NEWARK, N.J. — Long Island’s Tobias Harris was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats at No. 19 but was dealt to Milwaukee as part of a three-team trade.

The Bobcats sent the 6-foot-8 Harris to the Bucks as part of Thursday’s deal. The Bucks also received Charlotte forward Stephen Jackson, Bobcats guard Shaun Livingston and guard Beno Udrih from Sacramento.

Harris, a Dix Hills, N.Y. native who spent one season at Tennessee, averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds as a freshman with the Volunteers.  (more…)

One year of college was all Tobias Harris needed.

The 6-foot-8, 226-pound freshman forward from Tennessee will remain in the NBA Draft and forgo his final three years of college eligibility.

“Want to thank all that supported me during my time at UT. Its truly been a blessing, the Lord has guided me in the greatest of ways,” Harris posted on Twitter Friday afternoon.

Harris, a Dix Hills, N.Y., native, is projected as the No. 16 pick in the June 23 draft by DraftExpress.com. (more…)

Torrel Harris is now in the unique position of having two sons whose coaches are out the door.

Tennessee fired head coach Bruce Pearl on Monday, five days after N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe resigned.

Tobias Harris just completed his freshman season at Tennessee and Tyler Harris has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at N.C. State next season.

“Two coaches get fired, you don’t want that to happen but what can you do,” Torrel, who lives with his family in Dix Hills, N.Y., said Monday by phone. “I always have a belief if you’re a person that walks with God, you’re at where God wants you to be. For Tyler and Tobias, God has them where he wants them to be. We’re all in this world for a purpose. My kids are God-fearing so we approach it as it comes.”

Torrel said Tobias, who averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds this season, would definitely test the NBA waters. (more…)

NEW YORK – Tobias Harris couldn’t possibly have known what he was getting himself into when he first committed to Tennessee on national television last November.

The 6-foot-8 Dix Hills, N.Y. native initially chose the Vols over Syracuse and other elite programs because of his relationship with head coach Bruce Pearl – who said Harris would be the “face of Tennessee basketball for the next several years” — and the promise of individual and team success in Knoxville.

Click here to read the full story at SNY.

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In this video interview from the Jordan Brand Classic, Tennessee bound forward Tobias Harris talks about his foot injury, recovery time, future with the Vols and his 6-foot-8 “little” brother, Tyler.

During the NCAA tournament, Vols Coach Bruce Pearl told me Harris was going to be “the face of Tennessee basketball for the next several years.”

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Tobias Harris and the Tennessee men’s basketball team both play critical games on Saturday afternoon.

At 2:15, the 6-foot-9 Harris leads Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West (23-1) into a New York State Federation Class AA semifinal against Rochester East (19-4) at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Sometime after 3:30, No. 6 Tennessee faces No. 14 Ohio University (22-14) in a second-round NCAA tournament game in Providence, R.I.

Just a few months from now, Harris and Tennessee will be united and then the multi-skilled forward will become the program’s featured player.

“He is going to be the face of Tennessee basketball for the next several years,” Vols coach Bruce Pearl said early Friday morning after Tennessee edged San Diego State, 62-59, in the first round. (more…)

Alex Kline of BoxofMess.com continues to put in work interviewing many of the top high school prospects in the New York metropolitan area.

In this piece, Kline gets Burlington (N.J.) Life Center stars Dion Waiters and LaQuinton Ross talking about their future goals and plans.

The 6-foot-8 Ross has already been compared to Kevin Durant by Burlington coach Wilson Arroyo.

The junior transferred from Murrah (Miss.) High in order to play a national schedule against better competition. (more…)

The McDonald’s All-American rosters are out and, as first reported by ZAGSBLOG.com, four players with New York ties have been invited.

Villanova-bound forward JayVaughn Pinkston of Bishop Loughlin, Tennessee commit Tobias Harris of Half Hollow Hills West, Duke-bound guard Kyrie Irving of St. Patrick and Queens native Doron Lamb of Oak Hill Academy will play in the game March 31 at the Value City Arena in Columbia, Ohio.

“I’m the first [player] from my school to make the McDonald’s game; that’s big,” the 6-foot-5 Pinkston told Chris Lawlor of ESPN.com. “In the end, it’s not about individual stuff but getting the ‘W.’ You take nothing for granted; I did my talking on the court.”

Pinkston and Harris played against one another last month at the Big Apple Invitational, with Harris’ team coming out on top, 75-72 in OT. Pinkston poured in 34 points and grabbed 14 points in the game, while Harris had 19 and 7 before fouling out. (more…)

The New York metropolitan area will be well represented in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game.

Four players from New York and New Jersey will play in the prestigious game March 31 in Columbus, Ohio.

Duke-bound guard Kyrie Irving of Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick; Tennessee-bound forward Tobias Harris of Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West; Villanova-bound JayVaughn Pinkston of Brookyn Bishop Loughlin; and uncommitted guard and Queens, N.Y. native Doron Lamb of Oak Hill Academy have all been invited. Harris, on left, and Pinkston are pictured at left during their recent battle at the Big Apple Invitational.

Tristan Thompson, a forward who has signed with Texas and plays at Findlay (Nev.) Prep, was also selected. Thompson previously played at Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s Prep.

The official list won’t be released until Feb. 11 on ESPNU. (more…)

With its 65-64 victory over Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick Saturday night in the Coalition to House the Homeless Classic in Elizabeth, St. Benedict’s has thrust itself into contention for a high school national championship.

Texas-bound guard Myck Kabongo, pictured at left courtesy The Star-Ledger, went coast-to-coast and scored on a layup with 5 seconds remaining to give the Gray Bees the victory.

“Yeah, I just got it and put a little bank shot runner and it went in,” Kabongo said by phone.

He scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and defended Duke-bound guard Kyrie Irving, who scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth. After the game, Kabongo made the case that he’s the best guard in New Jersey.

“I just feel like I have a case,” he said. “He [Irving] might be a senior but I feel I do a lot more. I’m a different type of point guard. I’m not a scoring point guard. I just want to show the rest of the country that I’m alright. I’m not just a player. I wanted to show that Canada can produce great players. A bunch of people in New Jersey don’t really know me like that.”

Rutgers-bound forward Gilvydas Biruda added 13 points for St. Ben’s and Temple commit Mike Poole scored 11. (more…)