# Gary Harris
**Gary Harris** (Gary Harris Jr., born 1994) is an American professional basketball player who has played as a shooting guard in the [National Basketball Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-basketball-association) since 2014, most recently for the [Detroit Pistons](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-pistons). A first-round draft pick out of Michigan State, he spent his best seasons with the [Denver Nuggets](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-nuggets), where he formed a backcourt partnership with Nikola Jokic, and later played for the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / vitals | 1994; 6'4" (1.93 m), 210 lb (95 kg); USA[1](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris/bio) |
| Draft | 2014 NBA Draft, first round, 19th overall, selected by the Chicago Bulls[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/harriga01.html) |
| College | Michigan State, 2012-2014; the program's first-ever Big Ten Freshman of the Year[3](https://msuspartans.com/documents/download/2018/7/25/9661__m_baskbl_2012_13_release__release_20130319aaa.pdf) |
| NBA teams | Denver Nuggets 2014-2021, Orlando Magic 2020-25, Milwaukee Bucks 2025-26, Detroit Pistons from July 2026[4](https://sportbaseline.com/basketball/player/gary-harris-203914) • [5](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris) |
| Career averages | 11.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.12 steals in 28.0 minutes with Denver and Orlando; .370 from three-point range[1](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris/bio) |
| Best season | 2017-18 with Denver: career-best 17.5 points per game, 2.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds, .396 from three[6](https://magicweb.blob.core.windows.net/resources/communications/orlando-magic-media-guide-2024-25.pdf) |
| Notable contract | Four-year, $84 million Denver extension signed October 2017 ($74 million guaranteed plus $10 million in bonuses)[7](https://as.com/us/us/2017/10/08/masdeporte/1507486044_886277.html) |
## College career at Michigan State
Harris played two seasons for the Michigan State Spartans under coach [Tom Izzo](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-izzo), from 2012 to 2014[4](https://sportbaseline.com/basketball/player/gary-harris-203914). As a freshman in 2012-13 he started for a Michigan State team that reached the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 41.1 percent from three-point range[3](https://msuspartans.com/documents/download/2018/7/25/9661__m_baskbl_2012_13_release__release_20130319aaa.pdf) • [8](https://www.shamsports.com/players/gary-harris). He was named the first Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Michigan State history, earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors, and was one of eight finalists for the national Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award[3](https://msuspartans.com/documents/download/2018/7/25/9661__m_baskbl_2012_13_release__release_20130319aaa.pdf).
## Denver Nuggets (2014-2021)
The [Chicago Bulls](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bulls) selected Harris with the 19th pick of the 2014 draft, and he began his professional career with the Denver Nuggets, signing a rookie contract worth $7,312,615 on July 9, 2014[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/harriga01.html) • [9](https://www.salaryswish.com/players/gary-harris). After a quiet rookie year he raised his scoring to 12.3 and then 14.9 points per game over the next two seasons[7](https://as.com/us/us/2017/10/08/masdeporte/1507486044_886277.html).
**Peak years.** In 2016-17 Harris set career highs in points (14.2), rebounds (3.0), assists (2.5), field-goal percentage (48.1) and three-point percentage (43.0), despite a groin injury in the first preseason game that cost him training camp and the first four regular-season games[10](https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/gary-harris-feature-022717). The following season, 2017-18, he averaged a career-best 17.5 points per game in 34.4 minutes while shooting .396 from three-point range[6](https://magicweb.blob.core.windows.net/resources/communications/orlando-magic-media-guide-2024-25.pdf). Denver rewarded him in October 2017 with a four-year extension worth $84 million, of which $74 million was guaranteed, keeping him under contract through 2022[7](https://as.com/us/us/2017/10/08/masdeporte/1507486044_886277.html).
In Denver he developed a two-man game with center Nikola Jokic, adding improved three-point shooting and constant cutting to his scoring, and his defense and finishing drew praise from the coaching staff[11](https://www.nba.com/nuggets/story/harris-evolution-playmaking-122917). Over seven seasons with the franchise he averaged 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 387 games[4](https://sportbaseline.com/basketball/player/gary-harris-203914).
## Orlando Magic (2021-2025)
On March 25, 2021, Denver traded Harris, guard R.J. Hampton and a protected future first-round pick to the [Orlando Magic](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-magic) in exchange for forward [Aaron Gordon](https://www.edgepedia.org/aaron-gordon) and forward Gary Clark[12](https://www.nba.com/magic/orlando-magic-acquire-rj-hampton-garry-harris-draft-pick-denver-nuggets-aaron-gordon-gary-clark-trade-20210325). He spent five seasons in Orlando, averaging 7.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 231 games[4](https://sportbaseline.com/basketball/player/gary-harris-203914). In July 2024 he re-signed with the Magic on a two-year, $15 million contract[13](https://quanthoops.com/player/gary-harris).
## Milwaukee and Detroit (2025-present)
Harris signed with the [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee-bucks) and appeared in 48 games in 2025-26, averaging 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 13.8 minutes while shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range[14](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203914/). His season was affected by a groin injury that ruled him out of several late-season games[5](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris).
In June 2026 he exercised his $3.82 million player option for the 2026-27 season, and on July 7, 2026, the Bucks traded him along with [Taurean Prince](https://www.edgepedia.org/taurean-prince) to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for [Caris LeVert](https://www.edgepedia.org/caris-levert) and two second-round picks[5](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris).
## Playing style
A pre-draft scouting profile identified Harris's best qualities as his defense and his outside shot, describing him as a sure bet to be a really good NBA player while noting he was not a first scoring option[15](https://www.nba.com/hawks/features/scouting-profile-gary-harris). His career bears that out: he has been valued as a 3-and-D guard, a role combining perimeter defense with three-point shooting, and his career line of .370 from three and 1.12 steals per game reflects it[1](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris/bio). Injuries, most notably a hip injury and recurring groin problems, curtailed the scoring level he reached in Denver, and his role in later seasons shifted to a lower-minute depth piece[14](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203914/).
## References
1. [Gary Harris Player Bio, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris/bio)
2. [Gary Harris Stats, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/harriga01.html)
3. [2012-13 Michigan State Basketball NCAA Tournament game notes, MSUSpartans.com](https://msuspartans.com/documents/download/2018/7/25/9661__m_baskbl_2012_13_release__release_20130319aaa.pdf)
4. [Gary Harris player profile, SportBaseline](https://sportbaseline.com/basketball/player/gary-harris-203914)
5. [Gary Harris | Guard, NBA.com player news](https://www.nba.com/player/203914/gary-harris)
6. [Gary Harris, Orlando Magic Media Guide 2024-25](https://magicweb.blob.core.windows.net/resources/communications/orlando-magic-media-guide-2024-25.pdf)
7. [Los Nuggets atan a Gary Harris hasta 2022 con 84 millones, AS.com (October 8, 2017)](https://as.com/us/us/2017/10/08/masdeporte/1507486044_886277.html)
8. [Gary Harris profile, ShamSports](https://www.shamsports.com/players/gary-harris)
9. [Gary Harris Contract and Salary Details, SalarySwish](https://www.salaryswish.com/players/gary-harris)
10. [How Gary Harris Is Putting Together His Best NBA Season, Denver Nuggets (February 27, 2017)](https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/gary-harris-feature-022717)
11. [The Story Behind Gary Harris' Basketball Evolution Into Playmaking, Denver Nuggets (December 29, 2017)](https://www.nba.com/nuggets/story/harris-evolution-playmaking-122917)
12. [Magic Acquire R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris and First Round Draft Pick From Nuggets, Orlando Magic (March 25, 2021)](https://www.nba.com/magic/orlando-magic-acquire-rj-hampton-garry-harris-draft-pick-denver-nuggets-aaron-gordon-gary-clark-trade-20210325)
13. [Gary Harris 25-26 Stats, Projection & Salary, QuantHoops](https://quanthoops.com/player/gary-harris)
14. [Gary Harris stats, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203914/)
15. [Scouting Profile: Gary Harris, Atlanta Hawks, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/hawks/features/scouting-profile-gary-harris)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Shooting guards › Established NBA veterans*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license