Indiana Seeks Recruiting Edge with Duke Transfer Darren Harris

Assistant coach Kenny Johnson's prior connection to Harris could aid Hoosiers' pursuit.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:42am

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A cubist, geometric painting with sharp, overlapping planes of color and movement, capturing the dynamic energy of a college basketball game without any identifiable players or teams.Indiana's pursuit of transfer Darren Harris could get a boost from assistant coach Kenny Johnson's prior connection to the talented guard.Fairfax Today

Indiana assistant coach Kenny Johnson has a prior connection to Duke transfer guard Darren Harris through their shared history with the AAU team Team Takeover and St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia. This existing relationship could help Indiana's recruiting efforts as Harris enters the transfer portal following his sophomore season at Duke.

Why it matters

Transfer portal recruitments can move quickly, so having an established relationship with a player can provide an advantage. Johnson's history with Harris from their AAU and high school days gives Indiana a potential edge in landing the talented guard as he looks for a new college home.

The details

Harris was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year while attending St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Va., where Johnson was an associate head coach from 2007-11. Harris also played for Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL circuit, where Johnson served as director and head of travel for more than six years. This shared history could aid Indiana's pursuit of Harris, who entered the transfer portal on Tuesday after two seasons at Duke.

  • Harris entered the transfer portal on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, following his sophomore year at Duke.
  • Johnson was an associate head coach at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Va. from 2007-2011.

The players

Darren Harris

A 6-foot-6 guard who was a four-star recruit ranked No. 39 overall in the class of 2023. He played his first two college seasons at Duke, where he averaged 3.3 points and 9.7 minutes per game as a sophomore.

Kenny Johnson

An assistant coach for the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team. He previously served as the director and head of travel for the AAU team Team Takeover, and was an associate head coach at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Va. from 2007-2011.

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What’s next

Harris will evaluate his options and decide on a new school to continue his college basketball career.

The takeaway

Johnson's prior relationship with Harris could give Indiana a recruiting advantage as the talented guard looks to transfer from Duke and find a new college home.