Former Raptors draft pick Jalen Harris lands on eighth pro team

A former Toronto Raptors draft pick will be returning to Canada once again.

Jalen Harris, a 2020 second-round draft pick of the franchise who spent one season with the team, was announced as the latest signing today by the CEBL’s Saskatchewan Rattlers.

Harris, who most recently played three games with Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional league, is joining his eighth pro team since being drafted by Toronto.

“Jalen brings a lot of high-level experience to our roster and is expected to make a big impact on the court,” said General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations, Barry Rawlyk. “He was a valuable part of the team in Scarborough for two seasons and we expect he will bring some of his championship mentality to our team. He is expecting to bring himself into a totally basketball-focused environment with the Rattlers, which Coach Abney has promised to deliver.”

Harris received a one-year suspension in the summer of 2021 from the NBA due to a banned substance following his rookie season with the Raptors. He was later reinstated in 2022, but has yet to play in the NBA again.

Most recently, he spent this past season with the Chicago-affiliated Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League, where he registered 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 23.7 minutes in 35 games. In his final game with the Bulls, he logged a team-high 50 points, team-high 12 rebounds, and a team-high five assists while shooting 67.7% from the field in 40 minutes.

The Rattlers will be Harris’ second CEBL team, after playing the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Scarborough Shooting Stars. Scarborough is the league’s defending champion and has featured in the league’s title game in each of its two years of existence.

“I’m just eager to get back up there and get started,” said Harris. “It’s a situation with new pieces and a new energy, so I look forward to coming in and helping to win games.”

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