Former Vanderbilt Basketball Star Involved Blockbuster NBA Trade

Former Commodore Darius Garland was traded from Cleveland to Los Angeles Tuesday night.

Jan 10, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

A notable former Vanderbilt basketball player is on the move tonight in one of the biggest sports stories of the day.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, former Vanderbilt Commodore Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers and a second-round pick has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden. The trade is easily one of the most notable stories of the day as Thursday’s NBA trade deadline nears.

Garland was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and went to Vanderbilt his freshman year for the 2018-2019 season. The Nashville native only played five games for the Commodores after an injury ended his season and also his college career when he declared for the 2019 NBA Draft.

In the five games he did play for Vanderbilt, Garland shot an outstanding 53.7 percent from the floor and 47.8 percent from the three-point line. In his collegiate debut, Garland put up 24 points with four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Since entering the NBA in 2019, Garland has represented Vanderbilt well. Since the 2020-2021 season, Garland has averaged at least 17 points per game in every season. Currently, Garland is averaging 18 points, 6.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds.

This trade is easily the biggest NBA trade involving a former Vanderbilt player in quite some time and perhaps the biggest basketball trade involving a Vanderbilt player ever. Of all Vanderbilt players to ever play in the NBA, nobody has had better numbers and more individual success than Garland. Garland is the only former Vanderbilt basketball player to have a career average of more than 11 points per game.

Garland is one of five former Vanderbilt basketball players currently in the NBA. The other four are Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs, Chris Manon of the Los Angeles Lakers, Aaron Nesmith of the Indiana Pacers and Scotty Pippen Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Though his time wearing the black and gold was short lived, Garland will always be remembered and loved by fans. Coming out of high school, Garland was the Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year and was the first Vanderbilt player to be named a semifinalist for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award.

Now as a Los Angeles Clipper, Garland will help his new team to stay afloat in the postseason race. Perhaps Garland can even create a cross-town rivalry with Manon when he arrives in Los Angeles.