Exclusive: A sit-down with Notre Dame men's basketball commit Jalen Haralson

LAPORTE − On an early fall morning late last week, with the sunrise not yet above the tree line of the wooden main campus of La Lumiere School, one student stood out from the rest.

It wasn’t because Jalen Haralson is 6-foot-7. Or because he said something barely 12 hours earlier that stunned college basketball. Or that the time – 8 a.m., - is when he’s often already across campus in the gym squeezing in a workout. On this morning, with student drop-off and arrival and morning assembly in full swing, something else set Haralson apart.

His smile. You could see him coming down the stone path to the main building because of that smile. It was one of relief, one of belief, that what the five-star, Top 15 prospect did the previous evening in choosing to play for head coach Micah Shrewsberry and Notre Dame men’s basketball beginning in 2025 was the right one.

South Bend Tribune sports columnist/Notre Dame men’s basketball beat writer Tom Noie met with Haralson on Thursday for a 30-minute question and answer session. Following is a transcript of the conversation. Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Rare Air: What college prospect commitment capped a recruiting trifecta for Notre Dame men's basketball?

☘ South Bend Tribune: Has the adrenaline rush of committing worn off?

Jalen Haralson: “Not really. It’s still surreal, just being in this position, being the highest ranked recruit in the history of the program. Obviously, that comes with great responsibility, but I feel like I’m a guy who can handle that. I’m excited. Coach Shrewsberry, man, I trust him with so much of my game.”

First Up: It had to be an Indiana kid as first Notre Dame men's basketball commitment for 2025 class

☘ SBT: When did you know it was Notre Dame?

JH: “It took a long time to get there. It took a minute because those are three great programs. It was a conversation of where to go probably all the way up to Sunday and Monday. (Haralson committed on a Wednesday). A lot of people were guessing what I was going to do and shoot, I didn’t even know. I had a gut feeling, but I wanted to weigh the pros and cons. Notre Dame had the most pros and fewest cons.

I trusted Coach Shrewsberry. I could tell on my visit that that was the place for me. I didn’t want to waste any time. Once I knew, I knew. I wanted to do it the right way. I didn’t tell anybody. It was me and my parents. I wanted to announce it. That’s the way it should be. I don’t like to see people leak commitments. It’s not right, man. It’s not fair. I made sure that didn’t happen.”

☘ SBT: Do you realize how rare it is for a prospect like you to do what you did in choosing Notre Dame?

JH: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I haven’t seen any comments on social media. I try to stay away from that, but I have an idea of what people are saying about me and about Notre Dame. I’m not afraid to make a different decision to get to my end goal. If that makes some people mad, they’re going to be mad. I feel like they’ll understand here in probably 15, 16 months why I made this decision. They’re going to know around that time.”

☘ SBT: Any pressure with taking a route so few travel?

JH: “There was going to pressure on me anywhere. Pressure? I really don’t mind it. I accept it. I know the work that I’ve put in and I trust my work. I know at the end of the day, I’m going to be a college freshman, so there will be moments where I’m not going to be at my best. I’m going to trust my work. I promise that I’m going to come in and work the hardest of anybody they’ve ever seen in that program. I’m not going to let myself fail.”

☘ SBT: A narrative about your college choice was that you preferred a place close to home. True?

JH: “Honestly, it wasn’t that important. My main goal is to get to the NBA and do it the right way with the right coach. And the faster the better. My goal is to come in and win right away and do what I need to do on the court to get better. I was willing to go anywhere. My top five was Indiana, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Auburn and Missouri.

“If they say that Notre Dame isn’t the sexiest program as Indiana or Michigan State, we’ll make it work because I know how hard I can work. It’s believing in Coach Shrewsberry to help me reach my end goal.”

☘ SBT: What was it like seeing Shrewsberry and assistant coach Ryan Owens waiting outside for you after your commitment?

JH: “That was crazy. I called them about 30 minutes before my announcement. I told him that I was committing to Notre Dame and he just screamed at the top of his lungs. It almost busted my eardrums out over the phone. He was like, “I’m on my way there right now.’ He and Coach Owens drove over (to La Lumiere, a 40-minute drive). Once my commitment was done, I had a little after-reception with my family and teammates and I walked outside and he was right there. Man, it just shows what kind of people they are at Notre Dame. They care; they really put people first. That’s why I was comfortable choosing that program.”

☘ SBT: How did your relationship with Coach Shrewsberry evolve?

JH: “When he was at Penn State, I was impressed with the way he used Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy. Those are two big guards, especially Jalen Pickett. He's a little more similar to me. He’s not as tall as me, but we have the same playing style. Just seeing his game at Penn State, it was like, man, he can coach.

“He didn’t recruit me there because he had some doubts that I wouldn’t just stay home for one of the in-state schools. As soon as he got the job at Notre Dame, he called me. He came to my school and saw me work out at Fishers (High School). I think it was in the spring of my sophomore year. He came and we went to this pizza spot. He offered me right there like, ‘Man, I need you.’ It's hard to get transfers there so he needs to hit home on high school kids. That was one of the reasons Notre Dame was there for me.”

☘ SBT: What will it be like to play for him?

JH: “We’re both film junkies. We watched film on my visit. He was already coaching me. He kept it real. He didn’t sugar-coat anything. He got on me. Like, you, you’ve got to play off two feet. I’m like, ‘Shoot coach, I’m not even committed.’

“He gave me so many nuggets throughout the recruiting process that he didn’t even realize he was giving me. He’d send me clips on how to best use ball screens. Like, ‘Yo, you’ve got to do this.’ He was hard on me during the recruiting process. I feel like we’re so like-minded that we’re going to do great things together.”

☘ SBT: What’s his vision for you at Notre Dame?

JH: “He expects me to come in and sign a nine-month lease. That’s the goal. He has that vision and he’s going to do everything in his power to get me to the NBA in one year. We’re not going to rush anything. If the timing’s not right to leave after my freshman year, then the time’s not right. The NBA will call me when the time’s right.”

☘ SBT: So, one-and-done's the route.

JH: “That’s the goal. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but I’m positive I can make it happen. That’s his vision. That’s my vision. I feel like I’m already college ready so the next step for me is becoming pro ready. That’s different than college ready. I don’t feel like I’m pro ready yet (but) he can help get me there. He knows a lot of things about the NBA that will help me get there.”

☘ SBT: What can you offer Notre Dame?

JH: “I’m going to be able to come in, play my game and be me. The conference is great. Just an overall great situation. Obviously, I can play with Markus Burton. We can be two guys who can handle the load with the ball. I feel like I’m good playing off the ball too. My goal is to come in there and not be crazy ball dominant.”

☘ SBT: Are you someone who needs the ball in your hands to be at your best?

JH: “No. Shoot, if you saw me on the USA Basketball team this summer, I think I averaged the third most points on the team and I averaged the third fewest minutes. I think I played 15 minutes a game. I feel I’m very effective when I’m versatile. Whatever I’m asked to do, I feel like I’m pretty good at the job. I was a shooter for USA Basketball. That was my job. I came in and hit shots. That’s not what people see me as, but I was able to hit shots. I put up 100 shots after practice to make sure if I’m going to take shots, I’m going to make shots.

“I’m not a guy that will say, well, if I don’t have the ball, then my game is done. I’m comfortable with the ball. I need to get more comfortable with my handles.”

☘ SBT: You were like, six, seven years old when Notre Dame went to consecutive Elite Eights in 2015 and 2016. What do you know about the program?

JH: “To be honest, not as much as I know about some of the other programs that recruited me. But I’ve talked with Blake Wesley, guys like that. They tell me that they need a guy like me, someone who can come in and help change that culture. Man, I just want to win. Coach Shrewsberry wants to win. The best player wants to win? The coach wants to win? You’re going to win.”

☘ SBT: When did you really embrace the grind it would take to be elite?

JH: “I was introduced to how to work out properly when I was younger. My uncle, Jovon McGraw, he’s an assistant coach Anderson University back at home. He showed me how to work. I started off like a big man and he was like, man, scratch that. We’re going to make our own (AAU) team and you’re going to run it as a guard. We’re going to work out three times a day. We did that for four summers straight, three times a day.

“My mentality, my game, just blossomed. I became a killer. I became someone who always wanted to get in the gym. Someone who always wanted to work. I don’t know. When guys don’t want to work who are around me, it irritates me. It’s something that my uncle put in my mind – there's only one way to get to where you want to go – work.”

☘ SBT: How are you different as a person and as a player since being at La Lumiere?

JH: “Man, it’s different here. Away from my family, I feel like I’m more mature. It’s hard to speak on. Leaving my family when I was 16 years old was tough, but I had to do what’s best for me. I feel like it changed my game, the way I think, my maturity. I’m more self-sufficient. My uncle and I had a plan – this is what we’re going to do – but I wasn’t self-sufficient with it.

“You have to work here. You’re going to work here. It’s bettered me as a man. It’s made me more college ready. The gap from high school to college won’t be that big.”

☘ SBT: When did the chance to be elite in basketball become reality?

JH: “Probably eighth grade. That was my biggest summer. I was in the gym all the time. I grew four inches that summer. I went from 6-foot-1 to 6-5. After that summer, when I was still in eighth grade, I went to play a high school team at Liberty Christian and, man, I was doing whatever I wanted to do. It was easy as an eight-grader and those guys were good.

“At that time, I kind of knew this might happen if I stay consistent, put in the work and keep God first, trust my family and make the right decisions for me. It was only a matter of time. I stayed consistent. I stayed on the grind. I trusted people in my corner and now I’m here.”

☘ SBT: Away from basketball, who is Jalen Haralson?

JH: “I feel like I’m a fun guy, an energetic guy, someone who keeps God and family first. I feel like I’m a chill person. My dad’s calm. Mom’s somewhat calm. I’m a family guy. I love to do things with my family.

“I’m a video game guy. The two most important things in my life outside of God and family are basketball and video games. Video games help ease my mind, take my stress level about a lot of things down. As soon as I made my commitment, I hung out with my family for an hour or two and then went back to my dorm and played video games with my guys. I’m an EA Sports College Football 25 guy. My team is Notre Dame. It’s been my team all year.”

☘ SBT: What’s your relationship like with Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman?

JH: “That’s my guy, man. I’ve met him a couple times during visits. Coach Shrews, on my first visit, he introduced me to him and ever since then, we’ve stayed in contact. He helped recruit me there. I saw him on my official visit. I have his cell phone number. Coach Shrews sent it to me. The family environment there is unbelievable.”

Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on Twitter: @tnoieNDI

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Exclusive: A sit-down with Notre Dame men's basketball commit Jalen Haralson