Harris Headed to Dallas
June 24, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Former Wisconsin point guard Devin Harris was selected with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards Thursday night. Harris was then traded to the Dallas Mavericks along with Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner for Antawn Jamison. He is the sixth former Badger to be selected in the first round, the first since Paul Grant was picked 20th by Minnesota in 1997.
Harris will be united with another former Badger, Michael Finley, in Dallas. Harris's selection is the second-highest of any former UW player in history. Don Rehfeldt was the second overall pick by Baltimore in the 1950 NBA Draft. The Badgers' other first-rounders include Albert Henry (12th overall in 1970), Wes Matthews (14th overall in 1980), Michael Finley (21st overall in 1995) and Grant.
Harris enjoyed one of the finest seasons by a UW men's basketball player in history. In addition to being named conference player of the year, he earned Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after leading the Badgers to their first-ever tourney title. Harris was a finalist for all four major collegiate player of the year awards and finished as the runner-up for the inaugural Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award.
Harris scored 624 points this season, surpassing Michael Finley 's single-season school record. He also set school records for minutes played, free throws made and free throws attempted while leading UW to a school-record 25 wins and the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Among Harris' great performances this season was a career-high 38-point effort vs. Minnesota on Feb. 4. That was tied for the fourth-most points by a Badger in history and capped a three-game stretch in which he scored 97 points, the most over three games in UW annals. Harris scored at least 25 points in seven games, including a Big Ten Tournament final-record 29 points in the win over Illinois.
