Tag: Darren Harris

Duke basketball freshman grew up rooting for the Blue Devils and shares childhood story

Duke basketball freshman Darren Harris, who grew up cheering for the Duke Blue Devils, shared a childhood memory involving Coach K Court.

Six freshman faces help make up the 2024-25 Duke men’s basketball roster, but for several of them, the Blue Devils have been part of their lives for a long time.

Darren Harris, a four-star sharpshooter from St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia, said he grew up a Duke fan his entire life. He even shared a story from when he was in elementary school during Friday’s team media day to detail how much the program meant to him.

“It was K Academy, I was in fourth grade I think, and my family snuck in because the door was open, and I took a picture at the Coach K Court piece right there,” Harris said.

Duke honored legendary head coach [autotag]Mike Krzyzewski[/autotag] by branding the floor of Cameron Indoor Stadium as ‘Coach K Court’ during the 2000-01 season. The longtime Blue Devils coach retired in 2022 with 13 Final Four appearances, the most in NCAA history, and five national championships.

“It was a dream of mine to come here,” Harris concluded. “So it kind of made the decision easy.”

Harris could contribute in a big way this season as well. CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein said the first-year Blue Devil shot exceptionally well from distance during a practice he watched earlier this week, and Harris showed off that microwave ability on offense with a 36-point game against IMG Academy during Chipotle Nationals.

College basketball analyst impressed with Duke freshmen Kon Knueppel and Darren Harris

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein watched a Duke basketball practice on Tuesday and came away incredibly impressed with two first-year Blue Devils.

Longtime college basketball writer Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports attended a Duke Blue Devils practice on Tuesday, and by the end of the day, he seemed totally enamored with the freshman class.

Rothstein shared a minute-long video to social media that detailed his thoughts on the Blue Devils, and he sounded like a big fan of five-star standout [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag] and four-star sharpshooter Darren Harris.

Rothstein predicted that Knueppel would make Duke’s starting lineup in a separate post and said the Wisconsin native might finish second on the team in scoring. The 6-foot-7 freshman has certainly impressed his teammates all offseason, becoming a fan favorite before he even takes the court, but Rothstein’s prediction would certainly be close to the ceiling for his already-high expectations.

Harris has remained one of the more unheralded members of the Duke recruiting class, overshadowed by Knueppel and the three other five-star signees, but Rothstein still thinks he could play a key role in the Blue Devils offense.

“(Harris) made long-distance shot after long-distance shot in Tuesday’s practice and could be an under-the-radar freshman entering the ’24-25 season,” Rothstein said.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1838704251544981576

Rothstein also added that Purdue transfer Mason Gillis, who made more than 46% of his 3-pointers with the Boilermakers last season, can fill that same shooting role that Harris fell into on Tuesday.

Duke freshman guard Darren Harris out indefinitely with fractured hand

Incoming Duke basketball freshman Darren Harris is out indefinitely after fracturing non-shooting hand, the team announced on Friday.

Duke’s injury bug has been a well-documented occurrence in the Duke basketball program over the last decade or more. There have been some devastating injuries that some would even believe cost the Blue Devils’ chances at national titles.

Last year’s team experienced some significant injury issues, including injuries to starting point guard Tyrese Proctor, which forced him to miss more than ten games last year. Jeremy Roach missed a few games as well. Caleb Foster was lost for the remainder of the season after a stress fracture in his foot was aggravated in the road game against Wake Forest.

Proctor and Foster return as significant pieces for the 2024-25 Duke team that seems ready to go after the team’s first practices. Even with that said, an injury has already impacted this year’s team.

Darren Harris is the first Blue Devil on this year’s team to suffer a significant injury. The program announced that the freshman, one of six 2024 signees for head coach Jon Scheyer, fractured his non-shotting hand at some point over the summer.

This injury would explain Darren Harris’ noticeable absence from the team’s player-specific highlight videos released on social media this week showcasing every scholarship team member.

Harris had surgery on Tuesday, the team said, and he is expected to make a full recovery.

There is no official timetable for his return, but this type of injury typically requires a six-week recovery, meaning that Harris may miss the entire summer. The timeframe will put him on track to pick things back up as the team prepares for the season.

Harris came to Duke as the 2023-24 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year and finished as the No. 37 player in the country, according to 247Sports. He led his high school, Fairfax (VA) Paul VI, to the national title game, where they faced off against his now-teammate Cooper Flagg and Montverde Academy. They finished with a 33-2 overall record, averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

With his injury, Duke’s potential rotation log jam somewhat clears up.

It’s hard to imagine early in the season without practice time that Harris will contribute early. Fellow freshmen Isaiah Evans and Kon Knueppel look to fit into reserve roles off the bench, most likely. It also means that the addition of Sion James solidifies him as the team’s third guard for the foreseeable future, assuming Proctor and Foster are starters.

Haris’s potential as a shooter will be missed, but since the injury is not season-ending, Duke is hopeful he can come back and be a contributor at some point.

Duke basketball reportedly reaches out to 2026 Paul VI star

After landing two commitments from Paul VI in the 2024 recruiting class, Jon Scheyer is reportedly talking to a 2026 star from the school.

Duke basketball might pursue yet another basketball star from Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia.

According to a Saturday report from Colby Giacubeno, the Blue Devils reached out to Jordan Smith Jr. from the Class of 2026.

Smith, a shooting guard, is a five-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite Ranking. One of the top 15 players in his year, the 6-foot-3 guard is the third-ranked player at his position in the class.

Duke coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] already has roots at Paul VI in just a few short years. Duke’s vaunted 2024 recruiting class features two of Smith’s former teammates, center [autotag]Patrick Ngongba II[/autotag] and guard [autotag]Darren Harris[/autotag].

The trio helped lead Paul VI to the national final against Montverde Academy (the school of [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], another Duke signee and the top-ranked player in the country).

Smith also told Giacubeno he’d heard from schools like Georgetown, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, Old Dominion, and Syracuse since the recruiting window opened up.

Scheyer has his eyes on the future with the news coming days after Duke offered Shelton Henderson from the Class of 2025.

Duke basketball signee Darren Harris shares pics with Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flagg, and more

Darren Harris, one of Duke’s six 2024 signees, linked up with Paolo Banchero and future teammate Cooper Flagg at the K Academy in Durham last week.

Duke basketball fans got to see the 2024-25 roster in Blue Devils gear for the first time last week at K Academy.

Legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski’s fantasy camp serves as a major reunion for his players, and dozens of former legends came back to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the weekend. The gathering creates an interesting mix of Duke stars from yesterday and tomorrow, and a recent tweet from signee Darren Harris showed that clash beautifully.

Harris, one of six members of Duke’s 2024 recruiting class, posted a handful of photos on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) of him with old Blue Devils like Paolo Banchero and Theo John. The incoming freshman also got a photo with future teammate Cooper Flagg, the top overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class.

If you need any further evidence that Harris is excited to get started at Duke, check out the caption on the post.

Even though the Orlando Magic All-Star only left Durham two years ago, the cyclical nature of college basketball and Coach K’s retirement makes Banchero feel like he comes from a different Duke era. Seeing him alongside Flagg and Harris, the future of the roster, feels like a time capsule.

Duke Blue Devils, Jon Scheyer add Tulane Green Wave transfer guard Sion James

Duke adds Tulane transfer Sion James.

The Duke Blue Devils landed their third transfer of the offseason when Tulane transfer Sion James announced his commitment on Friday. On3’s Joe Tipton first reported the decision.

James declared for the NBA Draft while retaining his eligibility earlier this spring. After a pre-draft workout in Memphis last week, James officially visited Duke, and the rest is history.

The newest Blue Devil is listed as a 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard who appeared in 31 games for the Green Wave during the 2023-24 season, leading the team in minutes at nearly 37 per game. He was highly productive, with averages of 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 51% from the field. He was proficient from deep, too, shooting 38% with an effective field goal percentage of 59 percent, good for the 84th percentile in college basketball last year.

James’ value to Duke is his physicality and slashing ability. One area Duke has lacked in the last couple of seasons was a guard consistently getting downhill to the lane and finishing regularly. James has the size and strength, coupled with an excellent first step, to be a menace to opposing defenses as he attacks the lane. Half of his shot attempts last year were at the rim, where he shot 62%.

He also played point guard for the Green Wave, highlighted by his 13% assist rate. He routinely initiated offenses for Tulane and could create shots for others even when out of sets.

[autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag]’s second season at Duke improved in many areas from year one. However, it was not without turbulence. That’s part of the growth process for a young coach—especially one without any head coaching experience before he took over the job from the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.

After an appearance in the Elite Eight that saw them lose to NC State, it was back to the drawing board for Scheyer and his staff as they look to bring Duke its sixth national championship and first since 2015.

Seven players from the 2023-24 team entered the transfer portal. The type of mass exodus that would have any program scrambling. Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster announced their intentions to return. Duke has six freshmen inbound, led by high school basketball’s best player, Cooper Flagg. The Blue Devils already added Purdue transfer Mason Gillis and Syracuse big man Maliq Brown from the portal.

Duke now has three guards who aren’t freshmen. They can rely on one to bring the ball up. It also gives Duke another wrinkle of versatility, as James can seamlessly guard positions 1-3. Hence, it allows Scheyer to run a full three-guard lineup like this past year or have one of Proctor, Foster, or James come off the bench as a big-time stabilizing force for Duke’s second unit.

This addition also allows Duke not to rely on freshmen Darren Harris, Kon Knueppel, and Isaiah Evans nearly as much and will enable them to ease into the college game.

Duke’s impact transfer portal pursuits are wrapped up. Any other transfers are likely for deep bench depth and are unlikely to be counted on as meaningful contributors nightly.

Cooper Flagg aside, Duke’s remaining 2024 signees all finish in the top 50 of On3’s final rankings

Taking a look at the rest of Duke’s 2024 class in the final rankings.

Cooper Flagg cemented himself as the clear-cut No. 1 prospect in America during his final season in high school, leading Montverde Academy to an undefeated season en route to a national championship. He took home many awards and made multiple statement appearances during high school basketball’s most prestigious postseason all-star games, like the Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic.

However, he’s not the only prospect the Blue Devils are set to bring in this summer. Duke’s 2024 class is pretty historic, even without considering Flagg. In the final On3 rankings, all six Duke signees finished within the top 50 spots.

Khaman Maluach, a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, slots in at ninth in the final rankings. His performance in the Nike Hoop Summit wasn’t spectacular, but his work at NBA Academy Africa and in the Basketball Africa League showcases why he’s considered a potential top-five pick in next year’s draft. The 7-footer has the tools to be a game-changer for Duke next season alongside Flagg.

Kon Knueppel finished at 17th, and his blend of size and skill gave him an easy path to playing time off the bench next season as a steady offensive presence. He can shoot the ball, handle it, and even initiate offense.

Isaiah Evans dominated social media, especially in North Carolina, as he cemented himself as one of the state’s best high school players in state history. His North Mecklenburg high school team won a state championship at North Carolina’s highest classification, and they rode the wave of Evans’s talented shotmaking and fiery competitive spirit to get it done. Evans may be slight physically, but his length, energy, and shotmaking will be valuable to Duke next year. On3 ranked him as the 25th-best prospect in their final rankings.

Patrick Ngongba joined the Blue Devils in November. While his high school season was very short due to an injury that kept him out until March, he showcased a little of his game in the Chipotle Nationals. Getting his conditioning back and back into shape is his biggest hurdle as he gets ready for Duke, but even with his injuries, On3 ranked him as their 35th-best prospect.

Last but certainly not least, Darren Harris clocks in at 43 in the final rankings. The sharpshooting guard raised many eyebrows in his senior season, highlighted by an electric showing at the Chipotle Nationals alongside Ngongba on their Paul VI Catholic team that finished the season ranked second in the country. Harris can shoot the cover off of the ball, and because of that, it’s hard not to see him competing for minutes come November.

Duke’s class has a lot of depth and versatility, and it will be fun seeing all the talented freshmen get on campus and try to acclimate themselves to the college game. Duke may have six freshmen coming in, but it’s hard not to be excited about what they can offer next year’s team.

Cooper Flagg named Chipotle Nationals MVP, Darren Harris makes all-tournament team

Duke signee Cooper Flagg helped his high school team win a national title on Saturday en route to tournament MVP honors, and future teammate Darren Harris joined him on the all-tournament team.

After he helped lead Montverde Academy to a national title at Chipotle Nationals on Saturday afternoon, Duke signee Cooper Flagg was named the MVP of the boys’ tournament.

Flagg, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 and the face of Duke’s vaunted recruiting class, scored 16 points and added eight rebounds and six blocks in the title game victory over Paul VI Catholic.

Flagg also dropped 28 points in the semifinal win over Columbus and 16 points in the quarterfinal game against AZ Compass Prep to end the three-game run with an average of 20 points per game.

Darren Harris, another future Blue Devil who led runner-up Paul VI, also made the five-player all-tournament squad. Harris broke through with a 36-point performance against IMG Academy in the quarterfinals.

Duke legend Carlos Boozer’s son, Cameron Boozer, made the five-man team as well for his efforts with Columbus High School.

Montverde boys basketball completes undefeated season with win at Chipotle Nationals

Cooper Flagg and Montverde took down Paul VI to win the prestigious Chipotle Nationals and complete the undefeated season.

All season, Montverde boys basketball was, on paper, the best team in the league. Stacked with five-star talent, stopping the Eagles wasn’t as simple as stopping No. 1 2024 recruit Cooper Flagg — it was about stopping everyone.

The paper translated to the court. Nobody could stop the unit. The regular season came and went without a loss; the Eagles proved themselves once again in the prestigious Chipotle Nationals.

They took down Paul VI, ranked No. 4 in the Super 25, by a score of 79-63 to hoist the hardware and cap the undefeated, 34-0 season.

The offensive star today was Curtis Givens, who poured in 24 points off the bench. He made six 3-pointers and shot 7-for-11 from the field while adding three assists and three rebounds. A four-star LSU commit, Givens’ role of coming off the bench wasn’t because of his skill — it was a testament to that of the team, and his willingness to fulfill what the group needed most. His 26 minutes on Saturday were third-most on the team.

The most minutes went to Flagg, whose six blocks, one steal and eight offensive rebounds were as integral as his offensive performance. He had 16 points, but largely deferred on that end as he only attempted nine shots.

You can see in this short highlight clip that both a block and a steal from him led to immediate points:

Five-star Maryland commit Derik Queen, who won the McDonald’s MVP award last week, had a nice game, scoring 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

Paul VI was led once again by Darren Harris, whose superb Chipotle Nationals run came to a close with 16 points on inefficient shooting. He was electric in the opening rounds, but Montverde managed to hold him to just 5-for-14 shooting. It sealed a remarkable season for the Panthers, who went 35-3 and whose only losses were to Montverde (twice, including the championship) and Columbus (who fell to Montverde in the semifinals).

Montverde’s run of excellence sends its seniors out on a high note. The entire starting lineup was made up of five-star players, and with four-star Givens coming off the bench, they met — and perhaps exceeded — the immense expectations put upon them this year. The Eagles also set up a future run, with five-star sophomores Caleb Gaskins and Kayden Allen getting in on the action.

It’s Montverde’s seventh Chipotle (formerly GEICO) championship, and they’re hoping to be back next year for another run.
They join their sister Eagles as champions, who completed the three-peat earlier in the morning.

It’s a good day and a good year to be an Eagle.

Related: Montverde girls basketball three-peats as Chipotle Nationals champions

Cooper Flagg, Montverde win Chipotle Nationals title

Flagg, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class, helped Montverde Academy defeat Paul VI Catholic and some future teammates in the Chipotle Nationals title game on Saturday.

Duke signee Cooper Flagg and Montverde Academy won the Chipotle Nationals title on Saturday afternoon, defeating Paul VI Catholic 79-63 in the championship game.

Flagg, the top recruit in the Class of 2024, scored 16 points in the final game after he made six of his nine field-goal attempts. He made two 3-pointers, came down with eight rebounds, and rejected six blocks in 31 minutes of playing time.

The win caps off an undefeated 33-0 season for the Florida powerhouse.

Flagg defeated two future teammates on Paul VI’s side. Four-star recruits Darren Harris (16 points, three rebounds, three assists) and Patrick Ngongba (11 points, four rebounds, three assists) will both join Flagg in Durham as part of Duke’s top-ranked 2024 recruiting class.

Montverde also took down Cameron and Cayden Boozer, the twin sons of former Duke star Carlos Boozer and five-star 2025 prospects, in the semifinals.