"Prior to admitting that Deron Williams' mom didn't like him in college and ahead of revealing that his shoe collection might rival that of the entire Jazz Dancers squad, and moments before alternating between humming and whistling along with a hotel lobby harpist's rendition of "Memory" from Cats, Devin Harris cracked a slight smile upon hearing that Utah basketball fans are eager to get to know who their new starting point guard is.

Both professionally and personally.

"Aren't we all," Harris responded.

Indeed.

Here are 34 tidbits and insights that shed some light on the guy who's envious of C.J. Miles' jersey number and whose charitable foundation is named 34 Ways To Assist:

34 — Why 34 topics? For one thing, that has been Harris' number in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks — whom he joined via a draft-day trade with Washington as the No. 5 pick of the 2004 Draft — and the New Jersey Nets.

Being traded to Utah forced him to change his team name and number in his seventh season.

So why 34? Harris picked those digits because one of his mentors, fellow state of Wisconsin product Tony Smith, sported that number during his nine-year NBA career in the 1990s with the Los Angeles Lakers and several other teams.

Both guys attended Wauwatosa East High School in Milwaukee (at different times), and Smith took Harris under his wings when he returned to his alma mater to help coach. Harris credits Smith for spurring his growth during his junior year in high school when it became evident that the point guard and eventual Wisconsin Mr. Basketball (2001) had a bright hoops future."