Dominick Harris believed he could do something special within the game of basketball ever since he was 10 years old. For this Murrieta, California native, the sport embodied two things: freedom and creativity. It was a space where he could create and think outside the box; and an avenue that allowed him to be himself. Over the next few years, Dominick became focused on developing his skills on the court and strengthening his knowledge of the game. He was on a mission. Upon graduating from high school, Dominick embarked on his collegiate career at Gonzaga University. It wasn't all smooth sailing though. As Dominick was gearing up for a breakout sophomore year, he suffered a foot injury that sidelined him for the entire season. A challenge that, as he highlights, tested his resilience and commitment to the game. During that time, Dominick began to study the game from the sidelines. Where could his game elevate further? How could he make a bigger impact across different areas on the floor? What additional skills did he need to develop? All questions that Dominick pondered on and ones that allowed him to "get a better understanding of everything on the court." It was up from there. After his return, Dominick played another year at Gonzaga before transferring to Loyola Marymount University (LMU). After a stellar season at LMU—where he led the team in points per game and ranked third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage—, Dominick transferred to UCLA. He hasn't looked back since. Currently in his first season as a UCLA Bruin, Dominick is thrilled to have the opportunity to play the game he loves at the highest level while learning from incredible coaches and teammates. Through it all, he remains focused on impacting winning and reaching his highest potential both on and off the court. Amazing!
Diving more into that journey early on, take us through that transition from high school to college. What was that like for you?
I was just glad I went into a program where it allowed me to get better and establish relationships with other people that have been lasting a lifetime. The transition is always different coming from high school to college, but it was just about (me) sitting back and picking up on a lot of different things—which made it a great process for me.
What were some of those challenges that you faced early on? How did you work to overcome them?
Off the court, you definitely have to balance your life out. As a freshman, you’re antsy to figure out the campus and do everything. Eventually, you start getting a little tired (with) practice every day and then going to class on the back end; so there's definitely a lot of life skills that you (gain) and challenges that you usually get in tune with by the end of the first year. On the court, speed, playstyle, coaching, the defensive schemes, and stuff (like that) are definitely different from high school. Overall (though), it just allowed me to see everything which was great.
Throughout your collegiate career, you played at Gonzaga, LMU, and are now at UCLA. Could you share more with us about your journey at each institution?