Harris follows Wade's footsteps - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

kg_veteran · 02-03-2005, 09:59 AM

Harris follows Wade's footsteps
A year ago, Miami guard was in same place Harris is now

11:42 PM CST on Wednesday, February 2, 2005

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
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NEW ORLEANS – After the show Miami's Dwyane Wade put on Tuesday at American Airlines Center, the imagination ran wild with thoughts about what might be in store for Mavericks rookie Devin Harris.

Wade had a stunning rookie season, and he was particularly effective in the second half of the 2003-04 season, becoming Miami's go-to man. Wade was the No. 5 pick of the 2003 draft.

Harris was the No. 5 pick of the 2004 draft and reviews have been mixed for his first half. However, he showed against Wade and the Heat that he could be primed for a step up in the second half of the season. Harris had eight points and two assists in just 10 minutes.

Then came Wednesday's 12-point, four-assist, three-steal effort in 20 minutes, another sign that Harris could be ready to upgrade his profile in the second half.

"I'm just attacking the basket and trying to do things I need to do to stay on the court," Harris said.

Wade's improvement was accelerated because he played on a Miami team that won just 42 games last season. It will be harder for Harris to get his opportunities on a team that is on pace for 56 wins.

"We're past the halfway mark, and I have to continue to get better," Harris said. "I'm starting to learn more things and put them in my repertoire. I expect to get better and better as the season goes along. How fast it comes depends on the experience I get."

Harris played in college at Wisconsin. Wade went to Marquette. Harris has a healthy respect for Wade and the 2003 draft in general, when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were taken first and third.

"He is playing beyond his years," Harris said of Wade, 23. "Those first few picks last year were pretty good players. We played against each other in college. I knew he was a special player then."

V2M · 02-03-2005, 10:44 AM

That's what I read during the summer too. After watching 'em play this season, I see 'em different now. Wade is stronger and likes to take it to the basket all the time. He rarely settles for a 3. He's a scorer who could penetrate and finish or pass, at will. He's a bonafide superstar who could take the team to the next level single-handedly.

OTOH, Harris is more like KJ, Nash, etc. He's an excellent ball-handler and a good 3pt shooter. He can penetrate and finish when he wants to but doesn't do it often enough for me. He's also at a disadvantage 'cuz he joined a playoff team where he'd get far fewer minutes to develop his game. But given his attitude and work ethic, it might actually help him in the long run since he's surrounding by great team-mates and PG-friendly coaches.
I expect great things from him but it might take far longer than Wade.

bo319 · 02-03-2005, 12:07 PM

Harris is a PG and has played PG for years.
Wade played SG in college and is not a "pure" PG and is not playing PG on his team.

veryclueless · 02-03-2005, 12:11 PM

They are just 2 different players.

seal614 · 02-03-2005, 03:13 PM

Harris is a better shooter, not as muscular, but just as explosive.

Wade gets plenty of time running the point. ~combo gaurd

- Brian

The Miles · 02-03-2005, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Harris is a PG and has played PG for years.

Harris was a SG for his first two seasons in Wisconsin before moving to the PG his Jr (and last) season there.

jayC · 02-03-2005, 10:11 PM

Following as a similar type of second half season maybe. Harris definitely shows you flashes and the last two games you can definitely see where he is headed. The mavs might have a difficult decision when Terry's contract runs out.

GP · 02-04-2005, 12:10 AM

The guy Harris reminds me the most of is Kevin Johnson. He sure looks like he is going to have that kind of upside. If he does, those teams who passed him over will rue the day.

V2M · 02-04-2005, 09:19 AM

GP, there were four guys taken ahead of him: Howard, Okafor, Gordon, Livingston.
The first three have already shown they're stars in the making. If the draft's today, I'm sure they'd go top 3 again.
So, if any team might regret, it could be Clippers who picked Livingston who hasn't proven himself yet, this year. But again,
he's supposedly a top-notch PG talent who has a huge upside. I doubt if Clippers will regret this pick.

The only team that I realistically see ruing the decision may actually be Washington who traded the pick to us for a max-contract (4yrs left)
PF who can't play defense. Although, they seem to like the trade based on the results so far.

GP · 02-04-2005, 02:47 PM

Well, like everything it will come out in the wash. I don't think Okafor is a star in the making. I think he is a pretty good undersized center who isn't going to get appreciably better. Howard looks terrific as does Gordon. However, many players look good for a short while and then plateau. I do think both are going to be very good but I like Harris potential because he is so damned explosive and he shoots the ball very, very well. I admit that Gordon is explosive as well; however, at this point all I have seen when he plays is a jump shooter and the only thing Howard does at this juncture is rebound. In any case we won't know how good Howard is or going to be for several years although I do believe he looks like the real deal. However, I will be surprised if any player in that draft turns out better than Harris and that is all I was implying.