Howard alum Bryce Harris seems to hone expertise with Oklahoma City Thunder throughout NBA summer time league

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Guard Bryce Harris spent the previous 5 years constructing a top spot résumé at Howard that included three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles and three subsequent NCAA event appearances.

Now Harris, the 2026 MEAC Player of the Year, is taking the following step in his basketball profession. Having signed an NBA summer time league contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 6-foot-4 guard is about to move with the roster in Las Vegas by way of July 19. On Sunday, he got here off the bench and scored 4 factors in 4 minutes.

Although Harris went undrafted, quite a few groups have been thinking about his ability set and flexibility. He averaged 17.3 factors and 6.9 rebounds per contest for the Bison this previous campaign.

Harris mentioned he labored out for about 10 franchises in the course of the pre-draft course of and admired the Thunder’s repute for figuring out expertise and creating younger gamers.

“Honestly, coming from where I’m coming from and playing at an HBCU, a lot of us get overlooked,” he mentioned. “Whether people think it’s a talent gap, whether people think it’s a character gap, whatever the case may be, I’m happy that the Thunder was able to overlook whatever the narrative was and see me as a person, as individual, and as a basketball player, too.”

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Harris is considered one of 5 gamers from traditionally Black faculties and universities (HBCUs) to take part in NBA summer time league this 12 months.

Former Tennessee State guard Aaron Nkrumah made his summer time league debut with the Denver Nuggets. Former Langston guard Orlando Thomas is taking part in for the Detroit Pistons alongside former Florida Memorial ahead Latavious Mitchell. Former Winston-Salem State guard Javonte Cooke, who made his NBA debut final campaign, is constant his skilled growth with the Phoenix Suns throughout this 12 months’s summer time league.

Howard males’s basketball play-caller Kenneth Blakeney believes Harris’ ardour for the contest and dedication to bettering allowed him to achieve his full potential throughout his school profession, noting that he usually labored out a number of occasions a day.

“I don’t know how many calls I got from Howard security about Bryce being in the gym at really odd hours. It’s 12 o’clock at night and Bryce is here [in the gym],” Blakeney mentioned. “So I feel that was one of many greatest sorts of tells for him and his progress and growth.

“He’s a guy who just lived in the gym. It’s just who he is and how he’s wired to always continue to work and try to really reach his goals and dreams as an NBA player.”

Andscape spoke with Harris about his summer time league expertise, what he hopes to showcase to NBA groups, and the teachings he realized beneath Blakeney at Howard.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

As a younger athlete, how are you carving out your position on this summer time league roster?

Honestly, doing no matter they want me to do. … Whatever they want for me to contribute, that’s what I’ll be capable to do. I don’t wish to overcomplicate something. As the extent goes greater, it’s not essentially concerning the expertise stage. I imply, don’t get me incorrect — guys are actually, actually proficient right here, however sure issues sort of keep the identical.

How would you describe your transition from taking part in in school to taking part in with an NBA franchise?

I really feel like we’ve got an excellent tradition at Howard that’s similar to OKC. You have a successful tradition. Certain issues which might be non-negotiables, or sure issues which might be anticipated of you as a athlete are quite a lot of the identical issues that the Thunder expects of you as effectively. So actually, coming right here is like taking one other step into turning into a greater athlete.

What recommendation has Blakeney and Howard’s teaching workers given you for this subsequent chapter?

Just keep mentally sharp. Make certain your competitors stage by no means drops. Make certain this communication, non-communication, no matter you’re sturdy at, no matter you’re good at — proceed to do this at a really excessive stage, proper? Also, how can your expertise, how can your expertise, make folks round you higher? I really feel like that’s an excellent formulation for any athlete on any roster at any stage.

Leading as much as the NBA draft and summer time league, which areas of your contest did you wish to enhance?

My perimeter protection. Just having a chance to have the ability to guard [positions] one by way of 5, I really feel prefer it’s one thing that’s large that I can do. Being in a position to guard one by way of 5 sort of places you right into a plug-and-play state of affairs to have the ability to guard full courtroom, get ball strain. Being bodily down low within the publish is one thing that in all probability makes me very versatile. It makes me a helpful athlete. That’s the place I want to hold my hat.

Howard has had just a few gamers move in summer time league over the previous couple of years. What is it about this system that has helped present and former gamers have skilled success?

We sort of began at a decrease stage when it comes to sure sources, however Blakeney has executed a tremendous job, and Howard has executed a tremendous job to provide us as many sources as potential. There’s sure issues that we simply don’t take without any consideration. We attempt to benefit from each alternative much more than individuals who come from different colleges, as a result of they could have extra sources or extra alternatives.

Seeing different gamers and understanding they began out at Howard reveals it’s potential. It’s potential to make it to the NBA and move in summer time league from Howard. Blakeney sort of confirmed you the framework when it comes to what that work ethic has to appear like with the intention to do this and the best way to carry out.

Mia Berry is the senior HBCU author for Andscape and covers every little thing from sports activities to student-led protests. She is a Detroit native (What up Doe!), long-suffering Detroit sports activities fan and Notre Dame alumna who randomly shouts, “Go Irish.”