Michigan State alumni have been all the buzz over the last few days, but most of the attention has centered around NBA Summer League performances from recent Spartans Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler.
Now, another former Spartan is making headlines, but this time it's through an NBA trade.
Former Michigan State standout Gary Harris , along with Taurean Prince , has been dealt to the Detroit Pistons , bringing Harris back to the same state that embraced him during his two memorable seasons in East Lansing. Now, more than a decade later, he'll once again call Michigan home.
Harris was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls before immediately being traded to the Denver Nuggets , a move that has become commonplace on draft night. He was just 20 years old when he made his NBA debut, and somehow, 12 NBA seasons have already flown by. At just 31 years old, Harris is now one of the league's more experienced veterans.
It feels like only yesterday that Harris was lighting up the Breslin Center in the green and white.
During his two seasons under Tom Izzo, Harris started every game he played and averaged 14.9 points per game across his collegiate career. He was one of the most polished scorers in the country, capable of getting buckets from anywhere on the floor, and helped lead Michigan State to the Elite Eight in 2014 before the Spartans ultimately fell to UConn, 60-54.
Although Harris never suited up for the Bulls, he quickly found a home in Denver. He spent the first six and a half seasons of his career with the Nuggets, averaging double-digit points in every season except his rookie campaign. His best offensive years came during his third and fourth NBA seasons when he averaged 14.9 and 17.5 points per game, respectively.
While Harris had little trouble putting the ball in the basket, staying healthy gradually became the biggest obstacle of his career. Lingering injuries and frequent appearances on the injury report kept him from building consistent momentum, and over time, frustration from fans began to grow.
During the 2020-21 season, Harris was traded to the Orlando Magic , where he continued to show flashes of the player many remembered from Denver. Over his first season and a half in Orlando, he averaged more than 10 points per game. However, injuries once again limited his availability. In his first full season with the Magic, Harris appeared in 61 games but started just 30.
Over his final three seasons in Orlando, his role steadily decreased. By his final year with the Magic, Harris started only three games while averaging just 3.0 points per game across 48 appearances.
Last season, Harris signed with the Milwaukee Bucks , where his playing time remained limited. He once again appeared in 48 games but started only two, averaging a career-low 2.7 points per game. It was a far cry from the energetic, explosive guard who brought Spartan fans to their feet night after night inside the Breslin Center.
Now, Harris returns to the state where much of his basketball journey began.
Ironically, he'll be playing in the same city where his mother, Joy Holmes-Harris, once played professional basketball. It was a storyline that was mentioned countless times during Harris' career at Michigan State, and now it feels more relevant than ever. Holmes-Harris suited up for the Detroit Shock in 2000, and 26 years later, her son will wear a Detroit uniform of his own as a member of the Pistons.
Sometimes, basketball has a funny way of coming full circle.
