The University of Mississippi Athletics
Aaron Harper Taken with 14th Pick in CBA Draft
9/22/2004 | Men's Basketball
Sept. 22, 2004
GARY, Ind. - Former Ole Miss basketball star Aaron Harper moved on to the professional ranks Tuesday, selected with the 14th overall pick in the CBA Draft by the Gary Steelheads. The 6-foot-7 swingman from Jackson was taken with the 6th choice of the second round.
"I'm proud and excited for Aaron," said Ole Miss head coach Rod Barnes. "I think Aaron is definitely talented enough to play in that league. He has put in the work, and I think they'll be pleased with his athletic ability. There weren't many guys that played college basketball last year that could shoot the ball as well as Aaron. He is deserving of this opportunity."
Harper left Ole Miss as the school's all-time leader in three-pointers and tied for sixth in SEC history. As a senior last year, he ranked in the SEC's top 10 in five categories, including scoring (tied for eighth at 16.5), assists (ninth at 3.25), field goal percentage (10th at .445), three-pointers made (fourth at 2.39) and three-point percentage (seventh at .387).
Harper was the third of six SEC players in Tuesday's CBA Draft, following Auburn's Kyle Davis at 10th and Georgia's Rashad Wright at 12th. Wright was also an NBA second-round draft pick. Other selections include UGA's Damien Wilkins (26th), Kentucky's Erik Daniels (27th) and Alabama's Antoine Pettway (47th). Among the Steelheads' other picks was Darius Rice, a fellow Jackson native that went in the fifth round.
Harper's lifelong teammate Justin Reed moved on to the pro level in June, nabbed by Boston in the second round of the NBA Draft with the 40th overall selection. Reed signed with the Celtics in August.
