North Florida transfer forward commits to Indiana one day before Miami visit

The University of Miami just missed out on North Florida transfer forward Josh Harris. One day before Harris was slotted to visit Coral Gables, he committed to Indiana. It appears as though both schools were in contention, but the Hoosiers clearly made too strong of an impression for him to continue on his visit to Miami. Harris was the No. 31 overall player and No. 7 forward left in the portal, according to On3's Industry rankings.

Harris is a 6-foot-9, 230-pound freshman who had an impressive debut season with the Ospreys, averaging 13.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He shot 55.7% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range, earning a spot on the Atlantic Sun Conference's All-Freshman Team. One of his most impressive outings last season was a 22-point showing against Georgia Tech.

Harris hails from Pembroke Pines, Florida, and attended Pembroke Pines Charter High School, where he averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior.  His local roots and freshman season at North Florida made him a top target for Jai Lucas and his staff who have made a push to keep homegrown talent within the state.

Lucas is known for his recruiting prowess from his time at Kentucky and Duke. Despite losing out on Harris, Lucas is leading a significant rebuild of the Hurricanes' roster following a 7–24 season. Lucas has already secured commitments from several transfers, including Ernest Udeh, Malik Reneau, Tre Donaldson, Tru Washington, and Marcus Allen. He has also made moves to sign Shelton Henderson, Timotej Malovec, and Dante Allen.

Losing Harris stings because of the Florida connection that Lucas has already built within his staff and the area. But, the world of college sports moves fast so there is no time to wait. Lucas will have to pivot and continue to try to keep Florida-natives considering Miami as a potential home.