4-star Jayden Harris has five upcoming visits in mind
Jayden “Juke” Harris is the No. 75 player in On3’s 2024 rankings. The 6-foot-5 guard burst on the scene this high school season averaging 23.1 points, leading Salisbury (NC) High to a 20-5 record and the third round of the state playoffs.
“I can handle the ball, finish around the rim, and shoot the ball from deep,” Harris told On3. “I can score at all three levels, really. I watch a lot of Devin Booker, his shooting ability, and he can hit difficult shots.”
He followed up his high school season as the second leading scorer for Team Loaded Va on the 16u Adidas 3SSB Circuit. The four-star shot 43.8-percent from three during the Adidas Championships. On3 recently caught up with Jayden Harris to discuss which schools stood out to him in his recruitment.
“I would say I hear the most from Houston, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, NC State, South Florida, Tennessee,” Harris said. “I hear from all the schools that have offered me pretty regularly. I don’t have any official visits set yet, but I know I will set something up with Tennessee, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Houston.”
Harris talks visits
NC State: “The coaching staff always makes sure they reach out to me, any time of the day. Coach (Kevin) Keatts always texts me and asks me how I’m doing. I know they care. I know they let their guards play freely. I can come in and do what I do without having to worry about making mistakes.”
Virginia: “I recently visited them unofficially last week. Their practices, their campus, their strength coach, it all stood out to me up there. I liked coach (Tony) Bennett’s vibe.”
Tennessee: “I’ve been talking a lot with coach (Justin) Gainey. He has been making sure I’m doing well. He came to literally every single game I played in California, and I noticed that.
Virginia Tech: “Their strength coach and their staff stood out to me when I went up there. Their arena is different from any other Division 1 college. I know most of their games will be super loud with how it’s closed in; that’s a big home court advantage.”
Houston: “I talked to coach (Kelvin) Sampson on facetime last weekend. He keeps telling me how he really loves my game. He showed me around their practice gym when we were on facetime. I saw a whole bunch of banners in there, so I know they are a winning squad.”
“I hear a lot from Arkansas, too,” Harris said. “They haven’t offered yet, but I think they may be close.”
Harris’s take
“I’m going to look closely at the academic side,” Harris said. “I want to major in Sports Medicine or something like that, so I want to make sure the academic side works when I’m on these visits.
“I want to make sure I feel comfortable around the environment and the people. I also want to play for a hard coach who will hold me accountable, and I know I will get better.”
On3’s take
Jayden Harris is a legitimate big guard. He is at least 6-foot-5, with long arms and broad shoulders, giving him a projectable frame moving forward. Harris is comfortable on the ball, handling and creating in the half-court. He is also a smooth shooter, with confidence from beyond the arc. We would like to see him elevate his release point on his jumper, especially off the catch, but the form and release are good with this minor tweak. Harris is a good athlete, but he is not super bursty. His IQ and feel allow him to get to his spots off the bounce. He is a good team defender and understands angles and footwork on that end of the floor. With his frame and natural skill set, there is a pretty high ceiling for what he could continue to grow into.