WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- C.J. Harris was playing professionally in the Chinese Basketball Association when his season ended unexpectedly. It was a moment that was upsetting at the time.

The former two-time, third team All ACC honoree from Wake Forest was cut by the Guangzhou Long-Lions in November.

Harris says, "I was super upset that I was let go in China. I felt like I did a lot of things right."

Harris starred at Mount Tabor High School, leading the Spartans to a 31-1 record in his senior season, and was named to the 2009 Associated Press All-State first team his senior season.

He signed with the Demon Deacons and was a star at the university that was minutes away from his high school. Harris averaged 15.3 points his senior season at Wake in 2013, but went undrafted in the NBA draft.

The Winston-Salem native soon found success overseas.

The 6-3 guard didn't go without a team for long. He signed to play in Turkey after being let go in China, and looking back, he was glad everything happened the way it did.

"You have to sit back sometimes and really thank God that things work out the way they're supposed to," Harris says.

His departure from China came right before the coronavirus took over the country, but he was stuck in a different position once the pandemic started spreading overseas.

While playing in Turkey, Harris watched as other professional leagues were suspending their seasons.

"My league waited to the very last second to cancel, so all the leagues were canceled and me and my team were like, we still have practice tomorrow," Harris says.

Playing for Turk Telkom Ankara, Harris soon got news he wanted to hear.

"They ended up canceling, and I left the day after because they were talking about canceling flights," Harris says.

He soon made it home to Charlotte and quarantined for 14 days.

Harris is now waiting to see how the travel bans will unfold in the next few months and what next season will hold.