Best friends, Big 12 rivals: Oklahoma's De'Vion Harmon, Kansas' Jalen Wilson clash today

Harmon and Wilson were pals as little kids and played together in high school, but they'll be competing against each other when the Sooners meet the Jayhawks

De'Vion Harmon celebrates with Brady Manek :: Pool photo / Ty Russell, OU Athletics

Oklahoma’s De’Vion Harmon and Kansas’ Jalen Wilson have been best friends and teammates since they were 7 years old.

Their friendship will endure — but it becomes a rivalry on Saturday at 3 o’clock. That’s when Harmon’s Sooners and Wilson’s Jayhawks clash inside KU’s Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

“It’s gonna be amazing for us to be back on the court together,” Harmon told media on a video press conference this week. “Obviously not on the same team, but us competing against each other … it’s gonna be great to see him gonna be great to compete against him.”

OU (6-3 overall, 2-2 Big 12) is in the midst of a four-game stretch against ranked opponents. No. 6-ranked KU (9-2, 3-1) is coming off its worst home loss under coach Bill Self. The Sooners haven’t won in Allen Fieldhouse since 1993.

“I hope he has a really good game on Saturday,” Harmon said, “but we gotta get this win.”

On Friday, Wilson spoke to media via a KU video press conference and discussed his close relationship with Harmon.

“It’s great, Wilson said. “ … He’s been one of my best friends for a long time. We’ve known each other since third grade — second grade. So yeah, it’s been a long relationship.”

They met as little kids playing on the AAU circuit, then played against each other for a few years, then played together at Denton’s Guyer High School. They often talked about playing college basketball together.

“At the end of the day, you know, it didn’t happen,” Harmon said. “But the love that me and Jalen have fore each other will forever and always be there. No matter what uniform we have on, (the) relationship goes far beyond basketball.

“But on Saturday is when we get to compete against each other. That’s one of the things we probably dreamed of. If we didn’t get to team up, it was gonna be to play against each other. Through God’s glory and God’s blessing, we get to the opportunity on Saturday.”

They got together again back home over Christmas break, where they were “just chillin’ ” and watched Guyer teammate JaKobe Coles, who plays at Butler, help defeat Providence.

Harmon, a 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard, averages 10.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Wilson, a 6-8 redshirt freshman forward, missed last year with an ankle injury but this season has blossomed to lead the Jayhawks in both scoring (15.2 points per game) and rebounding (7.8 rebounds per game). He’s shooting 49 percent from the floor, 37 percent from 3-point range and averages 28 minutes per game.

“Last year I was unfortunate to not be able to play against him because of my injury,” Wilson said, “so I’m very fortunate this year to be able to do it.”

Said Harmon, “It’s just a different type of feeling when you see someone that you know, someone that you love, bounce back from an ankle injury like he had and come back the way he’s done. The work he’s put it, it’s true. He’s true to the work. You put the work in, the results are gonna come.”

Harmon said they spent much of their pandemic isolation playing “a lot of pickup games together” to stay ready for the season.

“It’s gonna be great to see him. It’s gonna be great to compete against him,” Harmon said. “We went so many years, four-plus years competing with each other, so now it’s gonna be a different change competing against each other. I’m ready for it. I know he is too.

“He’s amazing. Super proud of him. Love him. Can’t wait to go at it.”