With Duke's offseason in full swing, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. On the men’s side, we’ve already looked at Kon Knueppel, Patrick Ngongba II, Isaiah Evans, Khaman Maluach, Cooper Flagg, Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis. Next up is incoming freshman and volume shooter Darren Harris:
Despite being the lowest-ranked member of head coach Jon Scheyer’s 2024 recruiting class, guard Darren Harris should not be overlooked. The Fairfax, Va., native is the latest in a line of Blue Devils to come out of St. Paul VI, a private Catholic school and basketball powerhouse that produced former Duke guards Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels as well as Harris’ high school teammate and fellow incoming freshman Patrick Ngongba II.
Standing 6-foot-6, Harris is tied for the third-shortest player on the roster and therefore will likely man the second guard spot often for the Blue Devils. Leading his team to a state championship while averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, Harris was named the Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year his senior season — an impressive feat given the abundance of prep basketball talent in the state.
The trait that will get Harris on the floor early for Duke is his impressive ability to shoot the basketball. Due to returning production such as junior guard Tyrese Proctor and sophomore guard Caleb Foster as well as the transfer additions of Tulane guard Sion James and Purdue forward Mason Gillis, Harris will be a bit buried in the rotation and is likely come off the bench in spot minutes to start the season. However, due to his prowess from beyond the arc, he could prove valuable in stretches where the Blue Devil offense needs a spark.
Perhaps Harris’ most notable performance of his decorated prep career came in the 2023 EYBL Peach Jam 17U championship game, where he led Team Takeover to the title with 28 points on 10-for-15 shooting including making five of his seven attempts from deep. In a 15-point first-quarter explosion, Harris showcased his ability to score effectively in various manners. Watch as he spots up in transition to bury one from behind the arc and extend his team’s early lead:
Then, just possessions later, Harris curls around an on-ball screen before catching and firing his signature silky jumper, showing off his ability to shoot off a screen and over a trailing defender:
After hitting a third consecutive three shortly after, Harris caps off his big quarter with a nice backdoor cut to get between his defender and the basket for an easy two. In an offense loaded with talent at Duke, Harris will need to maximize his off-ball movement as he does on this play in order to afford himself the best opportunities to contribute:
More recently, in a quarterfinal game against IMG Academy at April’s 2024 Chipotle Nationals — a national high school basketball tournament to end the prep season — Harris scored an astounding 36 points to lead St. Paul VI to the semifinals. The performance was highlighted by a 19-point third quarter that extended the Panthers’ six-point halftime lead to a 29-point advantage. Watch as the new Blue Devil cashes in from all three levels in a scoring onslaught near the end of the quarter:
It’s no secret what Harris was brought to Durham to do: shoot the ball often and effectively. If he adjusts to the college 3-point line and sinks his early attempts from downtown, he’ll likely see both his minutes and opportunities climb. However, if he falls into the pattern that many freshman sharpshooters succumb to and struggles to adapt to the faster game with a deeper arc, Harris could be phased out of the rotation.
Regardless, Scheyer will have a secret weapon off the bench at all times if his squad is ever in need of a quick scoring burst. Harris can light it up from anywhere on the court, making it difficult for the Duke coaching staff to keep him off the court for too long.
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