Matt Harpring joined the Jazz after spending last season with the Philidelphia 76ers where he enjoyed career highs in scoring, rebounding, and games played. The 6-7 Harpring averaged 11.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and played in 81 games during the 2001-2002 season. Harpring joined the 76ers after an off-season trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers in August of 2001. The Cavaliers were Harpring?s second team after being originally drafter by the Orlando Magic with the 15 pick of the 1998 draft.

Born on April 5, 1976 in Georgia, Matt Harpring attended high school and college in the same state he was born. At Marist High School in Atlanta he starred in football and basketball and while he excelled at each, it was basketball scholarship sent Harpring to Georgia Tech. Yet, it is actually the sport of football that runs in the family. His grandfather Norb played college football at Navy, his father Jack played at Michigan, his uncle Chip at Notre Dame. Brothers John and Brian played at Akron and Northwestern respectively.