Four races in 2024 China-Europe Express season, Elijah Harkless His violent dunk in the final seconds of the third quarter against the Vancouver Bandits last Thursday is already a contender for highlight reel of the year.
Earlier this week, the 6-foot-3 guard took the move as a challenge.
“Fareed (Shitu) from college kept telling me, 'I've never seen you dunk,'” Harkless said. “I told him I was going to dunk today and it was a highlight reel.”
Known for his ability to drive the baseline and hit tough grounders, the dunk surprised several Saskatchewan Rattlers teammates, including defenseman Jalen Harris.
“That shot caught me off guard, to be honest with you,” Harris said. “I was just sprinting and he shot like a floater and it didn't go in, so I was sprinting, thinking he was going to do the same thing. When he took that dunk, I was speechless.”
Thursday’s dunk marked the debut of Harkless, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the target scoring time to give the Rattlers their third win of the CEBL season.
Despite some inconsistent shooting, Harkless is still viewed as a key member of a Saskatchewan offense that is eager to return to the playoffs this summer, according to Diamondbacks head coach Larry Abney.
“We're talking about guys who played 40 minutes, and I think he's at the top of that,” Abney said. “I don't think there's anybody in this league that can match his energy. That dunk at the end of the third quarter, that's going to be replayed for a while.”
Harkless, known as EJ on the Diamondbacks field, became the go-to defenseman next to Harris after moving from Ontario to Saskatchewan in the offseason.
That is Ontario, California.
Emails needed on the day
Top news from Canada and around the world.
While Harkless has had to adjust to a new city and country, he has already seen familiar faces during his travels in Abney.
The duo just finished a season with the NBA G League’s Ontario Clippers, the minor league development club of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.
“I feel very comfortable,” Harkless said. “He understands exactly what Abney said, and I know he works hard every night. I know that guy never sleeps, he wants to put Saskatchewan on top, he wants to put them on top of the CEBL and show all the hard work he puts in every night. We’re excited to play for him.”
Through four games, Harkless is first in minutes played for the Diamondbacks with more than 140, averaging 18.8 points, eight rebounds and 4.3 assists.
According to his head coach, Harkless's speed and deceptiveness played a big role early in the year, with the team relying on him to carry the ball downfield from the backfield position.
“That's one of the reasons why I brought him here,” Abney said. “Even though he's still young, his growth and future will definitely be very, very, very good.”
A third player, Bryson Williams, of the Ontario Clippers, is expected to join the Saskatchewan team later this summer to join Harkless and Abney in forming a three-man tandem for the Diamondbacks.
Harkless said it has been a joyous experience watching Abney grow from an assistant coach in the G League to coaching his own team as they chase the second CEBL title in Saskatchewan history.
“He's more serious here because he's the head coach now,” Harkless said. “He's not an assistant coach like he was in the States, where he had to be more intimate with the players. He's still intimate, but he has to take it seriously, and he does a good job of that.”
Harkless has learned a lot from the partnership, and Abney said it’s been rewarding from his perspective to see the Diamondbacks’ young star progress.
“I promised all of them that they would be better basketball players when they left here,” Abney said. “I just promised EJ first because we were there together. I said, ‘You come here with me, I know where you want to go, I know your goals, let me help you.’ And he’s helping me in turn.”
The Diamondbacks suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, 93-77, to the Edmonton Stingers, and will continue their three-game road trip in Alberta on Wednesday night against the Calgary Tide.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
