DJ Harvey talks choosing Notre Dame and his expectations with the Irish

Notre Dame basketball has one commit coming to South Bend next season, but his impact on the team is one many people in the organization are excited about.

DJ Harvey out of DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland had plenty of offers prior to National Signing Day. The 4-star small forward had the attention of everyone across the country as he became the No. 1 recruit in the state of Maryland. But after a strong recruiting push from head coach Mike Brey and Notre Dame, the sharp shooter out of Alabama chose to take his talents to South Bend.

How Coach Brey pulled this talented all-around guard/forward was through determination. It wasn’t easy pulling Harvey out of his home state team of Alabama, but Brey made sure he grabbed the attention of this future Irish star.

“What really took Notre Dame over the top was they showed me I was their number one priority.”

“What really took Notre Dame over the top was they showed me I was their number one priority,” explained Harvey. “Coach Brey was at all my events for the past two years, and if he couldn’t make it he made sure Coach (Rob) Balanis or Coach (Ryan) Ayers were at it. They just showed that they cared a lot about me.”

With all the attention Brey and the coaching staff showed Harvey, it began to feel like home before he even arrived on campus. Through continued visits and keeping up with the young star, Coach Brey built a relationship with Harvey that he couldn’t pass up. “With the relationship I built with them over the last three years, I felt really close to them, like family,” said Harvey.

Harvey has a lot to look forward to next season. Playing under one of the best coaches in the country, he gets the unique opportunity to learn from one of college basketball’s finest. Of course, a coach is always a big reason a player chooses a school, but when you have one as loved and respected as Mike Brey, it plays an even larger role in the recruiting decision. For Harvey, he believes that who Coach Brey is as a person makes him the perfect coach for his future.

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“He (Mike Brey) is very easily one of the best coaches in Division I,” stated Harvey. “He’s a great players coach who instills confidence in all his players. “He’s a very positive guy, never any negatives. Even after losses he always finds positive things to take away.”

With this confidence, Coach Brey is able to use his outgoing personality to carry this team with positivity. Making back-to-back Elite Eight runs over the last two seasons and priming his team for a third this year, Coach Brey proves that his fun-loving character gives his players the added spark they need.

Now, that Harvey is headed to Notre Dame, the question arises as to what position he’ll play for the Irish. As a shooting guard and small forward throughout high school, Harvey has familiarized himself with almost every position on the court. As a 6’6, 185-pound athletic ball handler, Harvey has the ability to play wherever he pleases. As a point, he has control the floor, at a wing he can explode from outside at any time, and down low his athleticism allows him to challenge any big man on the floor.

According to Harvey himself, he can see just about every position on the floor during his first year on campus. With Notre Dame’s small ball lineup and love for shooting outside, Harvey will step in and be asked to fill the void of Steve Vasturia and V.J. Beachem, while also helping run the floor and give Bonzie Colson a hand in the paint.

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“Next year Coach Brey was talking about me playing the two through four and maybe a little one here and there. But I’ll play whatever position he needs me to play. Wherever he feels I’m the best fit,” Harvey explained. “In the ACC I’m kind of small for the small forward position, so shooting guard would probably be my best bet. But with Rex (Pflueger) still there, I’ll probably start off at small forward.”

As Harvey looks to find his groove in any position he fills, he’ll have a ton of talent around him returning in 2017. From Matt Farrell leading the charge to Bonzie Colson returning from a top 20 Player of the Year Award finish and Temple Gibbs and Rex Pflueger coming back from phenomenal underclassmen seasons. For the incoming freshman, each one of these guys holds a trait that makes him excited to share the court with the returning players.

“I’m looking forward to playing with everybody, especially Matty (Farrell),” Harvey said. “Seeing him play this year, he seems like a great floor general. The way he feeds everybody the ball, I feel like he’s a great point guard. With Rex (Pflueger), I feel like he’s going to push me every day in practice. He’s a great competitor, and I feel like he’s going to push me every day to get better and I’m going to push him everyday to get better. With Temple, he’s one of my close friends, and I’ve been playing with him for awhile so I can’t wait to play with him again. And with Bonzie (Colson), the things he’s been able to do in the ACC for the past few years as an undersized big is amazing, and I’m just going to try and learn from him.”

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There’s plenty to look forward to in 2017 when it comes to Notre Dame basketball. The Irish have everything they need to continue their success over the last three years. By adding Harvey, Mike Brey and the Irish have just about everything a team needs to be a strong contender for a Final Four run next season. When it comes to their newest member, he’s ready to step in and contribute immediately, but he knows that at the end of the day, winning is what’s most important.

“I just want to win. Whatever I have to do to make sure we win I will. I just want to win and be a part of another run.”