Duke, Maryland, Pittsburgh standing out for 4-star Darren Harris
Darren Harris is On3’s No. 56 ranked player in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard finished Nike’s 17u EYBL Circuit with a 49.3 effective shooting percentage, averaging 1.9 three’s made per game.
“I’m an elite shooter,” Harris told On3. “I play with a lot of confidence, and I’m good in transition. I’m a smart defender and play with a high basketball IQ. I love watching film on Devin Booker and Klay Thompson. They are similar to me, so I like watching a lot of them.”
College coaches have taken note of the Fairfax (VA) Paul VI sharp-shooter and made him a priority in the process. On3 caught up with Darren Harris at the CBG Live Series 1 to talk about his recruitment.
“I would say I hear the most from Duke, Maryland, and Pittsburgh right now,” Harris said. “We are setting up dates now to visit Duke and Pittsburgh. I visited Maryland last week.”
Harris talks recruitment
Duke: “The brotherhood is big with them. They have a good relationship with my school, Paul VI. The whole backcourt last year was Paul VI. They always talk to me about the family atmosphere; it’s hard to beat Duke from that aspect.”
Maryland: “Coach (Scott) Willard has done a great job recruiting locally. They signed Jamie (Kaiser), Deshawn (Harris-Smith), and John (Lamothe), and I don’t think he’s done with that class yet. He’s really all in for his guys. He is always in the gym, working with every position workout. That’s big for me because I can really trust him.”
Pittsburgh: “They are always in my ear, texting me. They’re an up-and-coming program, I think. Jeff Capel does a great job; they just got Dior Johnson which is a great pickup. I really like the coaching staff and environment there.”
“I think Ohio State and Miami are close to offering me,” Harris said. “I’m going to try and visit them soon too.”
In Harris words
“A lot of people think my recruitment is shut down because of the Duke offer,” Harris said. “That isn’t it; I’m still open and just looking to see what the best option for me is.
“I’ll be looking at where I fit best. The place that will prepare me for the next level, because that’s the goal. Player development is big for me, and a family atmosphere will be huge. I want to play fast like we do at Paul VI and with Team Takeover.”
On3’s take
Darren Harris is an elite shooter; we’re talking in the conversation as the best shooter in high school basketball. At 6-5, he has great positional size. He is always square and always ready to let it fly, from 35 feet and in. Harris played up in age on the Nike EYBL 17u Circuit, where he started for the Peach Jam runner-up and averaged 1.8 made threes per game. His athleticism will be a question as he lacks top-end bounce or pop, but his IQ has him in the play. He has developed his handle, getting to the rim off sloppy closeouts in straight lines. The more he develops his handle, the more lethal he becomes. His dad is a high school coach.