Have you caught any Michigan State games lately and seen Gary Harris? He sure has looked great playing on that loaded team alongside guys like Adreian Payne, whom we profiled earlier. The Spartans are on a roll and Harris is right in the center of it.
Not often am I up front in these pieces in saying, “I’ll take him!”. But I will certainly take Harris with the second draft pick the Sixers own. He is the type of player every team needs because of his ferocity and motor. Harris brings instant energy to his team and will surely make people around him better. Think of Russell Westbrook—his aggressiveness and always being “on” surely can help a team on nights when their legs are catching up to playing on a back-to-back.
For a player like this, the obvious weakness is that he is streaky. When his shot is on, he’s sometimes the best on the court, but could quickly go sour. He had a 3-for-20 shooting dud of a day last month, as these type of players can have games like that.
Another weakness is his size. Harris is a bit of a “tweener”, being in between a true one and a two guard because of his size. Listed at 6’4”, he is a bit undersized to guard some of the starting shooting guards in the league. He can handle the ball well so it is not out of the question that he could man the point guard position. Only thing is he does not have much experience doing so, and so it should not be assumed he could. The talent is there though, and the vision seems to be solid as well. To again look at Westbrook, he came out of college at 6’3” and rather inexperienced at running the point. I’d say he made it work, so there is a precedent of success for Harris.
He can make it work. The sophomore is a tremendous slasher and can finish at the rim. His ferocious play plays into his favor by making him fearless with the ball—if there is a seven-footer standing between him and getting a basket, which does not stop him, he’ll go in full speed. Most importantly, more often than not, he finishes!
Defensively, he is physical and is a plus-defender. Harris is best guarding the perimeter as he possesses tremendous lateral movement. Very strong for a guard, he benefited from hitting the weight room early in his collegiate career and often. It has made him even tougher to get past and tougher to guard in the lane. He has great instincts and makes a few extra plays based off his ability to read what is unfolding in front of him. Those long arms and overall quickness does not hurt either.
With a little work on his jump shot, which should only improve with age, Harris can become a solid NBA starter for years to come.
Pro Comparison: Russell Westbrook
The Verdict: The lead-up to this was rather anti-climatic, but yes, Harris would be a great fit for this team. The reality is the Sixers are rebuilding, and when you are rebuilding you are collecting players. Solid, winning teams have players like Harris not just for their skill but for the energy and toughness they bring to the table. Michael Carter-Williams is a fine player but he just does not possess those attributes. It’s all about building a team and I see Harris as a nice piece, and a necessary piece, to a winning squad.
