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LEXINGTON — His play isn’t making the national highlight reels — or even generating much talk by Kentucky fans.
However, sophomore point guard Andrew Harrison could be the most under appreciated player on this year’s team after being the most overly criticized player on last year’s team that eventually made the national title game.
Harrison had 11 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal ·(and just one turnover) in 19 minutes in Tuesday’s 92-34 win over Texas-Arlington that again showcased UK’s defense — the visitors had 12 points at halftime and missed 28 of 32 shots in the first half — and enormous overall talent.
Never mind that freshman Karl-Anthony Towns had his first double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and also had four assists, three blocks and one steal or that Devin Booker again shot lights out and had 19 points, two steals and one assist. Harrison is steal a huge key to this team.
“It was funny, I told him, he made passes to — he had a shot, another guy had a shot, he was a better shooter than who he was passing it to. I said, ‘You've got to shoot that; you've got to be down and ready and shoot it,’” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “And he looked at me and smiled, and he said, ‘I'm a playmaker.’ And I laughed back at him. I said, ‘I understand — you've just got to figure this out. You've got to know when you've got to score and you've got to know how you're creating shots for his teammates.’”
Harrison is running the team the way Calipari wants. He’s talking more with teammates and coaches. His body language that drew so much negative attention has been splendid — of course, with the way UK is burying opponents, it’s hard not to be happy on the court. However, Harrison is running and playing as hard with UK up 30 points as when the lead is single digits.
He’s driving into the lane and searching for open opponents — inside or outside — rather than trying to always fight his way to the basket as he did last year.
Then there is his defense, which is vastly improved. Quicker, smaller guards gave him fits at times last year. He dropped weight, worked on his quickness and now also trusts teammates to cover for him more.
“The thing I added to Andrew's plate now that he's really pressuring the ball is I want him to be a defensive playmaker. Well, what a defensive playmaker does is either blocks shots or steals away from his man, not guarding his guy,” Calipari said. “What he does to the guy he's guarding is deflect balls. But he's never trying to steal from his own man. He's trying to deflect a pass. That's a playmaker. It's when you're off the ball.
“And now you're seeing him be more alert, be more active, because he's trying to come up with ... he listens. He's trying to do what we're asking.”
Teammates are noticing, too.
“You see Andrew last year and you see him this year, it’s a tremendous change, especially as a point guard. I think the attribute he gives us is his passing, his ability to drive the ball up the court and make the defense have to think,” Towns said. “He’s always making the right decision.
“So, I think the biggest thing Andrew, not even just offensively, he gives us such a vision on the court, especially with our platoon, that you can’t ask for anything more. And also he’s a dual threat. You’re talking about he can, at times, throw the ball and give us a dunk or a lob and at times, instead of throwing the lob, they back up and he shoots a jumper and makes it. He’s so threatening on the court at all times and then you put that with his brother (Aaron), who’s just a knockdown shooter, that’s a deadly duo.”
Booker knows what Harrison can add, too.
“I would say he gets everyone involved. He’s a great point guard. I played with him on the practice team and sometimes in the game. He just makes it easier on everybody. He knows how to control the tempo of games,” Booker said.
Controlling that tempo makes it easier on everyone — and also shows freshman point guard Tyler Ulis what to do. Texas-Arlington coach Scott Cross praised the way Ulis pressured his point guards with his quickness. Harrison faces that daily and has benefited from it. But Cross said UK’s “combination” of point guards was hard for teams to counter.
“He breaks down the defense and finds open guys in the lane. He attacks the rim hard and scores when he is open,” Trey Lyles said. “I feel he is more in tune with it than last year and having fun and likes playing with us.”
Perhaps that’s why Towns says Harrison is “absolutely” better than he thought.
“Everyone’s better than what I thought they were. You come in — it’s different watching people on TV and then watching them in person. Now I have to step on the court with them every day in practice. My brothers are just so talented. It’s amazing to think that this is the team last year, and then you’re throwing in with all this talent. I’m just blessed with this opportunity and I really appreciate what Andrew does for me,” Towns said.
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