Ron Harper Jr. Earns Rising Stars Nod Over Celtics Rookie Hugo Gonzalez
When the NBA announced its 2026 Rising Stars roster, Celtics fans might’ve expected to see Hugo Gonzalez’s name on the list. After all, the 19-year-old rookie has been a quiet force in Boston’s rotation this season. But instead, it’s Ron Harper Jr.-a two-way player who’s been grinding in the G League-who’ll represent the Celtics during All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
Harper Jr. is one of seven G League standouts selected for the annual showcase, and he’ll get to share the floor with his younger brother, Dylan Harper, a rookie with the San Antonio Spurs. The moment will carry some serious family weight: the two are sons of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., who collected rings alongside Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant during his time with the Bulls and Lakers.
“Yeah, one, congrats to him,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said Monday. “That’s kind of cool that they have a family that three of those guys are going to be together. I think that’s pretty amazing.”
Harper Jr.’s selection is a testament to the work he’s put in since joining Boston on a training camp deal and earning a two-way contract. With the Maine Celtics, he’s been a consistent force, averaging 24.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks over 16 games. Those numbers don’t just pop-they speak to a well-rounded game that’s clearly caught the attention of the Celtics’ coaching staff.
While most of Harper’s NBA minutes this season have come during garbage time, he made an unexpected early appearance in Boston’s double-overtime win over Brooklyn last Friday, checking in midway through the first quarter. That kind of trust doesn’t happen by accident.
“To me, it’s just trust,” Mazzulla said. “I watch him work out when he’s with us.
The other side of that is the professionalism. When he gets there early, he’s in the weight room doing what he’s supposed to be doing.
He’s in the treatment room if he needs to be. He communicates at a high level.”
Mazzulla also praised Harper’s on-court tools-his shooting, his ability to handle the ball, and his defensive effort.
“His shooting, obviously, it helps a ton. He’s a secondary ball-handler, and I think his defense is good,” Mazzulla added.
“Any time we’re in games the day after, he’s constantly pushing to become a better defender. So just like the other guys, (if) we put him out there, he’s going to impact winning.”
Still, it’s hard to ignore the absence of Gonzalez from the Rising Stars roster. The 2025 first-round pick has been one of the most efficient rookies in the league this season.
Among players with at least 500 minutes logged, Gonzalez owns the third-best net rating (18.5), trailing only Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams. That’s elite company-and a strong indicator of his impact, even if it doesn’t show up in the box score.
But when it comes to traditional stats, Gonzalez lags behind the ten rookies selected for the event. Nine of them are averaging double-digit points per game.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, is posting 4.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He’s shooting an efficient 51.5% from the field and 38.6% from deep, but the raw numbers just don’t leap off the page the way others do.
That said, Gonzalez’s value to the Celtics isn’t in question. He’s a glue guy-defending, spacing the floor, moving without the ball, and doing the little things that help Boston win games. His omission from the Rising Stars game is more a reflection of the league’s preference for flashier stats than a knock on his performance.
In the meantime, Harper Jr. gets his well-earned moment in the spotlight. And for Celtics fans, it’s another reason to keep an eye on Maine-and on the potential depth that could matter come playoff time.