Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash is likely excited to get Kyrie Irving back as a full-time player, to pair with fellow superstar Kevin Durant, especially after the James Harden trade. However, on a championship-contending team, there are always role players who need to step up during crunch time moments. For the Nets, veteran wing Joe Harris was one of the supplementary parts of the roster who was expected to provide important contributions with his three-point shooting.
Unfortunately, Brooklyn has been without their main floor spacer for the majority of the season. It does not appear as if Harris will be able to play for the Nets during the postseason, due to a left ankle injury he suffered in November against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He underwent ankle surgery in late November to correct the issue but suffered a setback in his recovery in January. In March, he underwent a second ankle surgery that has knocked him out for the remainder of the year. It’s a big loss for a Brooklyn team that was relying on him to complement their superstar players. Harris played in 14 games this year.
Joe Harris – Childhood
Joe Malcolm Harris was born to parents Joe Harris Sr and Alice Harris on September 6, 1991, in Chelan, Washington. Considering where he is now, it may not sound surprising that Joe Harris ate, lived, and breathed basketball from before he even started grade school. He was one of those kids who even slept with his basketball.
His mother recalls hearing the ball bounce when it fell from the top bunk, and subsequently listening to Harris climb down the ladder to retrieve it from the floor. He had a lot of exposure to the game as well since Harris Sr was the basketball coach at Chelan High School. Young Joe loved nothing more than to tag along with his father for a practice or a game. Even before he really knew how to count, he lobbied his father to let him operate the game clock and scoreboard for Chelan’s games.
As a kid, Joe Harris even wrote his goals on the wall of his bedroom in marker. He penned motivational phrases such as “have confidence”, “great attitude”, and “become a pro”. Seeing this every morning when he woke up allowed him to keep his goals at the forefront of his mind.
Where did Joe Harris go to high school?
When the time came, Joe Harris did not have to go very far in order to get acclimated with the coaching staff or court of his high school team. He had been immersed in the Chelan program since he was a child and ended up playing for his dad. The Mountain Goats, as the team was known, saw Harris deliver a brilliant career as a lethal scorer. He tallied 2,399 points during his time with the team, which was a Class 1A state record.
The amount of work Harris put in as a youngster and in high school to perfect his jump shot translated with the level of production he amassed with the Mountain Goats. However, his father pointed out that his defense left a lot to be desired, and needed to improve if he wanted to become a well-rounded player. Harris was often very aggressive on the defensive end, which led him to take bad angles and rack up fouls. He would learn to control that energy as his high school career went on.
Harris was recognized for his hard work during his senior season, where he brought home a couple of impressive accolades. He was named the 2010 Gatorade Washington Player of The Year for boys basketball and was named Mr. Basketball for the state of Washington in his final high school campaign as well. Every year, Harris returns to his hometown to host the Joe Harris Basketball camp, which allows high school seniors in the Chelan area to attend at no cost.
Joe Harris – College
Joe Harris had quite a few big-time schools who played in power conferences poking around Chelan High School in hopes that they could lure the sharpshooter to their campus. While schools like Georgetown, Georgia, and Notre Dame had their eye on him, Harris was initially looking to stay closer to home. He struck up a relationship with Washington State head coach Tony Bennett, who would personally watch some of Harris’ games in the other part of the state.
It seemed more likely than not that Harris would become a Cougar. However, Bennett left Washington State for the University of Virginia while Harris was a senior. It was a difficult decision for the young man, but he elected to follow Bennett across the country and become a member of the Cavaliers.
Virginia wasted no time inserting Harris into their rotation as a freshman. He averaged over 29 minutes a game, and his most transferrable skill—proficiency from three-point range—was evident from the very beginning. He shot nearly 42% from downtown in his first year with the Cavaliers. In a very difficult conference, Virginia had a tough time finding its footing during Harris’ freshman year but took a leap in the following campaign.
They qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2012, which was the first time since 2007 that they participated in March Madness. Although they were blown out in the second round by the University of Florida, Harris, and freshman Malcolm Brogdon were the building blocks for the future.
In Harris’ junior season, he stepped up big time, averaging over 16 points per game, four rebounds per game, and over 32 minutes per game. In one of the premier games of his college career, he dropped 36 points against the Duke Blue Devils. Harris only ended up making two three-pointers in that game, but was masterful from the mid-range and converted ten out of twelve free throws that night.
From a team perspective, however, it’s hard to argue that any campaign was more memorable for the Chelan prospect than Harris’ senior season. Virginia turned into a national powerhouse in 2013-2014, with a scary three-guard lineup of Harris, Brogdon, and Justin Anderson. They raced out to a 16-2 record in the ACC and earned a number one seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. In a hotly contested battle with the Michigan State Spartans, the Cavaliers lost by two points in the Sweet 16. It was a tough way for his college career to end, but Harris departed as the all-time leader in games played at Virginia, and second in total three-pointers made.
Joe Harris – Cleveland Cavaliers
Harris had one of the most interesting situations to enter to start his NBA career. While many rookies join teams that struggle to win, the former Virginia product joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, who selected him early in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. The return of LeBron James had the team singularly focused on winning the title.
While he wasn’t a major contributor in his rookie year, he did appear in 51 regular-season games for a team that would end up making the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for Harris, his run as a visible piece of a championship contender was short-lived, as he suffered a foot injury the following year. The Cavaliers traded him to the Orlando Magic shortly after he underwent surgery, but the Magic promptly waived him after his acquisition.
Joe Harris – Brooklyn Nets
Coming off of a difficult injury, it was tough to predict what Harris’ market would be in the 2016 offseason. He was playing well in the D-League before he went down with the foot ailment, and the Brooklyn Nets decided to add him into the fold. It turned out to be one of the sneaky good moves in recent NBA history and enabled Harris to find a home.
Brooklyn was embracing the pace and space wave that had swept over the league in the middle of the last decade, and the former Virginia sharpshooter fit that style perfectly. The Nets gave him a legitimate chance to produce, and he did. He spent the first two years there functioning primarily as a reserve who could produce instant offense in a catch-and-shoot situation. He really took off in the subsequent three years with the organization, leading the league in three-point shooting percentage in two of those campaigns.
Joe Harris – An All-Star Sniper
During the All-Star Break in 2019, Harris proved he was amongst the very best snipers in the NBA, as he won the three-point shooting competition at All-Star Weekend. For his consistent efforts, agent Mark Bartelstein and the team came to a four-year, $75 million contract before the 2020-2021 season to keep Harris in Brooklyn.
Joe Harris – Ankle Surgery
After suffering his initial ankle injury this year, Harris tried to ramp up his on-court activity in January in order to get back in basketball condition. However, efforts to return were not going as planned, as the swingman still felt pain in his ankle after the first procedure.
The New York Post reports about him getting a second procedure game to fruition, as he would not have been able to power through this discomfort. It’s an unfortunate development for the player and the team, but the Nets will hope that Seth Curry can replace some of the production Harris was expected to provide.
Joe Harris – NBA Future
Luckily for Harris, there’s no reason to think that he won’t make a full recovery ahead of next season. While his mobility is important in order to run off screens to get open shots, he’s not the type of player who will routinely break down other players off the dribble. He’ll serve as a floor spacer for his All-Star teammates, so even if his mobility is somewhat reduced, Harris should still be able to knock down open threes.
Does Joe Harris have an NBA ring?
Joe Harris has yet to win an NBA ring.
What team does Joe Harris play for?
Joe Harris currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets. He has been with the team since 2016, having previously spent two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his NBA career so far, Joe has averaged 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while playing in a total of 262 games (102 starts).
