Justin Harper, '11, and Darrius Garrett, '12

For as long as Justin Harper, '11, and Darrius Garrett, '12, can remember, sports have been the focus. Both players worked hard to hone their basketball talent early on and were ultimately awarded athletic scholarships to the University of Richmond. 

After joining the Spiders on the court they chose to pursue degrees at the Robins School of Business. "The main drawing point was the prestige of the Robins School coupled with the fact that I'd been passionate about business since I was young,” said Garrett. As a teenager he stoked his enterprising spirit working various odd jobs from yard work to stone masonry in order to earn extra cash. Over time he became interested in finance, so applying to the Robins School was a "no-brainer."

Harper underwent a similar decision-making process. "I was attracted to the challenge of learning the ins and outs of business while at the same time learning the business side of the sport I play." Both teammates embraced the challenge of pursuing business degrees while remaining devoted to basketball, going on to earn bachelor's degrees in business administration, Harper with a marketing concentration and Garrett with a finance concentration.

While the teammates play internationally today, each took a distinct path to get there. Upon graduation Garrett chose to play basketball abroad for several reasons. "My decision was largely based on being able to play basketball professionally while also gaining exposure to other cultures, something I consider advantageous not only for my own perspective, but also in the business sense." He speaks highly of his experience in Europe. "I played for Fribourg Olympic in Switzerland my first year, and it’s been a great experience transitioning to European basketball. I now play for Nea Kifisia in Greece, and this second year abroad has proven a much easier transition. The league is strong here, so that has made the season very eventful."

Harper took a different route overseas. "When I graduated, I was drafted to the Orlando Magic." Then, the NBA lockout happened. "During those three months I decided to play in France, so I joined Strasbourg Illkirch-Graffenstaden (SIG) Basket. I was excited about the opportunity to travel the world. Today I play for Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Club in Israel. 

As they grow in their athletic careers Harper and Garrett look to the future. Garrett shared, "One of the most fulfilling things about my life is that I get to play basketball and still have substantial time to pursue a career in finance. I practice four hours at most each day, which allows plenty of free time to follow the markets and gain experience trading. I develop my athletic career while getting the ball rolling in my business career.”

Harper added, "I want to play basketball for ten more years and make it back to the NBA. I'd love to experience the playoffs again like I did with the Orlando Magic in my rookie year as well as an NBA Championship, but I’m taking it one step at a time. I consider myself blessed to have this experience abroad. Eventually I'd like to become an athletic director. After nearly three years playing professionally I've learned a lot about the skills people possess that lead to long-lasting careers after the sport.”

Harper looks fondly back on the Robins School. "The people make up my best memories. I was fortunate to have had excellent professors. Professor Coughlan and Professor Babb were great influences on me, and I really enjoyed learning from them," he revealed.

Garrett reminisced, "My favorite memories are the late nights I spent scrambling to finish assignments in the Finance Lab. While some came too close for comfort, I cherish the experiences and relationships I built at the Robins School. Professor Coughlan helped me greatly throughout my college career as well as Professor Earl and Professor Stevens. I tip my hat to them."

Tune in each week to Dialogue on Decision-Making as Senior Associate Dean Richard Coughlan and Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Mooney share insights on key decisions made before, during and after the Richmond Spiders take the court in competition.