Jared Harper returns to teach basketball skills

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Jared Harper returns to Auburn to teach basketball skills

ByMark Murphy

5-6 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama–Jared Harper, the point guard who was a key in Auburn’s run to the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four, plays for the NBA’s New York Knicks these days, but when he has time to return to Auburn he notes that is something he enjoys.

Harper, with the help of a group of coaches, put on a three-day skills camp for local kids this week, something that he noted that he is excited about and a project he plans to do again next summer.

“It was a great experience for me to come back to Auburn,” Harper said. “I always feel the family atmosphere in Auburn so to have my first camp in this community was great.”

Asked what he wanted a gym full of campers to learn during the camp, the professional player said, “Just to enjoy it and have fun is the most important thing. I?would like to see the campers come in every day and get better by working on the little things that I worked on at a young age, which are things I still work on today.

“I feel like they have definitely learned something throughout the camp whether it was through the dribbling drills, defensive drills or shooting drills they got better at doing,” he said. “That is the biggest thing to me. I want to carry on the message that it is important to try to get better every day.”

On day two of the camp before the lunch break, Harper lined up at midcourt for three shots and told the campers if he could make one of three attempts it would be free hamburgers and hot dogs for all of the kids. Harper nailed his second attempt and set off a big cheer from the participants, who seemed to be having a lot of fun learning from one of the top players in Auburn hoops history.

Asked if he is still passionate about the sport he has been playing his entire life, Harper said. “Oh, definitely. I don’t know of any Auburn basketball players who have come back and done a camp in the community so I feel like it was special for me to be one of the people involved in the camp.”

The pro player held his camp at Lee-Scott Academy where current Auburn basketball director of operations Chad Prewett won multiple state championships coaching basketball and as well as track and field titles before joining Coach Bruce Pearl’s staff.

Jared Harper is shown during his visit to Auburn. (Photo: Mark Murphy, Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports)

Harper noted that he enjoys coming back to spend time with Pearl, his staff as well as current and former players like Bryce Brown and Horace Spencer, who were also in Auburn this week.

“I try to come back as much as I can, Harper said. “With my schedule it isn’t always easy, but when I get a couple of days off I like to come back. I did that a couple of weeks ago when my high school team played in (Bruce Pearl’s) team camp. I was able to visit with the coaches and some of the players.”

The point guard is focused on earning more playing time with the Knicks for the 2021-22 season. “I am just trying to get better as an overall player,” he said. “I am continuing to work on getting better at making shots from farther out. That has been what I have been working on going into the next season so I can do better.”

Now that he has had a taste of life in the NBA, Harper is eager to stick in basketball’s top league. “It was definitely what I expected and it is a dream come true,” he said. “It is a weird feeling when you spend your whole life working for your dream and you wake up every day and are experiencing it. It is humbling and a great feeling.”

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Harper also stopped by to check out Pearl’s 2021-22 Auburn team during a summer workout. The team includes a newcomer, five-star power forward Jabari Smith, who is expected to be one of the top freshmen in the SEC this year. “I think they looked good and I have known Jabari (Smith) for a couple of years because he played for my dad’s AAU team,” Harper said. “I have enjoyed seeing him grow and come to Auburn. I am excited about the great things the team will be able to do this year.”

Harper added that he was pleased with how the first camp he put on turned out. “I am glad I was able to come here and do it and I am glad we had a great turnout and that everybody was able to have fun.”

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