Lakers: D-Fenders Well-Represented Among NBA D-League All-Stars
Justin Harper – D-League All-Star Game
Justin Harper is a 26-year-old center who played his college ball for the Richmond Spiders. The 6-10 big man is averaging 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Lakers D-League affiliates. Moreover, Harper was a bit shocked, but grateful, about being selected as an All-Star.
“Going to the All-Stars, yeah…it was not expected. I know that I had been working hard and I had started playing better as of late, but I was still surprised when my coach announced it to me,” he said. “We came into practice one morning and the coach brought it into the team and announced me and Vander [Blue] had got selected. I was, like, in shock.”
Harper earned this accolade big-time; he plays hard on offense and defense, effortlessly shoots three-pointers, and floats elegant lay-ups into the hoop when his team needs it most. As far as his All-Star experience goes, Harper is ready to soak it all in and looking forward to it all. “I am very excited, very excited. Just being involved,” Harper said. “You know, just being recognized is obviously a blessing—just working hard, and staying humble, and enjoying the whole experience is what I am looking forward to!”
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He continued, “It’s one of those things where you feed off of it, but you always have to be confident in yourself, especially as a professional athlete. Or else, you never really reach your full potential. I felt better about what I was doing, like ‘keep working and just keep doing what I do and I’m just trying to help my team.’ Like you said, if it’s rebounding or threes, I try to do everything I can while I’m out there.”
Harper had a message for Lakers fans when we asked him what fans can expect from watching a D-Fenders game on TV or in person. “Just be ready for a show,” Harper said. “I think the way we play is good basketball. We have a lot of great guys on our team that can really fill it up. We are a dangerous team for opposing teams because we have so many different guys that can, on any given night, have 20 or 30 points.”
Harper was also complimentary of teammate Andre Ingram, who will also be making the trip to Toronto. “You know Andre can come off the bench and have 30. It will be nothing to us because we move the ball and that’s how we play. I think it’s exciting, so if anybody wants just to come by and check out a game I would encourage them to, ’cause it’s a lot of fun.”
Harper will have the chance to show just how much fun it is along with his teammate in the D-League All-Star Game.
Next: D-Fenders high scoring point guard Vander Blue