Jerrick Harding: Rising Star in Lithuanian Basketball
Jerrick Harding, an American-born Polish professional basketball player, is making waves in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) while playing for Rytas Vilnius. His impressive scoring ability and all-around game have quickly established him as a key player for the team and a rising star in European basketball.
Early Career and College Success
Born on April 13, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, Harding began playing basketball at a young age, also participating in football and soccer. He excelled at Wichita Southeast High School, averaging 27.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game in his senior season, leading his team to a 20-5 record and the Class 6A state title game. He was named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and graduated as his school’s all-time leading scorer. Source
Harding continued his basketball journey at Weber State University from 2016 to 2020. He left Weber State as the program’s all-time leading scorer, solidifying his reputation as a prolific scorer. Source
Professional Career
After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Harding began his professional career with Nymburk from 2020 to 2022. He then played for Manresa in 2022-2023 and MoraBanc Andorra from 2023 to 2025. Currently, he plays for Rytas Vilnius, joining the team in 2025. Source
Harding has already achieved notable success, including two Czech Republic League championships with Nymburk in 2021 and 2022. In 2025, he earned All-Liga ACB Second Team honors and was the Liga ACB Top Scorer. Source
Current Season with Rytas Vilnius (2025-2026)
As of March 21, 2026, Harding is a key player for Rytas Vilnius in the LKL and the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Source He currently averages 19.13 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.19 assists per game. Source
Recent performance data indicates a slight uncertainty regarding his availability for upcoming games due to a potential injury. The team reports his status as “50/50,” with a determination to be made on game day following a morning practice. Source
Despite this, teammate Martynas Paliukėnas is recovering well from an injury and is expected to be registered for the next game, potentially returning to play soon. Source
Upcoming Challenges: FIBA Champions League Quarterfinals
Rytas Vilnius has been drawn to face Nimburk ERA (Czechia) in the FIBA Champions League quarterfinals. Source The series will be played in a best-of-two format, with the first game scheduled for March 31 or April 1, the second between April 7-8, and a potential deciding game on April 14-15. Source The team recognizes Nimburk as a strong opponent with excellent team chemistry and will need to perform at their best to advance.
February 2026 LKL MVP Recognition
In February 2026, Jerrick Harding was named the LKL (Lithuanian Basketball League) Player of the Month, despite his team, Rytas Vilnius, not securing any wins during that period. Source Source