This could be Dajuan Harris Jr.’s last season with Kansas basketball, but he’s eyeing more

LAWRENCE — Back in April, during Kansas basketball’s end of season banquet for 2022-23, head coach Bill Self praised Dajuan Harris Jr.

Self referred to Harris, a veteran guard for the Jayhawks, as potentially the greatest story they’ve had in Self’s time leading the program. Self mentioned Harris will go down as his all-time favorite, someone he wouldn’t trade for anyone. And Self highlighted the fact that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on collegiate athletics, they could actually have Harris for two more seasons — instead of one.

While Harris could use that extra year just to use it, he indicated this week during Kansas’ media day for the 2023-24 campaign that wouldn’t be the reason he’d take advantage of it. Harris, a redshirt senior this season, has motivations that are fueling him. The longer he plays for the Jayhawks, the more time he can devote to making sure his career in Lawrence is one to remember.

“I just be trying to play my game,” said Harris, asked how much thought he’s put into how many more seasons he’ll play at KU. “If I can go and play somewhere professional, I’ll probably do that. But I’m not worrying about that right now. I’m worrying about my college career and the stuff I can do on the court here, and I’ll just see how it goes at the end of the year. But I’m not really focused on it, none of that professional stuff. But I probably will end up coming back here anyways because there’s a lot of — I can break some records.”

Harris ranks 14th among Kansas players in career assists with 455. He ranks tied for 15th among Kansas players in career steals with 165. If he takes two more years, and continues to thrive in the way he already has been, he can make runs at both of those and potentially others as he chases another national championship and more Big 12 Conference titles.

This season alone, Harris has already made the preseason All-Big 12 team, alongside teammate and senior center Hunter Dickinson. Harris is also on the preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which is presented annually to the top point guard at the Division I level. Should Harris earn the latter, he’d be the second Jayhawks player to receive that honor — following Frank Mason III in 2017.

Either way, the fact that Harris has been able to enjoy the career he already has at Kansas is still something that’s crazy to him. The experience he has been able to have is something he never would have thought to picture in his mind when he first arrived on campus. And add on the fact he’s been able to play for a coach in Self who he considers to be one of the best to ever do it, and the journey becomes 10 times better in his eyes.

“(Self)’s one of the best coaches ever, best coach in the game right now, and then he knows so much about ball and I listen to him a lot and he listens to me,” said Harris.

Harris, who considers himself blessed, added: “I still have a lot to learn as a point guard, and being here with coach Self — he’s going to make me the best point guard in the country, like he’s been doing.”

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Dajuan Harris Jr. has more goals to accomplish with Kansas basketball