Why Juke Harris is on Track to Become the Next Great Demon Deacon at Wake Forest

The sophomore has made a huge leap this season and is leading the charge for the Deacs

Nov 25, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) drives to the basket against Campbell Fighting Camels forward Dovydas Butka (13) during the first half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Steve Forbes put it best when he said he could not even recognize Juke Harris while watching game film of last year's game against Michigan. Over the offseason, the 6'7" sophomore from Salisbury, North Carolina, has made tremendous strides in improving his physical stature. Everyone thought that Juke Harris might make a jump going into this season; however, few expected the sophomore surge that we are seeing now from Juke.

As a freshman, Juke showed flashes but was raw in a lot of areas. He averaged a modest six points a game while shooting 42.6% from the floor. He shot a mere 30.3% from three-point territory and 59.5% from the free-throw line. Still, he showed tremendous athleticism and had a good NBA frame. The pieces were all there; he just needed to put them together.

So far this season, Juke has not just put the pieces together, but has built an entirely new puzzle for himself. He is averaging 20.7 points per game, which is good for third in the ACC, only behind Stanford's Ebuka Okorie and future lottery pick Cam Boozer. He has scored in double figures in every game so far this season. He has put up over 20 points in five games, including a 29-point performance versus Morehead State and a 28-point performance in a key win over West Virginia. The scoring punch has certainly been there for Juke.

And your Player of the Game is … pic.twitter.com/Q0mFiXSgKL

— Wake Forest Men's Basketball (@WakeMBB) December 7, 2025

The biggest improvement in Juke's game this year can be found in his three-point shooting. He aggressively worked to improve his three-point percentages this offseason to be more highly coveted at the next level. All of that hard work has certainly paid off so far. Juke is shooting 40.6% from three this season, which is good for the ninth-best in the ACC. This is an unbelievable jump for someone who was barely shooting 30% from distance a year ago. In the game against West Virginia, Juke made a remarkable seven threes to lead the Deacs.

To complement his offense, Juke has also improved his defense this season. He is averaging 1.6 steals per game, which is top 15 in the ACC. He is also averaging over four more rebounds than he did a season ago. In all areas, Juke has really taken charge of this team and asserted himself as the leader.

Steve Forbes is famous for having star-level, All-ACC caliber players leading his teams. Last year, it was Hunter Sallis; in the past, it was Ty Applebee and Alondes Williams. People questioned this offseason who would take that leap to be the next All-Conference guy for this team. Juke Harris is well on his way to being featured on an All-ACC team and is currently in the mix for the ACC Player of the Year.

Despite all of this early buzz, there is a long way to this season, and Juke understands that. Despite all his success, he remains humble and is always focused on the team and winning games for the Deacs. He wants to lead Wake Forest back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, and I would bet they have a good shot at it. Go Deacs!