PORTAL WATCH: Georgetown Guard Dante Harris Commits to Transfer to Virginia

The 2021 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player moves on to UVA

Junior point guard Dante Harris has committed to transfer to Virginia. After a few months away from the Georgetown Hoyas team due to “personal reasons,” Harris entered the transfer portal and he ultimately has chosen to continue his collegiate basketball career with UVA and Tony Bennett.

Earlier this month, Georgetown confirmed to Bobby Bancroft that Harris had submitted his name to the transfer portal.

On Sunday, Joe Tipton reported that “Harris plans to play for the Cavaliers beginning next season and will have three years of eligibility remaining.”

Harris also told Tipton that “Coach (Tony) Bennett is a great coach and one of the best in the business. He says he runs his program through God’s word, which is very big for me. I’m huge on the scripture and to have a coach that runs his program through the Lord. What else can you ask for?”

Harris will be best known for his 2021 freshman efforts that carried the Hoyas through the BIG EAST Tournament as the awarded Most Outstanding Player into the NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, the ensuing winless conference season that followed for the Hoyas forced a complete overhaul of the Georgetown roster. Last spring, Ewing shed 6 players to the portal and added in 8 transfers and two freshmen. Harris was expected to be the only returning starter, but he never played a game.

Many fans have been pointing to the addition of Duquesne point guard Primo Spears as an exterior catalyst for Harris’ decision to leave, but additions of guards Brandon Murray and Jay Heath likely also spelled a reduced role for Dante.

While Dante Harris is no longer listed on the roster, there have been no formal announcements from GUHoyas.com.

In 2021-22, Harris averaged 11.9 points per game in 32.2 minutes per game, with 4.1 assists and 2.6 turnovers. Last year, he shot 37% from the field and 27.5% from three. In 2020-21, Harris averaged 8.0 points per game in 30.3 minutes per game, with 3.2 assists, and shot 35% from the field and 26% from three.

Harris will always be remembered for leading the BIG EAST Tournament Championship team, but his game unfortunately followed a path of a few other guards under Patrick Ewing who carried low field goal percentages with inconsistent assist and turnover statistics.

Ultimately, Ewing promised the world to each of his recruits and failed to uphold his end of the bargain, leading to their transfers.

Harris joins Ewing-era (2017-2022) transfers Donald Carey, Collin Holloway, Tyler Beard, Timothy Ighoefe, Jalin Billingsley, Kobe Clark, Jamari Sibley, T.J. Berger, Mac McClung, James Akinjo, Josh LeBlanc, Galen Alexander, Myron Gardner, Grayson Carter, Antwan Walker, Chris Sodom, and Qudus Wahab (returned).

Best of luck to Dante. We wish him well.