Michael Malone, UNC staff target highly coveted Wake Forest transfer

New North Carolina head coach Michael Malone may have been in Chapel Hill for a few days now, but he’s already hard at work like he’s been there for a few years now.

Malone and several assistants plan to visit former Wake Forest guard Juke Harris for an in-home meeting in Salisbury, N.C., according to Inside Carolina. Harris is ranked the No. 3 overall player in the transfer portal by On3 and No. 6 by 247Sports. He also has drawn interest from Tennessee, N.C. State and Michigan, among others.

The 6-foot-7 wing is coming off a breakout sophomore season with the Demon Deacons. He earned second-team All-ACC honors after averaging 24.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 33% from three-point range. He torched North Carolina for 28 points on Jan. 10 at the Smith Center, shooting 10-for-18 from the field, and recorded a season-high 38 points at Boston College.

On April 3, Harris announced he would enter the transfer portal and test the NBA draft waters. Because he is maintaining his college eligibility, he can withdraw from the draft and suit up for any school he chooses. ESPN ranks him the No. 39 prospect on its NBA Draft Big Board.

If Harris returns to college, another big year could push his draft stock higher. Landing at UNC could further enhance his profile, with the chance to play for Malone, a former Denver Nuggets coach who won an NBA title and earned a reputation as one of the league’s top player developers.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Michael Malone, staff zero in on Wake Forest transfer