Andrew Harrison, Iowa Energy, Guard, 6’5, 210
(2015-16, 36.1 mpg, 8 games) 14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 2.9 tpg
42.4 FG%, 79.2 FT%, 53.2 TS%, 48.4 eFG%
21.1 USG%, 20.4 AST%, 1.61:1 A/TO
DOB: 10/28/1994 (21) College: Kentucky
Before the D-League
Harrison played two seasons at Kentucky, and then was drafted in the 2nd round, number 44 overall, in the 2015 NBA Draft by Phoenix, before being traded to Memphis. Harrison didn’t sign with Memphis and instead went directly to their affiliate, Iowa, under the “draft rights” rule. As a sophomore at Kentucky, Harrison averaged 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1 steal per game for a Wildcats’ team that went 39-1 and went to the Final Four for the second consecutive year. He shot a dismal 37.8 percent from the field, but 38.3 percent from three-point range.
What has he shown so far?
Harrison has been in the starting line-up since the start of the season, primarily playing at the point guard position, where he spent most of his time at Kentucky. At 6’5, Harrison has good size for the point guard position, to go with a solid build, which helps in his “attack the basket” style of play. He is an average to above-average ballhandler, able to use his left and right well, though he needs to watch a tendency to dribble the ball a bit high, making it easier for defenders to get a hand on the ball as he goes by. He does a decent job getting the team into its offense quickly, and his size gives him a good view of the movement on the floor. Harrison can attack the basket left or right, using his body well to force his way into the lane. He does a good job drawing, and shooting through, contact, but he can have some problems finishing at the basket if he doesn’t get a foul call. Harrison is a decent perimeter shooter, especially if he can step into his shot, but he isn’t a consistent enough threat yet to force defenders to worry about him knocking down long-range jumpers. His shooting motion seems good, for the most part, but his release has a tendency to have the ball drift to the right at times, a problem he has had since college. As for the mid-range area, it’s easy to see why Harrison prefers to just try and get to the basket. He isn’t a very good shooter off the dribble, especially with defenders around, and even lacks any kind of short jumper or floater to avoid help defenders in the lane. Harrison is an average passer, showing a bit of improvement in some areas, including making reads in the pick-and-roll, but for someone who has the ball in his hands as often he does, he’s not a good enough creator to open up more opportunities for his teammates. Where he excels is in driving and either kicking the ball out to the perimeter, or throwing a lob up near the rim, but even with these passes, it’s not always clear if he will make the right decision. Defensively, Harrison’s size does help him, but he is deficient in so many other areas on the ball, it puts a lot of pressure on teammates to help consistently. He needs to work on everything from positioning to lateral movement to learning to get over screens. Off the ball, Harrison does have some good instincts when playing passing lanes, but he also does a lot of just standing around, watching the action and waiting to see if his man gets the ball. Harrison’s size also allows him to help out on the defensive boards, and he does a good job chasing down long rebounds and getting the team going in transition. Harrison is in his element when the team is running the break. He pushes the ball up the floor quickly, and if he has a lane, it’s tough to stop him from getting to the basket. Even his passing seems a bit better when in transition, as if he understands his options a lot better.
What does he need to show next?
Harrison just turned 21 a few months ago, so while there is still so much that needs to be added to or fixed with his game, there is still time, and that’s what the D-League should be for. If Harrison is going to continue to play the point guard position (more on that below), he is going to need to do a much better job making reads and making the right decisions. He has shown some improvement in the pick-and-roll, but his first instinct still seems to be charging right for the basket, instead of seeing what options open up. By rushing things, he leaves himself few options, especially if he gets stopped by the help at the basket. His perimeter shooting needs to become more consistent, and while 35 percent from three-point range isn’t awful, his lack of consistency allows defenders to lay off a bit and wait for him to try and make a move to the basket. As mentioned, he has no offensive game between getting to the basket and shooting the three, making things even easier to defend, though his size does cause some problems for defenders when he gets some momentum heading towards the rim. Harrison needs to be able to knock down the mid-range jumper consistently off the dribble, since that is going to be the one area he will find open for him as games go on and teams can scout him. Defensively, Harrison still has a lot of the same problems that made him a mediocre defender in college, except now he’s going against grown men, and it makes them seem worse. Working on his basic skills on the ball and his effort off of it should give a nice bump in his abilities, and I wouldn’t worry about anything more complex until he can learn the basics.
Where does he go from here?
With the constant exposure of Kentucky over his two seasons there, it is sometimes easy to forget that Harrison just turned 21 years old. Now, he’ll never be the superstar that high school analysts made him out to be, but there are some possibilities with his size, frame, and potential skill level. I’m just not sure that point guard is going to be his best option going forward, not unless he improves a lot. He plays some off the ball now for Iowa, and the offense seems to flow much better. Moving him over to the 2 seems to open up his offense a bit more, and having a second guard out there who does have some ability to distribute benefits the team. However, to pull off a move to the 2, he needs to become a better shooter, both mid- and long-range. Defensively, I think a move to the 2 would actually benefit him in the long run. A second round pick of Memphis, Harrison didn’t sign a contract with them, and instead went straight to Memphis’ D-League affiliate in Iowa in a “draft and stash” situation made possible by the League’s “draft rights player” rule. He is already getting a lot of playing time, and a full year of development will be worth watching to see where he is as a player by next Summer League.
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