Andrew Harrison

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Kentucky 79, Providence 65

Sunday, December 1, 2013 | Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Andrew Harrison — PG, 6-5, 210
Freshman, 19 years old

Season (28.3 mpg): 10.7 PPG, 3.7 APG, 2 RPG

Game (22 min): 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

0-2 FG, 8-8 FT

Notes:  Standing at 6-5, Andrew Harrison has great size for an NBA point guard. His offensive game is inside-out; attacks the rim first, and shoots from outside second.

Andrew is a play-starting guard who needs to establish a rhythm to be effective. However, the problem is that Kentucky has so many capable ball handlers (Harrisons, Young, Randle, etc), that it makes it difficult for Andrew to settle in as Kentucky’s floor general, which sometimes hinders his flow. This was evident tonight, as Andrew moseyed around the perimeter (ball watching) more than you’d like. He still played well, powerfully driving to accumulate free throws (8-8 FT), but from a scouting perspective I didn’t leave particularly impressed. His game is predicated on having the ball in his hands, not playing off the ball like he did vs. Providence.

North Carolina 82, Kentucky 77

Saturday, December 14, 2013 | Dean Smith Center (Chapel Hill, NC)

Andrew Harrison — Freshman, 19 years old
PG, 6-5, 210

Season (29.4 mpg): 10.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 6.7 FTA

Game (37 min): 17 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds
3-11 FG, 10-17 FTA

Outlook: Andrew’s shot wasn’t falling (3-10), but he still had a major impact. 17 free throws, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Andrew is the ultimate “play starter” on the college level. He uses his size and ball handling to aggressively attack the paint, where he can finish through contact.  He can also change direction on a dime and play at different speeds, which makes him dangerous from anywhere on the floor.

Most point guards have to contort their body/alter their shooting motion to get a clean look in the paint; Andrew doesn’t. He slices through the lane, absorbs straight-line contact and draws fouls. He also has a quick first-step, which helps him gather momentum towards the rim.

Video: Drawing Fouls vs. UNC

However, similar to his brother Aaron, Andrew isn’t very explosive (you won’t see him dunking on an opposing big man anytime soon).

By far, though, the biggest impediment to his game is his jump shot. He’s scoring a below average .945 points per jump shot attempt (ranking in the 46th percentile nationally), and he’s shooting 36% from three-point range. By my count, five of his eight missed shots on Saturday were jump shots. Simply put, he needs to improve his jump shot, which should (hopefully) come with time.

Video: Shot Attempts vs. UNC

Video: Turnovers

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Assists

Andrew showcased a willingness to swing the ball and get his teammates involved, finishing with a season-high 7 assists. He is starting to see plays develop before they happen in real time, which is a special quality for a freshman.

Furthermore, his change-of-pace ability keeps the opposition on its toes. I’m not saying Andrew is an elite passing point guard, but at 6-5, he has tremendous upside as an all-around playmaker.

Video: Assists vs. UNC