Where Are They Now?: An Interview with Simon Harris

Simon Harris, since he was nine years old, had always dreamed of putting on a Wolfpack jersey. That dream came true in 2006, when head coach Sidney Lowe offered him a spot on the team and the opportunity to play for the Wolfpack. After two seasons playing at Elon University, Simon decided to make the move and transfer to play under Coach Lowe and his father, assistant coach Larry Harris.

Donning the red and white was a true privilege to Harris and you could see it every time he stepped on the court. Standing at 6'5, Simon was a bit undersized for the forward position, but what he lacked in height, he made up for in heart. No one can deny the fact that every time Simon Harris stepped for on the floor he gave 100%. He dove for loose balls, recklessly crashed the boards, and never got down on a teammate. Harris graduated last season and took some time off to decide what was next and if he wanted to peruse a career in basketball. That answer came when he signed a contract to play overseas in Ireland, where he currently resides, preparing for the upcoming season. We had the opportunity to catch up with Simon and talk a little bit about his time at NC State, Ireland and what he thinks the future might hold for himself, and the Wolfpack basketball program. Enjoy.

WPH: Talk a little about your time at NC State and playing for Coach Lowe and your father, Larry Harris. Where do you see this program going?

Simon: I loved my time at NC State, I had always wanted to play there since I was 9 years old so it was really a dream come true. It was also very fun to play for my father because I didn't really get to be around him much as a child, so it was great making up for lost time on a nearly daily basis. It allowed he and I to become a lot closer which was great, because he'd always been on the road a bunch so it was cool being around one another in practice and at functions and such. 

I think the team has a really bright future. I think we brought in a ridiculously talented and extremely under rated freshman class. I feel as if they are very mature for being younger guys and have a few solid seasons ahead of them. 

WPH: Former Pack player and NBA agent Jamie Knox has kept us updated on your status these past few months. There was a time when you were contemplating working with Jamie and working your way up to being a sports agent. Tell us a little about why you decided against it for the time being and if it is something you might be interested in doing in the future.

Simon:  I postponed going into the working world solely because I was blessed enough to have been given an opportunity to continue my playing career. I feel that I am very young and have been blessed with a solid amount of athletic ability that I felt I should still try and use to the best of my ability. It really was something that took me a while to come to a conclusion about, but after speaking with people that I feel are important in my life like: my mother, my dad, Jamie Knox, Courtney Fells, Brandon Costner, and Cedric Simmons thoroughly, I decided to continue my career on the court, and then doing the 9 to 5 thing later on down the line.

 I really think (being a sports agent) is a great profession that really gives you an opportunity to stay around the game and also allows you to have a positive influence on young guys that want to do exactly what I'm doing currently, in order to better their situations. I especially feel this way when it is done for the love of the game and people, as in the case of Jamie Knox. The way he approaches the business is strictly for the two aforementioned reasons, and it is very inspiring to see how he goes about it. He's the main reason that I would love to get into that field one day, because he showed me the right way of going about representing players. 

WPH: You've recently signed with a team in Ireland. How has it been over there so far and, if you could, tell us a little bit about what's different playing over there compared to the States. (atmosphere...playing style...fans...etc.)

Simon: Ireland is amazing!!!! The people here are so welcoming and are new to the game so it's cool to be, in a way, influential here. The game of basketball really isn't huge in Ireland yet, it kind of has a cult following, if you will, and is growing rapidly. Especially with the younger generations. The playing style is a lot slower, but based a lot more in the fundamentals. All together, every training session (practice) is a blast. The people in this area are really growing into basketball fanatics and there is a lot of hype here now that my team has moved up to the highest division. The major thing I will say about my club is that these people really do this for the love of the game. Our organization is 100% funded by the community in which our team is based. It's amazing to see the passion and pride of the people in this small community. Everything for our club is done internally and is funded by private donation or fundraiser. 

WPH: What are some of your long term goals and where do you see yourself in the next couple of years?

Simon: Well, hopefully in the next couple of years I will still be playing some sport somewhere, but if that's not in God's plan for me I feel as if I would love to be on a collegiate sideline coaching, or joining the player representation aspect of the business. I just see myself being involved in sports in some way. I think sports are the best platform for young people to learn about life, be it from their coaches, teammates, or mentors inside their respective clubs. They gave me an outlet to do and become what I am today. I was always encouraged by my coaches and community members that I could go anywhere and see anything as long as I worked hard at it. 

WPH: So you've thought of following your dad's footsteps and getting into coaching college?

Simon: I've wanted to be a collegiate or professional basketball coach ever since i was little. I can literally say that has been my number one aspiration since I can remember. I was the kid on the playground who would be analyzing things instead of the guy who wanted to score all of the points haha. I love interacting with people and love teaching as well. So I feel becoming a coach is a major possibility, and I have been blessed with very good contacts in the business, so I feel that it would be great to get into. I would really love it if I was afforded the opportunity to be on the staff at my Alma mater to be honest. i think that would be one of the biggest honors I could ever see myself attaining. 

WPH: Speaking of your dad, he is continuously being mentioned as one of the top recruiters in the nation. What are his secrets? How has he been so successful for so long?

Simon: Dad is so successful on the recruiting trail because he loves the game of basketball, therefore he doesn't see it as work. You'll find a lot of guys in the business dread hitting the road and tend to shy away from it as much as possible. Dad isn't like that at all! He knows it's all about personal relationships and being present as much as possible with recruits. Plus, he keeps it 100% real with players. A lot of schools try to sell guys dreams about playing time, the NBA, etc. Dad tells it like it is to players and I feel that guys really respect that. On top of that, he relates really well with younger guys because he was once in their shoes. He's played on every possible level there is in basketball and the best way to lead is by example. 

WPH: What are a few of your greatest memories and accomplishments while playing at State?

Simon: I will say my greatest memory while playing at State was finally putting on the white and red uniform after transferring to NC State. My biggest goal throughout my childhood was to one day wear that uniform. I was proud to be a part of a program with so much tradition especially when guys like David Thompson (who I consider to be the best college basketball player of all time) wore a jersey with the same school across that front that I now was wearing. NC State is more than a university to me, it's more like a second home, I spent the summers of my childhood in and around the campus. So, when I was on the floor here I took every second of it as a blessing. 

WPH: We know that there has been a lot of ups and downs the past few years with the Wolfpack, and it has seemed to create a lot of media and fan backlash and some negativity surrounding the program at times. As a player can you talk about the influence of the fans, message boards, and media?

Simon:  I think the message board 'FANS' were amazing,  and when I say the word 'FAN' I mean the ladies and gentlemen that were consistently positive and supported us no matter what happened through the course of the season. The thing that people don't realize is that we (the players) are still children! Every single ounce of negativity guys hear or see affects us immensely internally, even if we didn't show it. So much so, that it is hard for me to even put into words to be honest. I couldn't tell you how many times I was ashamed of some of the things i would hear come out of the mouths of some of the people who followed our program.

WPH: Is there anything you'd like to say to the Wolfpack fans?

 Simon: To the fans of the Wolfpack, I will forever be grateful for the love and support you have given this team throughout all these years, through the good times and the bad. Also I really want to say thank you for the way you have accepted not only me and my father, but the rest of our respective families as well. You guys really have made Raleigh a second home for all of us and I really want to show my appreciation to all of you. I feel our program is back on track and the times of '74 and '83, are around the corner. 

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We'd like to thanks Simon for taking the time to talk with us and for the honesty and transparency in his words. We'd also like to thank him for the three years he gave to the Wolfpack basketball program and to all of the fans. It's people like Simon, with the passion, the heart and respect for the game, that make basketball a fun game to watch. We will certainly keep in contact and keep all of you updated on Simon's season in Ireland and beyond. 

ESPN Ranks NC State #22 Basketball Program of All-Time

There has always been a big debate on where the NC State program falls in the All-Time rankings. With 2 National Championships most would believe that this is one of the better programs in the history of college basketball, however, the last twenty years have dulled the memories of the championship teams that once took the floor in Raleigh. ESPN has released an encyclopedia that lists the rankings of every single D-1 program in the NCAA and NC State falls comfortably in the top 25. Here are the rankings.

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Wolfpack Recruiting Tidbits

- 2010 Wolfpack commit Ryan Harrow is scheduled to be in Wilson, North Carolina (@ Barton College) this Saturday to participate in the ScoutsFocus.com Elite 80 Fall Showcase. This would be a good chance to catch a glimpse of Harrow if you haven't had the chance yet (and if you're not planning on attending the NC State vs. Duke football game). You have to give it to Ryan for constantly attending showcases and camps such as this one. He is never satisfied and has publically stated that he attends camps like these because it is his goal to be ranked as high as he can in the 2010 class and also play with other elite players and let them know why he chose NC State. (We've mentioned before, Harrow is certainly one of the Pack's best recruiters.) Luke Cothron is also scheduled to appear at the showcase, but we have not confirmed that yet. Dez Wells and Quincy Miller, were both on tap to attend, however, Wells has pulled out and Miller is getting over a small injury at the moment, so neither will be there this weekend. Stay tuned, because although Ryan is slated to be in attendence, things can always change and we wouldn't want you driving all the way to Wilson and missing the football game if no State recruits were there to watch. The event will get started at 9:30am.

- Speaking of Luke Cothron, the coaching staff visited with the 2010 PF today and it reportedly went really well. As we mentioned earlier, NC State is the leader right now in the Cothron sweepstakes and that has not changed. Things with Cothron are certainly heating up and we'll be there every step of the way to let you know the latest on Luke.

- We spoke with Tony Edwards, the coach of the CP3 all-stars about 2011 prospect Dez Wells and 2013's Rodney Purvis. We'll have an in-depth interview with Tony up here in the next week, but we did want to clear something up about the 2013 prospect, Purvis. In the article we reported that he was about to turn 16, which was what we were told, however, Edwards let us know that Rodney is in fact only 15 years old and will not turn 16 until February. There were a lot of questions about why he was so old for an incoming freshman. This should clear up all of that.

Larry Harris Hits The Road To Visit Hood, Ross

Larry Harris is on the road again, this time to Mississippi to visit 2011 prospects Rodney Hood and LaQuinton Ross. Hood and Ross have been targets for sometime now, but with the focus on 2010 we haven't heard much about them. That's about to change, as the staff begins to step up their efforts with the '11 class, a class which has some serious talent.

Hood is a 6'6, 175lbs projected small forward who possesses ball handling skills, a jump shot and good quickness for his size. We had the chance to see Hood on two separate occasions, once at the Boo Williams in Virginia and again at the Bob Gibbons here in the triangle. Rodney averaged 18 points per game as a sophomore at Meridian High School in Meridian, Mississippi. He's a polished and unselfish player that has great skills for his size and a soft lefty jumper. In the AAU circuit, Hood plays on a very stacked squad, MBA Elite, with the likes of LaQuinton Ross, Deville Smith and DeMarco Cox (all three of whom are, or where, NC State targets) Playing with so much talent has somewhat hindered Hood's ability to excel in the summers. Hood is a quiet, well mannered kid that has a very good head on his shoulders. The Pack's interest has been serious every step of the way. The staff had an in-home with him and his family earlier this year that apparently went well. The intangibles are certainly all there and everyone is just waiting for Hood to show the nation what he can really do. Coming into his junior season he looks to do that and you can be sure that Sidney Lowe and company will be watching.

Ross (Jackson, Mississippi) is a stud. He's 6'7, 185lbs and has a dead eye stroke. Some project him to be a small forward because of his size, but watching Ross move, he could surely play the two at an elite level. He's quick, has a great handle and is a prime time scorer that can fill up a stat sheet. We got to see Ross at the Bob Gibbons Tournament this past summer, but an injury hampered his play and he never really got it going. Ross is definitely one to watch this season. He is the #5 ranked small forward according to Scout, and that ranking is probably spot on. Ross has mentioned the Pack on and off when asked about his list of potential schools, but there is certainly some ground to be made up. Early word is that Ross is very high on Syracuse who has recruited him from the start, but you should never count Larry Harris out. We'll keep you updated on the situation as we start taking a closer look at the 2011 targets.

Tony Bethel To Join Wolfpack Staff

Former point guard and Maryland native, Tony Bethel, has been named "Video Coordinator" and will be filling the role vacated by Levi Watkins. With Justin Gainey's departure to Elon (assistant coach), Levi Watkins was named as the "Director of Operations," allowing room for Bethel to be hired. This move had been in the works for sometime but we were unable to announce it due to the hiring freeze that forced NC State to hold off on officially giving Tony the job.

Bethel, a transfer from Georgetown, was part of a backcourt with Julius Hodge. A backcourt which Hodge once dubbed "the best in the nation." Bethel battled injury and sickness throughout his tenure with the Pack, but did finish his senior season shooting 43% from beyond the arc. Bethel was a heady scoring guard who played two seasons under Herb Sendek before graduating and trying his hand in the D-League. We will catch up with Tony as soon as we can to get his take on coming back and reuniting with the Wolfpack family.