UNLV Runnin' Rebels guard EJ Harkless (55) drives to the basket against the Wyoming Cowboys during the first half at Arena-Auditorium. Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Former UNLV Star EJ Harkless Making NBA Case With Grit, Defense, And Versatility

Originally posted on UNLV Rebels on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 11:32 AM ET

Former UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball star EJ Harkless who finished this NBA season with the Utah Jazz is going to look to stick around the league again next season either with the Jazz or with another team. While he isn't a superstar, his grit, tenacity and defense have earned him a job in the league. Former NBA defensive specialist Dahntay Jones coached him on a summer league team for the Clippers last year and spoke about why his defense could keep Harkless in the pros.

EJ Harkless

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Dahntay Jones Talks About EJ Harkless' Future In The NBA:

“I’m trying to implement a style of play that will keep all those guys employed for years to come,” Jones said. “Most of our guys will be in a supporting role. If you can play that hard and support that, you have an opportunity to play in this league... EJ has a defensive skill that is underrated in our game. He picked up and guarded a bunch of different positions, but his ball pressure is what dictated how we played in the first half... He turns people, gets in front and he competes. He’s nasty because his disposition is what you want of a defender... Guys like that who can knock shots down and can guard multiple positions, they can play a long time in our league. He already takes shots and knocks shots down. Defensively, he’s just a nightmare when he gets on your point guard or main scorer.”

EJ Harkless Talks About The Importance Of The Little Things:

“You got to play defense,” Harkless said. “You got to rebound. You got to do all the little stuff. You can’t come out shooting the ball at first. You got to do the little stuff to get on the court... When we get into basketball, it’s the same thing. Just depend on your brother behind you and always talking and playing defense. You can always win with defense. Offense will come and go but defense you can do that every single night.”