Aaron Harper (basketball)

Aaron SinQ'ue Harper (March 12, 1981 – November 4, 2023) was an American professional basketball player. He usually played as swingman, playing on both shooting guard and small forward positions. He was a graduate of the Ole Miss basketball program.

Aaron Harper

Harper holds the Bulgarian League All-Star Game MVP trophy in 2011
Personal information
Born	(1981-03-12)March 12, 1981 Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	November 4, 2023(2023-11-04) (aged 42) Oxford, Mississippi, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school	Provine (Jackson, Mississippi)
College	Ole Miss (2000–2004)
NBA draft	2004: undrafted
Playing career	2005–2020
Position	Shooting guard / small forward
Career history
2005	KR
2005	Panteras de Miranda
2005–2007	Chorale Roanne
2007	Azovmash Mariupol
2008	Trotamundos
2008–2009	Chorale Roanne
2009–2012	Levski Sofia
2012–2013	Sagesse
2013	Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
2014–2015	Marinos
2015–2016	Al Riyadi Beirut
2016–2017	Quimsa
2017–2018	Ferro Carril Oeste
2019	Guaros de Lara
2019–2020	Huracanes de Tampico
2020	Capitanes de Arecibo
Career highlights
Bulgarian Cup winner (2010) Balkan League champion (2010) Bulgarian League All-Star Game MVP (2011) Pro A champion (2007) 2× Pro A All-Star (2006, 2007) Semaine des As winner (2007) LPB Most Valuable Player (2005) LPB All-Star (2005)

College career

Harper played college basketball for Ole Miss from 2000 to 2004. In his senior year he was the school's leading scorer with 16.5 points.^[1]

Professional career

Harper signed with Úrvalsdeild karla club KR at the end of December 2004,^[1][2] playing his first games in January 2005.^[3][4] After a difficult first half of the season for KR, Harper's arrival changed the team's fortunes for the better,^[5][6] helping them win 7 of their last 11 games and making the playoffs. In the playoffs, the faced Snæfell in the first round. In the first game of the series, Harper helped KR rally from a 14-point deficit and scored the go-ahead three-pointer with seven seconds left, securing KR's 91–89 victory.^[7] Snæfell tied the series in the next game and in the third and deciding game of the series, Snæfell pulled away for a 116–105 victory despite Harper's 35 points.^[8]

In March 2005, Harper signed with Panteras de Miranda.^[9] He was selected to appear in the 2005 Liga Profesional de Baloncesto (LPB) All-Star Game.^[9] Harper led the league in scoring with 24.1 points per game and was selected as the LBP Most Valuable Player.^[10] He played two seasons with Chorale Roanne from 2005 to 2007 where he won both the Semaine des As and LNB Pro A championships in 2007 and was a two-time All-Star selection.^[9] Harper joined Azovmash Mariupol for the start of the 2007–08 season and then moved to Trotamundos in February 2008.^[9] He returned to Chorale Roanne for the 2008–09 season.^[9]

Death

Harper was killed in a car accident in Oxford, Mississippi, on November 4, 2023, aged 42.^[11][12] He was driving on U.S. Route 278 when his car left the roadway and rolled several times.^[13]