2 Factors Affecting Darren Harris' Production at Duke

Duke basketball sophomore wing Darren Harris struggled to see the floor as a freshman on the Blue Devils' 2024-25 Final Four squad. The Virginia native appeared in 21 games as a rookie, averaging 2.0 points in 6.0 minutes.

Harris didn't hesitate after the Blue Devils fell to Houston in the Final Four to say he'd be back in Durham for the 2025-26 campaign. A 3-and-D wing is always going to bring a major boost to a team seeking a national title, so it seemed like Harris's skill set with a year of experience under his belt would pose for a year when he'd at least consistently crack the rotation.

However, through the first 18 games of the Blue Devils' season, Harris has still struggled to find consistent time on the floor.

This year's Duke squad boasts a plethora of lengthy wings who can shoot from the outside, which is the makeup that head coach Jon Scheyer looks to achieve when building his roster.

Darren Harris would start for most D1 teams, make no mistake. His shooting, spacing, and IQ are too valuable to overlook. We must protect this man at all costs when the season ends.pic.twitter.com/OZQLGgA5eT
— Blue Devil Voices (@DukeEchoes) November 12, 2025

As the year has progressed, Harris has gotten fewer and fewer opportunities to put his ability on display.

Darren Harris out of Rotation Once Again

The sophomore has had his moments at times over the course of the season thus far. He went for a career-high 15 points on 5-of-7 (71.4%) shooting from three against Army, and 11 points on 2-of-5 (40%) shooting from the perimeter against Lipscomb.

But as of late, fans are seeing Harris fade away from the rotation almost entirely.

Jan 10, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) talks to head coach Jon Scheyer during the first half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Across the Blue Devils' 12 games of the non-conference schedule, Harris averaged 13.3 minutes per game and scored in 10 of them. In Duke's six league games thus far, Harris is averaging a mere 4.2 minutes per contest and has combined for three total points.

Since ACC play has gotten underway, it seems like Scheyer has found a consistent rotation to utilize game-in and game-out, and it appears Harris isn't a part of that equation once again.

Bright Future Could Be in Store for Harris

If Harris is unable to crack the rotation this year, there could be real potential for him in 2026-27 if he elects to stick around.

Similar to last year, much of Duke's rotation will likely be one-and-done and heading to the NBA. Wings and guards like Nik Khamenia, Dame Sarr, Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and Isaiah Evans could all be out of the program.

Duke is bringing in the currently-ranked No. 1 overall 2026 recruiting class, but with so much talent departing, there will likely be more room for Harris in the future than there is right now.

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