I remember when I was in my sophomore year in high school there was this one athlete at my small private Catholic high school that was hell-bent on getting a college scholarship.
Come hell or high water he was going to put more than enough work necessary to make sure he had an opportunity to play sports at the collegiate level. He wanted a college scholarship so bad that they would virtually live in the weight room, live in the court, and live on the field.
During lunch he wouldn’t eat but would run straight into the gym or weight room to work on his craft. While the junior varsity practiced that same athlete would stay in the weight room. While after he finished varsity practice he would stay two hours later.
The athlete stayed consistent and everyday he would repeat the process.
One of the players that comes to mind when I think of the narrative, plays basketball within the SEC. It’s the Auburn Tigers the 6’4 shooting guard K.T. Harrell.
Harrell, who’s a native of Montgomery, Ala., is one of the SEC’s best players might be playing in his last 20 games or so as a collegiate athlete. Is Harrell ready for his last chance to show everyone that he belongs to get to the NBA?
For Harrell he’s no stranger to getting overlooked and for him he’s had to work to get to where he’s at.
The craft scorer was born in Germany while his father was in the Air Force and he accomplished the goals he set when he was in high school. Back in high school Harrell was determined to play basketball in the ACC. After signing a letter of intent to play basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers in 2010, he accomplished his goal.
However after two years in Virginia he longed his home and made the transfer to Auburn.
Now in his senior year at Auburn and playing for a team that has a 7-5 record, it doesn’t look like Auburn is going to have a successful season, in spite of newly hired head coach Bruce Pearl’s fiery antics.
Harrell is second in scoring in the SEC averaging 17.3 points per game on 44 percent shooting from the floor and 40 percent shooting from the three-point line. Harrell is a natural scorer and almost led the SEC in scoring when he was a junior when he averaged 18.3 points per game.
On the year Harrell has six 20 point games.
KT has always been a hard worker…he outworked everybody. I know that’s a cliché and everybody says it, but it’s true. He really, really puts his time in to be the best he can be and improve.
For the casual college basketball fan they will not know who K.T. Harrell is. Thankfully because Auburn hasn’t played their conference schedule, a lot of fans will get the chance to watch him play against good competition such as Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas and LSU.
When opportunities present itself a person has got to take complete control of the situation and make the best of it. Open doors are the way to future success, a person only needs to prepare for doors getting opened and walk through them once they are.
One of the quotes that focuses on being prepared for open doors is this:
“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.”
Because of his hard work, Harrell has come a long way averaging 4.7 points as a sophomore. Harrell has the best opportunity to make the most out of his opportunity in college basketball because he’s one of the best scorers in the NCAA. and because he plays basketball for one of the schools within the power five conference.
In an interview with Phillip Marshall, his trainer and father Rodney Harrell said this:
“KT has always been a hard worker,” “I don’t know if he was the most naturally gifted kid, but he outworked everybody. I know that’s a cliché and everybody says it, but it’s true. He really, really puts his time in to be the best he can be and improve. He works on his weaknesses. I think that’s everything.
Even though he wasn’t included in my best 10 prospects in the SEC list, he’ still got the chance to make it to the NBA because of his game.
That person I mentioned at the beginning of the story did get a college scholarship after all of his hard work. As for Harrell, his dreams of playing in the NBA could come true.
It’s only a matter of time before we see if they will.
Next: SEC: Johnathan Williams The Only Bright Spot For Missouri