After attending Marist School near Atlanta, Harpring played college basketball at Georgia Tech, where he was a four-year starter.

In his senior season (1997–98), Harpring set career-highs by averaging 21.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, ranking second in the ACC in both categories.

Prior to his final regular season home game, Georgia Tech retired Harpring's jersey number 15.

In 2002, Harpring was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

Harpring earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Georgia Tech, and was named GTE Academic All-District III three times.

In August 2001, the Cavs traded Harpring to the Philadelphia 76ers along with Cedric Henderson and Robert Traylor in exchange for Tyrone Hill and Jumaine Jones.

Known as a smart, hard-working player, he fit well in Utah's offensive system, playing alongside superstars Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Prior to the 2003–04 season, Stockton announced his retirement and Malone left Utah to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 2009, after suffering various injuries and a post-surgery infection in his ankle, Harpring announced that he would probably not be able to continue playing in the NBA, though he did not formally retire.

Since 2010, Harpring has successfully transitioned to his current role as color commentary voice for the games broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain,[3] adding a dry sense of humor which he admits he suppressed while a player to the widely recognized play-by-play skills of Craig Bolerjack.