Indiana’s search for transfer portal help includes a familiar name for one of its assistant coaches. Duke guard Darren Harris is one of the early players to watch because of his connection to IU assistant Kenny Johnson and his profile as a developing perimeter shooter.
Harris is a 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard from Herndon, Virginia, who attended St. Paul VI High School. He played travel basketball for Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit, a program with a long history of ties to Johnson.
Why Harris fits the IU conversation
Harris spent his first two college seasons at Duke and came off the bench in both. He appeared in 36 games as a sophomore and averaged 3.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 9.6 minutes per game.
He shot 36.3% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range on 69 attempts, while making 76.9% of his free throws. As a freshman, he averaged 2.0 points in 6.0 minutes per game, with much of his offensive value tied to his jumper.
Darren Harris at a glance
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| School | Duke |
| Position | Guard |
| Height/Weight | 6-foot-5, 195 pounds |
| Hometown | Herndon, Va. |
| High school | St. Paul VI H.S. |
| Years of eligibility left | Two |
| Sophomore stats | 3.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists |
| Three-point shooting | 33.3% on 69 attempts |
Johnson’s connection matters because Harris’s basketball background overlaps with a recruiting pipeline IU has used before. Team Takeover has produced high-level prospects, and familiarity between a coach and a player often becomes a factor once the transfer portal opens.
What the numbers suggest
Harris has leaned heavily on the three-point shot in college, with 68.9% of his attempts coming from behind the arc. That volume shows a clear role as a spacing guard, and his shooting improved from 22.7% from deep as a freshman to 33.3% as a sophomore.
His free throw percentage also climbed from 50% to 76.9%, though the sample size remains limited. Those gains point to a player who has shown gradual offensive progress and could still have room to grow in a larger role.
Recruiting background still stands out
Before college, Harris carried strong status as a high school prospect. He was rated a four-star recruit by both 247Sports and ESPN, with ESPN listing him at No. 45 nationally and 247Sports ranking him No. 56.
He also won the 2023-24 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year award after averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. That résumé built the case that he could become more than a role player if given the right fit and opportunity.
The transfer portal formally opens on April 7, and players with Indiana ties or staff connections will continue to surface as IU evaluates perimeter options. Harris is one of the names that stands out because of the combination of size, shooting, and a preexisting relationship with the IU coaching staff.
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