Nickel: Congratulations to all graduates, including 40-year-old basketball star Devin Harris
Devin Harris, NBA All-Star, Big Ten Player of the Year, Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, father of three precious daughters, living a full life in Texas, with the freedom to do what he wants, and money to invest, still had that one promise, nagging him.
Getting his degree.
So a couple years ago, Harris went to the University of Wisconsin’s website online for the continued education program and - how many of us can relate, be honest - felt humbled almost immediately.
“Literally, my first online class, I didn't know how to, like, log into class,” said Harris with a laugh. “Technology and a lot of things have changed since I was in school. Canvas (learning management system) wasn't a thing back when I was in school. I'm just like, holy hell.
"I felt so embarrassed. I reached out to the professor and I'm like, I sound like an idiot, but … how do I get to where I need to go?"
Devin Harris. How is it even possible that he’s 40 years old. It was just yesterday he was ringing in the new millennial as a star at Wauwatosa East, and then helping the Wisconsin Badgers seize not one, not two but three Big Ten titles (two regular season, one tourney). Devin Harris. Big Ten Player of the Year in 2004, Wooden Award All-American , finalist for the Wooden, Naismith, Rupp and USBWA Player of the Year awards, Second-team AP All-American and Cousy Award runner-up as the nation's top point guard.
Harris represented well in the NBA too, playing 1,049 games in an NBA career that spanned 15 years from 2004-'19.
But behind all the basketball success was someone who actually valued his education at Wisconsin. And when he turned pro after his junior year in Madison, he didn’t get to finish with his degree in hand.
That changes on Dec. 17, when Wisconsin’s winter commencement ceremony will honor Harris and fellow graduates at the Kohl Center.
But Harris’ pursuit of this degree story – of his father getting his degree at the age of 50; of his trainer with a space on her wall waiting for Devin’s paper; of the commencement speaker, Michael Finley and his ties to Harris – it all plays an incredible role in Devin Harris’ journey back to college life, and back to that promise he made.
A promise he didn’t break, because of four motivators.
A trainer, a father and family
Gail Bonofiglio planted a seed. Harris spent a lot of time in the training room at Tosa East to treat a serious thigh contusion. Bonofiglio, an Italian (file this note away for later), a Wisconsin Badger herself, helped Harris through it.
“She had a lot to do with me choosing a school that I went to and she was another person that kind of pushed me academically even when I was in high school,” said Harris. “She became like a second Mom.
"She holds a spot in her living room for my degree.”
Terry Harris, Devin’s dad, was always a role model. He became an employment manager for the mining equipment company Harnischfeger P&H in the human resources department. Devin and his father used to park there and walk over to County Stadium for Brewers baseball games. As a senior in high school, Devin worked at Harnischfeger delivering mail.
After a 30-year career that spanned from around 1970 to 2000, Terry Harris found himself looking for a new job. He went to night school at Concordia in Mequon and earned his degree at the age of 50.
“I've achieved a lot in my life,” said Devin Harris. “That was one of the few things that he continued to hold over my head.”
And finally, the Harris girls are 12, 11 and 7, and Devin's daughters hear the importance of education all the time. But it's one thing to say it. It's another to show it, by taking classes sometimes and missing some events.
“They've had to sacrifice a lot,” said Harris. “My oldest is like, ‘I understand you can't be there. But I think it's pretty cool that you're finishing up.’ She's been super supportive.”
It had to be UW
But Harris was also his own motivator. Back in college, when he and his family weighed all the pros and cons of leaving school, Harris was pursuing sociology. But when Harris turned pro, he was still 28 credits short.
“And I made some promises - no matter how long it took,” said Harris.
What he didn’t know, and what he would learn, was that summer school was not realistic.
“You worked so hard during the season, the last thing you want to do is spend the summers in the classroom,” said Harris.
Classes during the NBA season were also not ideal.
“Some of the teachers really didn't fully understand why I couldn't be on campus,” said Harris.
After the pandemic, and Harris’ official retirement from the NBA, he contacted one of the deans in Madison, Scott Burkhardt, ready to commit, but his sociology degree requirements jumped up by 6-8 credits.
“I was like, oh hell no,” Harris said.
So he switched his major to History, figured out how to study through the campus online learning portal and got to work. He really enjoyed studying the Italian Renaissance, for example (remember his trainer), having visited Italy a few times and finding Florence to be one of his favorite cities in the world. When he takes his kids to Italy he can explain the history there “and look like a smart dad.”
He just couldn’t imagine going anywhere else to get the degree.
"Madison meant something to me then; still means something to me now,” said Harris. “There's plenty of schools around where I live, and I've could have knocked it out a lot easier here, but it wouldn't carry the same weight with me. I wanted to finish it from Wisconsin."
But going back to college-student mode, as a father, with so many life accomplishments, in his late 30s? That’s been…interesting.
“It was tough at first. I kind of had to train myself from a distance that to, you know, carve out time,” said Harris. "But then when my kids get home like, you know, their homework comes first and then typically when they go to sleep is when I start my homework. That kind of worked.
“I will say - not that I didn't care as a student-athlete -but like my focus, as a 40 year is old … I really care about the grades that I get and what my effort looks like. More so now than I did.”
Which brings the story full circle, to the commencement address speaker, Michael Finley.
Harris got to know Finley better when he got drafted to Dallas and signed with the same agent. Finley was in his last year in Dallas when Harris was in his first.
“We've kept in touch and been pretty close ever since. I've been in a lot of important moments in his life and vice versa,” said Harris. “We've actually talked a lot about him and going back to school and what that looked like and you know, he's kind of always in a way, blazed a path for me -- whether he's known it or not. For him to be the commencement speaker at my graduation is a very, very cool moment. I think I'm more excited about that than actually walking across the stage."
It’s a cool story, but there’s a greater message here, too. Because not everyone sails through college in four years. It can take a lot of willpower and drive to go back, or to go at all.
"I am so happy he is getting his degree," said Bonofiglio. "I am extremely proud of him for finishing college. He obviously didn't need to do so, but he committed to doing it, and he did exactly what he said he would do."
That's the thing about education, and learning. No one can ever take it away from you. Whether coming back to school for a career change, or to finish a goal, or start a new one – the pursuit of learning, and the discipline to study and complete the task worthy of certification – is honorable. Harris admitted it felt like a daunting task, especially since he needed 36 credits.
His advice:
“It's okay to take bits and pieces at a time and be patient give yourself grace.
"And it's okay to do it at your own speed. I think that's something that I had to learn. Don't overload myself. I had a lot of other things going on. So I did it in a space where I didn't feel overwhelmed; I was able to really give it the time and effort that it needed.
"But I think going through it, if you can do something and set a goal and accomplish it, you know what it does for your self-confidence is second to none."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Devin Harris, now 40, fulfilling promise to get college degree
