sean Butler told me. I was ready for it. It was just any other game for me … For it to be in a Game 7 obviously meant a lot more. But I just wanted to go out there and be solid and provide a little spark for my team.”

Harper traces his breakthrough to another opportunity that arrived a couple of months earlier.

During the week of the trade deadline, roster changes and injuries created an opening in the rotation. Harper seized it on Feb. 4 in Houston, when he made his first career start and helped lead an undermanned Celtics squad to an upset victory with 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.

Strong performances followed, including a 22-point outing against his brother Dylan and the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, as well as a career-high 27-point performance against Orlando in the regular-season finale on his 26th birthday.

“I feel like after that game where I started – I played all those minutes, and I played well – I felt like after that point, I could be a real contributor to this team and a part of bringing this team back to a championship,” Harper said. “So that’s something I look forward to doing next year.”

Earning those minutes won’t come easily. The Celtics once again feature a deep group of wings, with Harper competing alongside strong reserves such as Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez. But he embraces that challenge and believes the competition ultimately makes everyone better.

“The beautiful thing about being on the Celtics is we all care about each other, we all want each other to succeed no matter what it looks like,” Harper said. “It’s a lot of guys competing for minutes but also pushing each other to get better and going about it in the right way.”

He’s also eager to learn more from Boston’s veteran wings, including Jayson Tatum and newly acquired Paul George.

George’s arrival carries a personal connection for Harper.

“That was my brother’s favorite player when we were growing up,” Harper said. “He would always make me watch Indiana Pacers games. So I’m real familiar with PG’s game. He’s a great player, and I’m looking forward to learning a lot from him.”

The two haven’t met in the gym yet, but they have connected as business partners.

Shortly after George arrived in Boston, Harper agreed to give up No. 13, the number George wore for most of his 16-year NBA career and the number that helped inspire the “PG-13” nickname.

Harper will instead wear No. 8, a number that carries its own significance.

“I’m a big Kobe guy,” Harper explained. “So I was 24 in college for Kobe, and then you get to the league, and almost every team got 24 retired. So I switched to No. 8 (with Toronto), and it’s a number that found its way back to me.”

As for the jersey swap?

“Me and [Paul] were able to work it out,” Harper smiled without offering too many details. “I’m happy that he’s able to get back to his number, get back to PG-13.”

Harper looks forward to meeting George and the rest of his new teammates in the coming weeks. In the meantime, his focus remains on preparation.

Rather than return home to New Jersey for the offseason, he has spent much of the summer in Boston, working closely with the coaching staff and following a development plan designed to help him take another step forward.

“It’s the easiest place for me to work out, staying around the coaches,” Harper said. “I feel like they have a really good plan for me. So just sticking with what they got planned for me, and just showing up every day. Whether it’s been an optional week or a mandatory week, I try to be in Boston the most that I possibly can.”