Seton Hall basketball: After long journey, last song for Jamir Harris

Tuesday is Senior Night for the Seton Hall University men’s basketball team.

No one is more senior than Jamir Harris.

At 25 he is the oldest player on the team, and in a few months will earn a Master’s degree in Human Resources Training and Management. A rapper, he has already produced a few albums and singles, available for listening on sites like Apple Music and Spotify.

Prior to transferring to the Hall two years ago, the 6-foot-2 guard led the nation in 3-point shots made per game (4), as well as minutes per game (39) while playing for American University. Making All-Patriot, he averaged 20.5 points a game, his high being 33 points against Loyola Maryland in which he drilled nine 3s.

Since shooting baskets in his yard in Piscataway and then North Brunswick, he has wanted to play professional basketball. He believes he will, somewhere. So prior to Tuesday’s 8:30 tip against Villanova at Newark’s Prudential Center, the realization of a college career coming to a close will be bitter sweet.

His expected feelings?

“How it’s flashed before my eyes since last year, how my career flashed before my eyes,’’ said the affable postgrad. “I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot, stamped myself in college as far as being a down-to-earth, hard working person. Respectful. Humble. I established goals and made them in college, outside my game on the court.

“I let the world know that Jamir Harris is somebody who’s not going to be out-worked, and hard work is what leads to success. The fact that it’s coming to an end very soon, I want to make it the best ending as I possibly can, as a team (16-13, 9-9 conference) and myself individually, and try and make this run. I would love to finish off my career making the NCAA Tournament, and we have a chance to do that.”

Long journey

His collegiate journey began at the University of Minnesota, having chosen the Big 10 school over Stanford. He had been a 1,000-point scorer at The Patrick School in Elizabeth. But the Midwest became cold, and Harris returned to the East Coast enrolling at American University in D.C.

Part of the reasons were connected to New Jersey. One of his best friends since AAU ball, Sa’eed Nelson of South Jersey, was a star on the team. The head coach was a Jersey guy, Mike Brennan of Elizabeth, who played his college ball at Princeton. Nelson remains AU’s all-time leading scorer, having passed Westfield High legend Boo Bowers from the 1970s.

Harris left American with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

“I could see myself being a basketball analyst, one of those guys who talk about the game at halftime; like Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaq on TNT. I feel like I articulate myself very well,’’ he said. “I don’t have a problem speaking in front of crowds.’’

He also enjoyed mathematics coming out of high school, but ultimately the numbers didn’t add up.

Seton Hall?

“I wanted to showcase I could play at this level, and it was close to home,’’ he offered. “And the opportunity to be in college with my brother added to that.”

'Taking what comes'

JaQuan, a freshman on the Pirates, was recruited out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Edison. He hasn't played this season due to a knee injury and is in line for a redshirt.

Last year Jamir scored 8 points per game, averaging 22.7 minutes. As the backup point guard, he played a key role in guiding the Hall to the NCAA Tournament after standout starter Bryce Aiken was lost with a concussion. This season Harris has been a backup guard again, averaging 4 points per game. He's one of four holdovers from the coaching change of Kevin Willard to Shaheen Holloway. He's continued to play hard and defend well, even though his shot hasn't always fallen.

“It’s been an adjustment,” he said. “I’ve been taking what comes.”

What continues to come are his recordings. His poetry.

“When I was around 15-16 I was writing a lot of poetry. I’d take my little notepad and start rhyming. I was always singing around the house, and my dad (who played football at Rutgers) could sing as well. When I was around 20 I said, ‘I might as well make one of these poems into a song.’ I fell in love with the process,’’ he said.

“I started to hear good things from people about having a future in it. I developed more and more passion for it.”

And thus was born a recording artist named Jay Real.

“Obviously my name starts with a J, and I take pride with my music being real and authentic,’’ he said regarding his singing name. “I sing about things I might have gone through, or know I will go through at some point, and also rap about things other people have gone through and that everyone can relate to.

“I want people to listen to my music,’’ he said. “To understand it, enjoy it and appreciate it. I want to have young people listen to it and their parents be okay with it, because my music isn’t vulgar, there’s no cursing, it’s not degrading to women, no violence or drugs or anything of that nature.

“I’m genuine,’’ he said. “I’m kind-hearted and a very real and authentic person.’’

Both Jamir Harris, and Jay Real.

Paul Franklin is a freelance reporter for MyCentralJersey.com.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Seton Hall basketball: After long journey, last song for Jamir Harris