NASHVILLE — In professional basketball, veteran free agents often arrive with questions attached. Age, mileage and fit can complicate even the most accomplished résumé. But when timing and environment align, experience becomes an asset rather than a risk.

That idea has played out at Tennessee State this season, where sixth-year guard Dante Harris is closing the final chapter of a college basketball journey that has taken him from the Big East to the ACC, the American Athletic Conference and now the Ohio Valley Conference.

When first-year head coach Nolan Smith evaluated his roster ahead of his inaugural season at TSU, one need stood out above the rest: a floor general.

Smith wanted someone who had seen the game at its highest levels, someone comfortable in hostile gyms and late-game situations, and someone who could help anchor a program being built day by day. Harris, who previously played for Smith when he was an assistant coach at Memphis, fit that vision.

"Dante is a winner," Smith said during a postgame interview with Main Street Media of Tennessee reporter Blain Kellar. "He's been in big games and tough environments. That experience matters."

Harris' path to Tennessee State has been anything but conventional, even by transfer-portal-era standards. The 2025–26 season marks his sixth year of college basketball and his fourth stop — Georgetown, Virginia, Memphis and now TSU — with two of those stops connected by Smith.

Raised in Maryland, Harris moved to Tennessee as a teenager after his family relocated to Knoxville following his grandmother's death and his father, Michael, changing jobs. He attended Alcoa High School before transferring to Lakeway Christian Academy, where his scoring ability quickly set him apart.

Despite standing just 6 feet tall, Harris averaged more than 30 points per game, emerged as a Mr. Basketball finalist and drew attention from national programs. Georgetown ultimately won the recruiting battle.

His arrival on the Hilltop coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when empty arenas and limited campus life reshaped the college experience.

Harris adapted quickly. As a freshman, he played a key role in Georgetown's unexpected run through the Big East Tournament, where the Hoyas won four games in four days as the No. 8 seed to claim the conference title.

Harris was named the tournament's most outstanding player, delivering in critical moments, including a decisive late free throw against top-seeded Villanova in the quarterfinals, double-digit scoring in the semifinals against Seton Hall, and a near double-double in the finals versus Creighton. With expectations rising, sustaining that momentum proved difficult.

Georgetown struggled the following season, and Harris entered the transfer portal in search of a new opportunity. He landed at Virginia, where his role shifted dramatically. He redshirted one year, then spent another adjusting to Tony Bennett's defense-first system while managing injuries.

At Virginia, Harris leaned into the details — ball pressure, anticipation and toughness — as the Cavaliers reached the NCAA Tournament. Just as his footing began to solidify, Bennett announced his retirement, reopening a familiar sense of uncertainty.

Harris briefly returned to Virginia before transferring again, joining Memphis in December 2024. The midseason move required quick adjustments, but he became part of a veteran group that captured the American Athletic Conference championship. Smith, then an assistant with the Tigers, had already seen firsthand the impact Harris could have on a team beyond the box score.

That established trust helped guide Harris to Tennessee State, a program seeking stability and leadership as Smith stepped into his first head coaching role.

"One day the ball is going to stop bouncing," Harris said to Kellar after TSU's Ohio Valley Conference opener against UT Martin. "I'm just trying to make the most of it."

At TSU, Harris has embraced his role as both contributor and mentor. A graduate student pursuing a master's degree, he has helped steady a Tigers roster that blends young talent with experienced players. Through the early portion of conference play, he has provided leadership in late-game situations while averaging about 13 points per game, along with rebounds, assists and defensive presence.

Harris said Smith's system allows him to play freely, drawing from lessons learned at each stop along the way.

"He lets you be who you are," Harris said. "That makes a difference."

When his playing days end, Harris hopes to pursue a career in artificial intelligence, a future that mirrors the adaptability that has defined his basketball journey. For now, the focus remains on the present.

"I'm still playing," Harris said. "There's still work to do."

For Tennessee State, that work includes leaning on a veteran who has already seen nearly everything college basketball can offer — and is determined to make his final season count.

* Blaine Kellar contributed to this feature*