Indiana University Athletics
‘Green Light’ -- Harris Embraces Key Shooting Role
10/15/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Darren Harris launches a long 3-point attempt, 25 feet, perhaps 28, and some in the Hinkle Fieldhouse crowd gasp, not waiting for the result, not understanding the logic.
It's part of a question that goes to the heart of offensive basketball -- what constitutes a good shot? In the end, it depends on the player, the coach, the team, and the circumstance.
In this case, Harris hits it and the Indiana fans in the crowd, of which there are many, cheer. It represents three of his 13 points in last Sunday's exhibition victory over Butler -- on 4-for-10 shooting, 3-for-8 beyond the arc -- and showcases why coach Darian DeVries says this Duke transfer guard can shoot at will.
"Like I've told him in front of the team, he has the ultimate green light. So don't even look over if he shoots a 30-footer because I've told him he can."
From offseason workouts to the July trip to Peru to fall practices, Harris has shown he's regained the 3-point shooting confidence he once had as a four-star Virginia high school standout, then lost during two years at Duke.
As a Blue Devil, he was a reserve guard on a national powerhouse, a team that reached the Final Four his first season, the Elite Eight his second.
New opportunity beckoned through the transfer portal. Harris took it, became a Hoosier, and now big things are possible.
"In the summertime and fall, he shot it at an incredibly high rate," DeVries says. "He's been of our top two, three leading scorers.
"His confidence has really grown. There's not a shot that he's afraid to take. That's a good thing."
The result -- DeVries envisions Harris as he did last year's long-range leading scorer, Lamar Wilkerson.
"When he hits one or two (3-pointers)," DeVries says, "three, four, or five are likely coming very quickly."
In 57 off-the-bench games at Duke, Harris totaled 162 points, 54 rebounds, 20 assists, and 14 steals, averaging 2.8 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.3 minutes.
However, if you expanded that to 40 minutes a game, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. Those are strong numbers for a shooting guard.
"I think my role has changed in a pretty big way," Harris says. "I'm excited for it. I'm ready to embrace it. It's something I've been looking forward to, something I'm excited for."
Two years at Duke and now six months at IU have elevated his game.
"I think I've always been a good scorer and shooter. I was in high school and growing up.
"My years at Duke rounded out my game. I think I'm a really good offensive rebounder now, which is something I didn't really focus on in high school. I'm a way better defender. I know how to make reads with and without the ball way more effectively."
Then there's the winning factor. Duke was 55-2 when Harris played, and 70-7 overall.
"That showed me what it takes to win at a high level," he says. "Being a part of two historic teams is a plus for me. I know what winning takes. I'm trying to imprint that on this program."
Imprinting resumes with Sunday's exhibition against North Carolina at Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Victory isn't the top priority as much as developing a championship-caliber team. Harris is optimistic about the potential.
"I've been on some really great teams. I've seen what it takes to win and lose at a high level. For us, it's gelling together every day, hanging out off the court. Using every tool we can to get that chemistry down will be big for us."
That includes adversity. IU experienced some of that against Butler -- the Hoosiers led by just one point early in the second half -- before taking command in the final 15 minutes.
"We've got to go through like some hard things together," Harris says. "That's the biggest thing. That's what I took away from my past couple of years. If you go through hard things together, when it's a close game and a big game, you're used to it. You know how to get out of it."
So, the Hoosiers practice to get there. It is, in many ways, Harris adds, just as it was at Duke.
"The attention of details is around the same. There's a big focus on player development at both schools, a big focus on defense and moving the ball, getting the right shots. It's real similar. That's made the transition easy for me."
What stands out under DeVries, Harris says, is "how fast everything moves."
"It's like we might do a drill for a minute or two just to get those reps in our head every day. It's like daily vitamins. Just having to adjust getting from drill to drill so quickly. That's probably the biggest change."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Darren Harris launches a long 3-point attempt, 25 feet, perhaps 28, and some in the Hinkle Fieldhouse crowd gasp, not waiting for the result, not understanding the logic.
It's part of a question that goes to the heart of offensive basketball -- what constitutes a good shot? In the end, it depends on the player, the coach, the team, and the circumstance.
In this case, Harris hits it and the Indiana fans in the crowd, of which there are many, cheer. It represents three of his 13 points in last Sunday's exhibition victory over Butler -- on 4-for-10 shooting, 3-for-8 beyond the arc -- and showcases why coach Darian DeVries says this Duke transfer guard can shoot at will.
"Like I've told him in front of the team, he has the ultimate green light. So don't even look over if he shoots a 30-footer because I've told him he can."
From offseason workouts to the July trip to Peru to fall practices, Harris has shown he's regained the 3-point shooting confidence he once had as a four-star Virginia high school standout, then lost during two years at Duke.
As a Blue Devil, he was a reserve guard on a national powerhouse, a team that reached the Final Four his first season, the Elite Eight his second.
New opportunity beckoned through the transfer portal. Harris took it, became a Hoosier, and now big things are possible.
"In the summertime and fall, he shot it at an incredibly high rate," DeVries says. "He's been of our top two, three leading scorers.
"His confidence has really grown. There's not a shot that he's afraid to take. That's a good thing."
The result -- DeVries envisions Harris as he did last year's long-range leading scorer, Lamar Wilkerson.
"When he hits one or two (3-pointers)," DeVries says, "three, four, or five are likely coming very quickly."
In 57 off-the-bench games at Duke, Harris totaled 162 points, 54 rebounds, 20 assists, and 14 steals, averaging 2.8 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.3 minutes.
However, if you expanded that to 40 minutes a game, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. Those are strong numbers for a shooting guard.
"I think my role has changed in a pretty big way," Harris says. "I'm excited for it. I'm ready to embrace it. It's something I've been looking forward to, something I'm excited for."
Two years at Duke and now six months at IU have elevated his game.
"I think I've always been a good scorer and shooter. I was in high school and growing up.
"My years at Duke rounded out my game. I think I'm a really good offensive rebounder now, which is something I didn't really focus on in high school. I'm a way better defender. I know how to make reads with and without the ball way more effectively."
Then there's the winning factor. Duke was 55-2 when Harris played, and 70-7 overall.
"That showed me what it takes to win at a high level," he says. "Being a part of two historic teams is a plus for me. I know what winning takes. I'm trying to imprint that on this program."
Imprinting resumes with Sunday's exhibition against North Carolina at Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Victory isn't the top priority as much as developing a championship-caliber team. Harris is optimistic about the potential.
"I've been on some really great teams. I've seen what it takes to win and lose at a high level. For us, it's gelling together every day, hanging out off the court. Using every tool we can to get that chemistry down will be big for us."
That includes adversity. IU experienced some of that against Butler -- the Hoosiers led by just one point early in the second half -- before taking command in the final 15 minutes.
"We've got to go through like some hard things together," Harris says. "That's the biggest thing. That's what I took away from my past couple of years. If you go through hard things together, when it's a close game and a big game, you're used to it. You know how to get out of it."
So, the Hoosiers practice to get there. It is, in many ways, Harris adds, just as it was at Duke.
"The attention of details is around the same. There's a big focus on player development at both schools, a big focus on defense and moving the ball, getting the right shots. It's real similar. That's made the transition easy for me."
What stands out under DeVries, Harris says, is "how fast everything moves."
"It's like we might do a drill for a minute or two just to get those reps in our head every day. It's like daily vitamins. Just having to adjust getting from drill to drill so quickly. That's probably the biggest change."
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