By R.L. Bynum
Former Notre Dame combo guard Jalen Haralson has drawn plenty of interest since announcing on April 2 that he would enter the transfer portal.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported Saturday that Haralson has cut his list to North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio State in a race for one of the most productive freshmen to hit the portal this cycle.
Haralson is a 6–7, 220-pound perimeter player who produced immediately, averaging 16.2 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 51.5% from the floor.
“When I first got the job here, from a recruiting perspective, immediately Jalen was a top target for us,” Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. “Jalen was someone who we knew was an elite player and a great kid as well. His combination of size, athleticism, passing ability, and versatility has long made him one of the top players in his class nationally, and given him the ability to represent the country with USA Basketball.”
He appeared in 27 games, including 23 starts, and describes himself as a player who can affect the game in multiple ways.
“I’m a versatile guy. I can do a lot of things on the court,” he said. “Coming in, I don’t want to hold myself to just one position or doing one thing. I can rebound, push the pace. I can score the ball. I can pass. I can do a lot of things. So, it’s really just making an impact on the game.”
Haralson scored at least 20 points eight times last season, including 26 points in an 86–72 loss at Syracuse on Jan. 31. He dished out at least four assists four times, including when he collected 20 points and nine assists in an 87–85 overtime victory on Dec. 5 at TCU.
He pulled down a season-high nine rebounds when he scored 25 points in a 96–90 overtime win Feb. 28 against N.C. State and 21 points on Dec. 21 against Purdue-Fort Wayne.
The 247Sports’ evaluation of him in 2024 described him as “a playmaking big wing, and maybe even a jumbo initiator,” noting, “Offensively, he’s most comfortable with the ball in his hands. He loves to grab and go off the defensive glass where he can both get downhill and pass off the dribble.”
Haralson’s portal value comes from being the kind of big guard or wing who can bend a defense without needing a set play drawn for him. 247Sports’ assessment emphasizes his comfort playing out of ball screens, his ability to “deliver some advanced passes,” and the fact that he is “a good cutter off the ball.”
In Notre Dame’s 91–69 loss at UNC on Jan. 21, he had 13 points and six rebounds.
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Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Luka Bogavac, Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell, James Brown and Zayden High return and the players in the incoming freshman class hold in their commitment, which would put UNC six under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Dylan Mingo | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 40 | Junior | Ivan Matlekovic | 5 | 7–0 | 255 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 13 | RS senior | Henri Veesaar | 5 | 7–0 | 225 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
In transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 |
| Isaiah Denis | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 180 |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 |
Key offseason dates
Last Tuesday — Transfer portal opened
Thursday — Deadline to request evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee
11:59 p.m. April 21 — Transfer portal closes
11:59 p.m. April 26 — NBA early-entry deadline
May 8–10 — G-League Combine in Chicago
May 10 — NBA Draft Lottery
May 10–17 — NBA Draft Combine in Chicago
May 27 (11:59 p.m.) — NCAA early-entry withdrawal deadline
Week of June 22 (date to be determined) — NBA Draft
Photo via @NUNC_Basketball
Photo via @NDmbb
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