Class of 2023 guard DeShawn Harris-Smith is taking an official visit to IU, beginning on Friday.
He is the third of three key class of 2023 visits this week, following Jamie Kaiser and Arrinten Page.
Indiana entered the mix relatively late for Harris-Smith, offering him a scholarship less than three weeks ago.
Below are the key things to know about Harris-Smith as he arrives for his two-day visit.
ESSENTIALS
Status — OFFERED (July, 2022)
Class – 2023
Hometown – Fairfax, Va.
School – St. Paul VI H.S. (Chantilly, Va.)
Position – Wing/Guard
Height – 6-foot-4
Weight – 185
AAU – Team Takeover (Nike EYBL)
247 Sports Composite Class Ranking – 4-star (No. 120 in nation, No. 19 shooting guard).
Primary Competition – Villanova, Maryland, Penn State, Xavier
Timeline — August/September decision.
Other recent visits — Penn State, Xavier.
Indiana Connections — None of any real significance. Assistant coach Kenya Hunter has deep ties to the D.C. metro area, and Harris-Smith is aware of former Team Takeover product Victor Oladipo’s success at Indiana. Current IU guard Xavier Johnson also played for that program.
Wildcard— Indiana is late to the party, but it is interesting that all of Harris-Smith’s primary schools except for Penn State have a new head coach since the end of the college basketball season.
Numbers — Harris-Smith was named the VISAA Division I State player of the year and averaged 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. At the Nike EYBL Peach Jam last week he posted 12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 46 percent from three.
NATIONAL RECRUITING SERVICE ASSESSMENTS
“Harris-Smith is a unique player with a point-wing type skill set. You will find him on the ball for much of the game, especially in the half court, getting his team into sets and spraying passes all over the floor.”
“Deshawn Harris Smith emerged as one of the top point guards from day one. Harris-Smith still scored the ball through mostly drives to the rim where he used his body extremely well to power himself through contact and finish but what really stood out was his ability and willingness to get his teammates involved. Harris-Smith was one of the prospects to make a big leap in the latest rankings release and looks to be a very solid piece to the high major program he chooses.”
“A supreme slasher who relentlessly imposes his will on the defense with his aggressive attack on the painted area. Places tremendous pressure on half-court and transition defenses. With much more than just brute strength, his attack is cerebral and calculated. He’s always looking for the weakness in the defense; always looking for a driving lane to attack with purpose. Inflicts the majority of his scoring damage via points in the paint.”
QUOTABLE
“I can, and will, do anything my coach needs to win,” Harris-Smith told Rivals. “I play defense, I rebound, I can score the ball a little bit. But I am going to make sure my teammates are involved. I am also trying to be a good leader, too.”
“Wherever I go I know I’m going to have to move more from a guard so I tried to show I’m shooting the ball better, handling the ball, making ball screen reads to go along with my toughness. I’m always trying to rebound and take charges and I feel like I hold my hat on that. Every time im on the court im trying to be the hardest working player.”
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@thatdogdeshawn a lot of success this season and so much growth to be made. You’ll be very different within the next couple of months. pic.twitter.com/I7X9aR35Q7
— MvM Training (@TrainingMvm) March 8, 2022
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