Indiana bolstered its frontcourt this week by securing a commitment from North Florida transfer Josh Harris, marking the second former Osprey to join the Hoosiers after teammate Jasai Miles.
Much like Miles, Harris fits the mold of a modern forward, diverging from the more traditional bigs Indiana has featured in the past. He played 56% of North Florida’s minutes at center but still stepped out to attempt 1.1 threes per game, connecting on 33% of them. His perimeter shooting, while effective, benefited from slow closeouts by opposing bigs due to his relatively slow release, as seen in early clips of his highlight tape.
Still, it’s clear that new head coach Darian DeVries is prioritizing frontcourt players who can space the floor and knock down open threes.
Although Harris is at least two inches shorter than fellow transfer Reed Bailey (listed at either 6’8” or 6’9”), he is expected to compete with Florida transfer Sam Alexis for significant minutes at the five. While Bailey brings more ball-handling and passing ability on the perimeter, Harris plays a more traditional interior role. Last season, 80% of his shots came at the rim, where he converted 60% of them, often off offensive rebounds—a major strength of his game. His 13% offensive rebounding rate ranked in the top 75 nationally, making him a valuable piece alongside Indiana’s guard-heavy, perimeter-oriented roster.
Though he was able to overpower defenders in the Atlantic Sun Conference at 210 pounds, he may need to add bulk to hold his own in the Big Ten. Fortunately, with offensive threats like Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries, and Jasai Miles on the roster, Harris won’t be expected to shoulder a major scoring load like he did at North Florida.
Even if he doesn’t add the necessary strength right away, Harris moves well without the ball and thrives in pick-and-roll situations, which should mesh well with the passers DeVries has brought in.
Harris faced just three high-major teams last season but showed promise as he acclimated. He logged only 15 minutes and scored four points in the season opener against South Carolina but later dropped 20 points in the same amount of time against Nebraska, showing just how efficient he can be against tougher competition.
With three years of eligibility left, Indiana can afford to ease him in. Unlike Alexis, Harris may not be expected to contribute heavily right away, allowing him time to adapt and develop. Whether he makes an immediate impact or grows into a larger role, Harris provides a solid building block for DeVries as he begins his tenure in Bloomington.
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