Who Discovered Damon Harge?

MSE Posted First Damon Harge Photo On Web

August 12, 2010 Middle School Elite captured Damon Harge on free internet with the first article and picture ever of him.  Furthermore, HoopsBayArea used that photo, as the first clip in Harge’s first YouTube video.  Nowadays, everybody’s hyping Damon Harge!

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  1. middleschoolhoops says:

    Can anyone tell me what class is Damon Harge I heard he moved down from the class of 2017 to 2018

    • Westcoast says:

      Yes, His dad held him back and moved to the East Coast. He became to short and started slipping in the bittyball popularity contest so daddy hed to hold him back so he can remain the top Youtube video boy…lol

  2. BallMan says:

    You are correct. This east coast grind is different. He struggled on the circuit and ran like a baby. When a kid’s parent introduce themselves as “Damon Harge’s Father”, you know it’s a mess.

  3. TooMuchHype says:

    Ive watched this kid at the Nike EYBL 7th grade tourney in Hampton in March, then at MIT in June and most recently at AAU nationals and there is waaaay too much hype about him. He’s a good player dont get me wrong, but he’s not even close to the best in this class (or even the 6th grade class for that matter). If his parents would just let him be a player instead of trying to make him into a phenom he would be ok. Examples: at Nike, he had a turnover, missed a shot, and then missed a free throw in the final minute that would have won the game and sent his team (NC Prospects) to the semifinals. At MIT, (after he switched teams to Team Loaded after dad and coach couldnt work out their differences) I watched him game his finger and receive DIVA treatment from his mom and miss a full quarter and then return with taped fingers. Who misses a full quarter for a jammed finger??? Either you’re done for the game or u get taped and come back in if you’re a baller! Finally at Nationals this past week, his dad takes him off the floor in the middle of the game and goes home??!! He even told the coach he needed to apologize to Damon for criticizing his play afterwards. I have been watching this age group since they were 8, (even saw him play with Oakland Soldiers at Cocoa Beach nationals 2 years ago so i know the level of competition. This kid is good, but getting smaller every year and his parents and the hype machine they create have put an uneccassary target on his back that im afraid his little shoulders cant bear. I wish him the best though.

  4. KeepItReal says:

    TooMuchHype,

    As a former coach on Damon’s AAU team (D1 Allstars), I get where you are coming from, however, all kids have turnovers, missed shots or injuries….no one is perfect. And since you fail to mention in the NC Prospects semi-finals that they wouldn’t have even been in the game to that point if not for Damon’s solid play in the first 3 and half quarters.

    Further, the situation with Team Loaded was clearly a battle of wills, not so much between dad and coach or player and coach – but between the players on the team. The coaches son, a decent player, but no where near as good as Damon, simply would not pass him the ball anymore as well as a couple of the other players – at the MIT, where Damon went off for 30 plus vs. the GA Stars, 27 vs. Beacon House, and several other oustanding point/assist games.

    Yes, he is undersized, but that do you really think he is going to be 5’3″ all his life? The coaching staffs at the Univ. of Washinton and most recently at NC Central, felt enough of his game to date to send a letter of interest and an official scholarship offer. How many 13 year olds do you know that already have a D1 scholarship offer? Name one.

    As far as the target on the back, that is a fair point, but let me tell you – all that does for lil Damon is fuel his desire to get better. This kid isn’t this good by accident. He puts up 500-1000 shots a day – sometimes making 80% of them on the dish. He trains 2-3 times a day and for the most part, handles things in stide (again, he is 13 – so he is going to make some mistakes both on and off the court.)

    All this rating stuff will take better shape in high school in a couple of years. I really don’t think his stock will drop all that much. He is lightning quick, shoots better than 90% of high school players – and can shoot off the dribble better than 97% of H.S. players.

    But one thing is for sure, the entire basketball nation knows who Damon Harge is – and from an exposure standpoint – that is NOT a bad thing. He will still need to prove it on a year to year, month to month, day to day basis – but at least the doors are open for him. Nothing wrong with that.

    He competes very well right now at the JV level in high school! Scoring 20 plus on many occassions. How many 6th/7th grades can do that?

    If you wish him the best, don’t paint such a negative picture. That’s like the people who say “No offense, but…”

    As far as holding kids back, this happens ALL THE TIME with a lot of players. It used to be that the AAU only allowed 2-3 hold backs. Now, it is grade based, and it’s funny how many top teams now have 5 holdbacks; some of them as old as 15 in the 7th grade.

    Of course the kid is going to look smaller – he is playing against high school kids AND kids got even bigger in the 7th grade because many of them are hold backs!

    I have no idea what the future holds – but I like Damon’s shot to do very well in High School and College no matter what his size is. If he grows, which I am pretty sure he won’t remain 5’3″ for the rest of his life, he has a good shot at going further.

    I like watching this kid play ball – he has game and more importanly – a great work ethic.

    Time will tell – but my gut says Damon will be a very special player at the next level.

  5. coachj says:

    Got a chance to play against the nc prospects when damon played with him, He is a good player very court saavy however I think that he is getting way too much hype, mainly from youtube, parents and scouts looking for the next superstar. he recently transferred to north raleigh christian academy where a bunch of my aau players are playing and he gets put on varsity just off his name alone. my personal opinion, maybe dad and everyone else should just let him be a kid and develop his game. nc is basketball country , there are many kids who are just as good and better than harge and he is getting exposed out here….

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