Liu Chuanxing
February 20, 2022
Sam Harris
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 3/05/84
- Place of Birth: Launceston (TAS)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 221
- Weight (KG): 126
- Junior Assoc: TAS - Launceston
- College: Old Dominion (2004–2008)
- NBL DEBUT: 17/10/09
- AGE AT DEBUT: 25
- LAST NBL GAME: 20/11/10
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Singapore 2008-09 | Perth 2010 | Adelaide 2011
- Championships: 1
- Perth (2010)
BIO: Sam Harris was born in Launceston (TAS) and grew up in the suburb of Newnham. He attended Launceston College and began playing basketball as a junior with the Launceston basketball association. He played 10 seasons in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) and spent two seasons in the NBL.
At 221 cm, he is the tallest Australian player ever to play in the NBL, second to only chinese centre Liu Chuanxing. Harris received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2002. He spent three years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2002, 2003, 2004).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Sam Harris made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 25 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.
In his rookie season, Harris averaged 1.0 points per game during the 2009/10 season and helped guide the Wildcat’s to a first place finish (17-11) in the regular season. Harris did not play in the team’s playoff games but was able to watch the Wildcat’s defeated the fourth placed Gold Coast Blaze in two straight games before the team eliminated the Wollongong Hawks in three games.
Sam Harris played two seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Perth Wildcats, and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 1.1 points, 1 rebounds, and 0 assists in 8 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 26 | Adelaide | 9-19 (8) | 2 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 77% | 0% | 2 |
| 2009-10 | 25 | Perth | 17-11 (1) | 6 | 27.0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 40% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 6 | 33% | 38% | 0% | 2 | Totals | 8 | 30 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 50.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 3 | 8 | 37.5% | 0% | 0% | 2 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 26 | Adelaide | 9-19 (8) | 2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 100% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 1.0 | 50% | 77% | 0% | 2 |
| 2009-10 | 25 | Perth | 17-11 (1) | 6 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 40% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.3 | 1.0 | 33% | 38% | 0% | 2 | Total | 8 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 50.0% | 0.1 | 0.0% | 37.5% | 0% | 0% | 2 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- AIS (2001–2004), NW Tasmania (2008–2009), East Perth (2010), Bendigo (2011), Hobart (2012), NW Tasmania (2012–2013)
Harris played for the Australian Institute of Sport for the 2001 SEABL season. Harris played alongside Andrew Bogut, Aaron Bruce, Aleksandar Maric, Damian Martin, Brad Newley, Matthew Knight and Lucas Walker until 2004 when he moved to the US to play college basketball.
Harris joined NW Tasmania for the 2008 SEABL season after returning from Old Dominion, playing out the season with the Thunder. The Launceston product rejoined his home-state pathway after his college career and resumed senior SEABL basketball with the club.
Harris returned to NW Tasmania for the 2009 SEABL season and produced one of his strongest state-league years, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds while finishing with 73 blocked shots. That season re-established him as a major interior player before his move west later in the year.
Harris joined East Perth for the 2010 SBL season, giving the Eagles a 221cm centre alongside fellow seven-footer Tom Jervis. East Perth opened the season with an 84–78 overtime win against Willetton on 13 March and later reached the quarter-finals, where Lakeside ended the Eagles’ season in two games, 98–76 and 105–87.
Harris joined Bendigo for the 2011 SEABL season after the 2010–11 national-league season. Bendigo added him as a major frontcourt signing for the Braves, with his return to SEABL placing him back in the competition where he had already played across AIS and NW Tasmania stints.
Harris joined Hobart for the 2012 SEABL season before being released early in the season. He then returned to NW Tasmania during the same 2012 SEABL season, splitting the year between Hobart and the Thunder.
Harris returned to NW Tasmania for the 2013 SEABL season, completing his final state-league stint with the Thunder. His state-league career included 10 seasons in SEABL across the Australian Institute of Sport, NW Tasmania, Bendigo, Hobart and NW Tasmania again, plus his 2010 SBL season with East Perth.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Bruce was part of the history-making, gold medal-winning Australian Emus Under 19 team that included the likes of Andrew Bogut, Damian Martin and Matthew Knight, and coached by Rob Beveridge.
Harris was also included in Australias Under 21 team for the FIBA Under 21 World Championships in 2005 which finished fourth.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Singapore - Singapore Slingers (2008–2009)
When Singapore announced on 29 July 2008 that the Slingers would withdraw from the NBL permanently due to increased international travel costs, Harris remained with the core group as the team shifted into a schedule of touring games and exhibitions that included the Singapore Challenge Series, which concluded in January 2009.
Across 11 games in the Singapore Challenge Series, Harris averaged 6.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game, and his time with the Slingers coincided with a roster that included fellow Slingers signings Darren Ng, Jayson Castro, Chris Daniel, and Darius Rice during that 2008 offseason period.
COLLEGE
Harris played college basketball at Old Dominion during the 2004–05 season before continuing with the Monarchs through the 2007–08 season, competing in the Colonial Athletic Association under head coach Blaine Taylor.
In the 2004–05 season, Old Dominion finished 28–6 overall and 15–3 in CAA play, winning the CAA Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, and Harris appeared in 30 games as a freshman reserve, averaging 2.6 points and 1.0 rebound per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range.
Across that freshman campaign, he totaled 79 points, 29 rebounds, 18 assists and 9 steals while averaging 8.8 minutes per game and connecting on 16 three-pointers.
During the 2005–06 season, Old Dominion posted a 24–10 overall record and went 13–5 in conference play, earning a postseason berth in the NIT, and Harris played 33 games, increasing his averages to 5.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 40.4% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
In that sophomore year he scored 181 total points, made 39 three-pointers, and recorded 33 assists and 18 steals while averaging 15.2 minutes per contest.
In 2006–07, Old Dominion finished 28–6 overall and 16–2 in the CAA, winning the CAA regular-season title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament, and Harris appeared in 34 games, averaging 6.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 41.8% from the field and 38.2% from three.
That junior season included 232 total points, 47 made three-pointers, 44 assists and 27 steals, and he averaged 18.4 minutes per game as a key perimeter contributor on a nationally ranked Monarchs squad.
In his senior season of 2007–08, Old Dominion finished 23–11 overall and 13–5 in the CAA, reaching the CAA Tournament championship game and earning a postseason berth in the College Basketball Invitational, and Harris played 33 games, averaging 7.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc.
Across that senior year he totaled 257 points, made 54 three-pointers, recorded 52 assists and 24 steals, and averaged 21.2 minutes per game while ranking among the team leaders in three-point percentage.
Over his four-year career at Old Dominion from 2004 to 2008, Harris appeared in 130 games, scored 749 total points (5.8 per game), made 156 three-pointers, and contributed 142 rebounds, 147 assists and 78 steals while helping the Monarchs reach two NCAA Tournaments and multiple postseason appearances.
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