Wake Forest Athletics
My Basketball Journey: C.J. Harris
2/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2011
This article was originally published in the Feb. 13 edition of Wake Forest's basketball gameday magazine, which is given away at all men's basketball home games.
Q: When did you first start playing basketball?
A: The first time I started playing I was probably about eight years old. My first memory was winning the state championship for AAU when I was nine.
Q: When did you first realize you were "good" at basketball?
A: I didn't think I was good until I probably got into my teenage years.
Q: Were you always one of the better players on the court growing up playing basketball?
A: Absolutely not. When I was younger I used to dribble it off my foot and everything. But I got better because I just always played. Every day I was playing.
Q: What is the one area of your game that you have had to work the hardest on to improve?
A: Probably my body because I used to be extremely skinny. And then when I got here (to Wake Forest) I had to lift a lot just to pick up weight. It's definitely helped my game. I can take contact now. I'm not getting pushed around like I was my senior year in high school and my freshman year in college.
Q: What is the one area of your game that has just seemed to come naturally?
A: Just having a knack to get to the rim.
Q: What is the best memory of your high school basketball career?
A: Winning the 4A state championship my senior year. We beat Terry Sanford [High School] from Fayetteville. We played at the Dean Dome. We were killing them at first, but then they came back so it was a close game at the end.
Q: What is your best memory of your AAU basketball career?
A: It would probably be all of the state championships; I won five of them.
Q: What former Wake Forest players do you look up to?
A: Ish Smith and Chris Paul I really look up to. They've always been mentors to me since I know them really well.
Q: What were you looking for in a college when you were being recruited?
A: Wake Forest was close to home. I really didn't want to go anywhere since I'm from here (Winston-Salem). My family could come see me play. But I also wanted to go to a school that was predominantly a basketball school, and I think Wake is that.
Q: What do you see yourself doing after your basketball career is finished?
A: Hopefully I can own a business or something.
