Darren Harris attended Paul VI, one of the notable high schools that has recently produced several Duke freshmen
The Duke Chronicle currently features two insightful stories — one analyzing the geographic trends of Duke’s recruiting classes and another focusing on Harris himself, his ties to Duke, and how much he’s grown since last season.
The recruiting piece, titled Mapping The Brotherhood: The Geographies of Duke’s Freshman Classes, takes a data-driven look at where Duke’s newcomers have come from. While Paul VI has clearly become a pipeline for the Blue Devils, the full breakdown is fascinating. For example, among international players, only South Sudan has had multiple recruits — a feat Canada will soon match when Maxime Meyer joins RJ Barrett on that list. The accompanying map gives a striking visual of these trends.
(Side note to the Chronicle: JJ Redick actually hails from western Virginia, near Roanoke — not the DMV area.)
As for Harris, he’s a compelling story. Reliable sources confirmed last year that he planned to return, and this recent article revealed something new — both his parents are passionate Duke fans. Like his teammate Sebastian Wilkins, Harris visited Cameron Indoor Stadium as a kid, where his family introduced him to the Duke experience early on.
He understood last year that his playing time would be limited, but that didn’t deter him. This season, things are different. Thanks to his determination and offseason effort, Harris has transformed physically and mentally. He put in serious work on his conditioning and strength, matching the progress of former Paul VI teammate Patrick Ngongba.
That commitment has paid off. According to Jon Scheyer, Chris Carrawell, and Caleb Foster, Harris’s hard work has been evident and impressive — and it’s going to show when he hits the court this season. He’s set to be one of Duke’s most exciting players to watch.
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