Jalen Haralson scouting report: What will ex-Fishers star bring to Notre Dame basketball

There are few high school freshmen who are ready to step into a major role, especially for a Class 4A program ranked in the top-5 in the state.

But that is exactly what Jalen Haralson did in the 2021-22 season for Fishers, fitting into a veteran team that finished 21-3. When Westfield’s Braden Smith burned through the sectional on the way to winning IndyStar Mr. Basketball, Haralson, who committed to Notre Dame on Wednesday, was the one player who did rise to the occasion, scoring 18 points in the sectional loss (he averaged 16.0 points and 4.6 rebounds that season).

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The following year, with largely a different Fishers’ team, the 6-7 Haralson played point guard. He was dominant without dominating the ball. In 23 games, he averaged 23.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists. I remember one of his most impressive performances in the Tipoff Classic against Bloomington North that season — billed as a showdown with 6-8 Vanderbilt recruit JQ Roberts — when Haralson did anything he wanted, finishing with 35 points, nine assists and eight rebounds on 13-for-19 shooting.

“I think regardless of class,” Fishers coach Garrett Winegar said that day, “he’s one of the top-10 players in the country when the ball is in his hands.”

About the only thing Haralson did not do at the highest level in his who years at Fishers was shoot the 3-pointer. He was just 12-for-46 as a sophomore. But Haralson, who transferred to La Lumiere prior to his junior season, shot it well enough from everywhere else that a jump in his 3-point shooting from the arc seemed likely.

Here is what longtime scout Eric Bossi of 247Sports wrote about Haralson this spring:

“Haralson is a big and physical guy. He handles the ball well enough to run some offense through him and that is really what he wants to do the most. He calls for the ball often and likes to operate at the top of the key where he finds driving lanes or moves the ball. The opportunity to play point guard is important to him at the next level, but we like him best as a versatile jack-of-all trades type that can be moved around from one through three or even play some, gulp, small ball four in a small lineup. Let’s not worry so much about position here and keep in focus that he’s a solid all-around player.”

I think that is a fair assessment of Haralson, who is rated as a five-star prospect and the No. 13 player in the 2025 class overall on the 247Sports composite. His biggest strength his size at the guard spot and his ability to get downhill and make plays for his teammates and himself. Haralson is a quick learner who prides himself on studying his own game and his opponents. He will be a good piece who can fit in quickly at the college level.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

Jalen Haralson basketball highlights

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