OTR Circuit: Program in Spotlight – Harris Athletics

Harris Athletics from the state of Florida is this week’s featured OTR Circuit program. Cousins Tavarius and Jacolby Harris started the program six years ago. This is their story. And it is just beginning.

Program Snapshot

Program: Harris Athletics
Home Base: West Palm Beach, Florida
Founder: Tavarus Harris
Director: Jacolby Harris
Motto: Good, better, best. NEVER let it rest until your good is better and your better is best.

Notable Players Trained and Developed by Harris Athletics:

John Collins (NBA/LA Clippers) – Tavarius is currently his full-time trainer
Scottie Barnes (NBA/Toronto Raptors)
Jonathan Mogbo (NBA/Toronto Raptors)
Nate Laszewski (Overseas)
Jeremy Golson (Overseas)
Collin Paul (Florida State University) - pictured below
Emmanuel Onuama (Columbia University)
Abdul Dial (St. John’s University)
Jake Harbatkin (Stony Brook)
KJ Fitzgerald (Jacksonville University)
Aeris Lawson (St. Leo) - pictured above

Building Players from Start to Finish

Harris Athletics began in March of 2020 with the vision of passing experience onto the next generation of basketball players. In just a few years, that vision became reality with multiple clients earning Division-1 scholarships and pro contracts. According to program director, Jacolby Harris, the key has been a love of the process. He tells On the Radar Hoops this week, “We love the process. Our program has NEVER needed the recognition nor attention for us to be heard.”

Tavarius Harris’ commitment to development and detail is a big reason why he trains NBA forward, John Collins, year-round. The Harris cousins have trained numerous pros in Florida and that list will grow in coming years. However, a spirit of humility surrounds the program. Harris explained, “We have changed lives and built unbreakable relationships. For that we are extremely blessed and thankful for those who we have worked with.”

Investing in the Future

While the Harris cousins have had significant success training and developing current professionals, the mission has scaled to cultivating talent at the grassroots level and paying dividends on the high school courts this winter. Last summer saw the Harris Athletics organization make waves on the OTR Circuit. Class of 2026 point guard Kyree McKelton emerged as a star slicing through the defenses with his crossovers and hesitation moves. He earned a player of the year nomination with his play.

Here is what On the Radar Hoops evaluator, Ross Van De Griek, had to say about McKelton’s game from the Memorial Day Classic:

2026 5’10 PG Kyree McKelton has an instinctive feel for the game. His quickness allows him to get up and down the court in a flash, making him a constant transition threat on offense and on the defensive end of the floor.

While passion for the process serves as the fuel for the program, the program has an eye towards what is next for the athlete. Harris explains, “Our goal is to have as many players as possible get a free education while playing the game they love at the highest level.”

Summer Success Translates

The value of the stiff competition on the OTR Circuit becomes clear when looking at how Harris Athletics players are performing this high school season. The OTR Circuit provides the ideal platform to be seen by college coaches and prepares the individual players for the high school season. Harris explains why the work at the grassroots level has paid off.

“We have several guys from our Harris Athletics squad who are playing with Suncoast High School this winter. Currently they have a 13-3 record and ranked No. 1 in class 4A in the state of Florida and No. 28 overall in the state.”

Harris credits the level of competition that the players faced on the OTR Circuit as a key reason why they have experienced such success early this season. In addition to McKelton, Jamarey Harris, Anthony Gatlin, Victor Diaz, Elijah Colon, and Alex Stewart are Harris Athletics players who are now contributing to Suncoast’s hot start this season.

The Journey Continues

Harris Athletics prides itself on being a family-run basketball organization. The two cousins, Jacolby and Tavarius Harris, took their experience as players at every level to create this organization. Although the organization is young and experiencing early success, the job is not complete.

Harris says this, “We are excited for our younger players to start the process and build them up the same way as the guys that have gone before. We have some promising talent and cannot wait to be alongside them and their families on their journey.”

The workman-like attitude shines through when Harris speaks about the club. “We are builders. You can see what we are about by the discipline and the structure that we display on the court. We do not have to say what we are about. We tell you with our actions.”

Follow Harris Athletics on the journey in 2026 on X @H_Athletics and on Instagram @HarrisAthletics and @HarrisAthletics_colb.

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. You can reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com and follow him on X @CoachHemi.