Nobody saw it coming. For months, his name barely floated in Duke basketball conversations, buried beneath the hype of incoming freshmen and headline-grabbing stars. But then came the summer — and with it, a jaw-dropping display of pure basketball sorcery. One move, one skill, one unstoppable weapon so lethal that coaches, scouts, and fans across the country can’t stop whispering his name again. The question isn’t whether he’s back… it’s how far this hidden weapon will take the Blue Devils.
Darren Harris has been impressing this summer and could prove to be a valuable contributor off the bench for the Blue Devils this season.
Opportunities were hard to come by last season for Duke basketball freshman Darren Harris. With NBA-bound guards Kon Knueppel, Sion James, and Tyrese Proctor firmly ahead of him in the pecking order, the former 247Sports four-star recruit appeared in just 21 games last year, averaging 6.1 minutes per game in that action. Harris failed to impress in limited time, scoring only 2.0 points per game on woeful 36.6% shooting.
Harris could have jumped ship in the offseason via the transfer portal. Instead, he chose to run it back, although playing time is again no guarantee.
However, it looks like Jon Scheyer is already reaping the rewards from that decision.
Harris has been one of the summer’s biggest risers, impressing in an early scrimmage. Not only has he demonstrated the knockdown outside shooting ability Duke fans expect from him, but he also displays a knack for cutting off the ball, freeing himself up for open looks from deep and easy layups.
That sort of off-ball scoring ability could be hugely advantageous to Jon Scheyer’s group. With veteran Caleb Foster set to be the team’s primary ball handler and freshman phenom Cameron Boozer sure to demand plenty of touches, a player like Harris who doesn’t need the ball to score would be an instant asset to the team.
Harris’ role is likely going to be constrained to the three-and-D role that Isaiah Evans inhabited last season. The Blue Devils are loaded again, particularly at the wing positions with high-profile freshmen Dame Sarr, Nik Khamenia, and Sebastian Wilkins joining the returning Evans. With such a stacked group, Harris faces an uphill path to playing time.
Harris will have to star in his role to get on the court. But he seems to have a clear understanding of what that will demand already. In summer workouts, he’s worked to refine his decision-making, focus on playing hard, and do the little things right.
He’s also invested in his body. New Duke strength coach Preston Greene has been putting the squad through grueling workouts, and Harris has been one of the biggest benefactors. While getting in what he described as “elite shape,” he’s slimmed down from 203 pounds last year to being listed at 195 pounds now.
It’s no guarantee that Harris’ body transformation will lead to any quantifiable athletic gains or on-court success, but his improved conditioning could go a long way in sharpening his defense, which is another thing he’ll have to sell Scheyer on to increase his minutes.
Harris won’t be tasked with doing anything extraordinary offensively, but he will have to hustle and limit mistakes if he wants to play enough to be a difference maker. Earning Scheyer’s trust won’t be easy, but investing in Harris could pay dividends. A player who can sub in and hit big shots is exactly the type that can win a team games in March or April.
Especially for such a young squad that this 2025-26 Duke team is, any continuity is extremely valuable, even if Harris’s time on the court was limited as a rookie. He’ll look to continue to improve throughout the summer and prove he deserves to be a consistent part of the rotation for Scheyer.
