Devin Harris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Devin Harris

Harris with the Nuggets in 2018
Personal information
Born	(1983-02-27) February 27, 1983 (age 42) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
High school	Wauwatosa East (Wauwatosa, Wisconsin)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	Wisconsin (2001–2004)
NBA Draft	2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the Washington Wizards
Pro career	2004–2019
Career history
2004–2008	Dallas Mavericks
2008–2011	New Jersey Nets
2011–2012	Utah Jazz
2012–2013	Atlanta Hawks
2013–2018	Dallas Mavericks
2018	Denver Nuggets
2018–2019	Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (2009) Consensus second-team All-American (2004) Big Ten Player of the Year (2004) Big Ten tournament MOP (2004) Wisconsin Mr. Basketball (2001)
Career NBA statistics
Points	10,597 (10.8 ppg)
Rebounds	2,151 (2.2 rpg)
Assists	3,869 (3.9 apg)

Devin Lamar Harris (born February 27, 1983) is an American sports analyst and a former professional basketball player. He played for 15 seasons in the NBA. Most of his career was spent with the Dallas Mavericks and the New Jersey Nets.

Harris went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was chosen as the fifth pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. In 2009, he became an NBA All-Star while playing for the Nets. After he retired from playing, he started working as a sports analyst for Bally Sports Southwest.

Devin Harris's Early Life and High School Years

Devin Harris was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents are Terry and Julie Harris. In high school, Devin was a great athlete. He played both basketball and volleyball at Wauwatosa East High School. He played volleyball for only one season and earned honors for it. After that, he decided to focus only on basketball.

During his high school years, Harris had some injuries. This made it hard for him to attend summer basketball camps. These camps are very important for players hoping to get noticed by college teams. In his senior year in 2001, Harris played amazingly well. He set new scoring records for his school and had a perfect regular season. He was named "Mr. Basketball" for Wisconsin in 2001. Harris then decided to play college basketball for the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In 2007, Wauwatosa East High School honored Devin Harris by retiring his number 20 jersey. This means no other player at the school will wear that number again.

College Basketball Career

Starting Strong at Wisconsin

In his first year at college, the 2001–02 season, Devin Harris was a starter for the Badgers. Many people didn't expect much from the team that year. However, the Badgers surprised everyone by winning a share of the Big Ten Conference Championship. They shared the title with three other teams.

Breakout Sophomore Season

Harris's second year was when he really started to shine. He, along with older players, helped the Badgers win their second Big Ten Championship in a row. In the NCAA tournament, the Badgers made it to the "Sweet 16." This is a big achievement in college basketball. Even though the Badgers lost to Kentucky in that game, Harris showed off his skills to a national audience.

Becoming a National Star

The 2003–04 season was huge for Harris. He became one of the best players in the country. His coach, Bo Ryan, even called him a "coach on the floor." Harris won many awards that year. He was named Big Ten Player of the Year. He also won the Most Outstanding Player award in the Big Ten tournament. He was also named a Second Team All-American. After his junior year, Harris decided to leave college early to play in the NBA.

Devin Harris's NBA Journey

Draft Day and Joining the Mavericks

In 2004, Devin Harris was chosen as the fifth pick in the 2004 NBA draft. The Washington Wizards picked him, but they had already agreed to trade him to the Dallas Mavericks. This trade also involved other players and draft picks. The Mavericks wanted Harris to learn from their star point guard, Steve Nash. However, Nash left the team soon after, so Harris had to step up quickly.

First Stint with the Dallas Mavericks (2004–2008)

In his first year, Harris played well for a rookie. He was named Rookie of the Month in November 2004. He was known for his incredible speed, which helped him get past defenders. In the 2005–06 season, Harris improved a lot, especially in scoring. He helped the Mavericks reach the 2006 NBA Finals, but they lost to the Miami Heat.

In the 2006–07 season, Harris became the starting point guard. He helped the Mavericks win a team record of 67 games. However, they were surprisingly defeated in the playoffs. By the middle of the 2007–08 season, Harris was playing his best, scoring and assisting more than ever before.

Becoming an All-Star with the New Jersey Nets (2008–2011)

Harris with the Nets in 2009

In February 2008, Harris was traded to the New Jersey Nets. In his first home game with the Nets, fans cheered for him. He quickly became a key player for the team. On November 30, 2008, he scored a career-high 47 points against the Phoenix Suns.

On December 19, Harris played against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. He had an amazing game, scoring 41 points and making 13 assists. Nets fans even chanted "Thank you Cuban!" to the Mavericks' owner. In January 2009, Harris was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first and only time in his career. A famous moment happened on February 23, 2009. Harris made a half-court shot at the buzzer to win the game, which became known as "the Harris Heave."

Harris became the team captain for the Nets. He worked hard to get stronger and improve his defense to avoid injuries.

Playing for the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks

On February 23, 2011, Harris was traded to the Utah Jazz. He played there for a season and a half. Then, on July 11, 2012, he was traded again, this time to the Atlanta Hawks. He played one season for the Hawks.

Second Stint with the Dallas Mavericks (2013–2018)

Harris in 2014

In 2013, Harris returned to the Dallas Mavericks. He had a toe injury that needed surgery, but the Mavericks still wanted him back. He signed a new contract and made his season debut in January 2014. He played well coming off the bench, helping the team.

In July 2014, Harris signed a new four-year contract with the Mavericks. He was much healthier in the 2014–15 season and played in most games. He provided energy and scoring from the bench. He continued to play for the Mavericks for several more seasons, often dealing with injuries but always contributing to the team.

Short Time with the Denver Nuggets (2018)

On February 8, 2018, Harris was traded to the Denver Nuggets as part of a three-team deal. While with the Nuggets, on March 6, 2018, he reached a big milestone: 10,000 points scored in his NBA career.

Third Stint with the Dallas Mavericks (2018–2019)

On August 8, 2018, Harris signed with the Dallas Mavericks again, marking his third time playing for the team. He missed some games due to a hamstring injury. On November 28, he scored a season-high 20 points in a win against the Houston Rockets.

Devin Harris played his final NBA game on April 10, 2019. He finished his career with 10,597 points, 2,151 rebounds, and 3,869 assists.

Life After Playing: Broadcast Career

After retiring from playing basketball, Devin Harris became a sports analyst. He now covers the Dallas Mavericks for MavsTV. He also works for Fox Sports, where he talks about college basketball games.

Devin Harris's Personal Life

Devin Harris is known for owning a very large collection of sneakers, reportedly over 400 pairs! He also holds a Guinness World Record for being the "fastest man with a basketball." He ran the length of the court in just 3.9 seconds.

In 2009, Harris received the NBA's Community Assist Award. This award recognized his charity work through his foundation, "34 Ways to Assist." In 2013, Harris married Meghan Allen. They have two children together. Harris and his children are members of the Catholic Church. In October 2017, Harris took time off from playing after his brother passed away.

See also

In Spanish: Devin Harris para niños