My new guy.. with a spotlight on the website. http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Harris_hoping_to_make_leap_fro-239546-34.html?rss=true HOUSTON -- Mike Harris walked off the court Tuesday afternoon half-expecting to receive a championship ring. During a post-practice competition between teammates, the Rockets rookie outlasted Shane Battier, Jackie Butler, Carl Landry and Steve Novak in a series of low-post, one-on-one drills. Within seconds of winning the drill, Harris jokingly informed Battier that he deserved a ring for his performance. Battier responded that they shouldn't give out rings to NIT champions, noting that a few big names weren't in the competition. "I just wanted to talk a little trash," Harris said. "But technically, the NIT champions do get a ring." Here's one more fact: Doing well in preseason camp can increase a player's chances of making an NBA team. Harris is hoping that detail remains accurate as he competes for a spot with the Rockets in his second NBA training camp. Through the first two weeks of the preseason, the training camp invitee has showcased a relentless presence in the paint and a hard-nosed game that could land him on the Rockets' roster. Harris is averaging five points and six rebounds in 13 minutes of action during the preseason. What has intrigued the Rockets about Harris' game is that the 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward is strong enough to bang in the low post with power forwards and quick enough to defend small forwards. He also seems to have a limitless amount of energy. "He's a very, very flexible player," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "He'll battle big people because he's extremely strong and he's very aggressive. With the way that we play, he's one of those guys that will find a way to make himself a factor. But he's been very impressive since day one." With Adelman bringing in a new offensive scheme that can highlight the talents of a high-energy player, the Rockets invited Harris to showcase his skills during the NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas. Despite his size, the former Rice star displayed a willingness to swab elbows in the paint and crash the offensive glass with little regard for who's waiting in the middle, averaging 12.6 points and seven rebounds in five games. That aggressive play fits well into Adelman's style, which calls for smaller players to take hard cuts and use their athleticism to get to the rim. The Rockets rewarded Harris with an opportunity to make the team in training camp. The forward spent most of the summer studying tape from Adelman's days in Sacramento to see how he could fit into the coach's system. "Right now, I try to be the excitement -- the hustle guy," Harris said. "I want to be the guy that gets all the rebounds, the loose balls and make big dunks in transition. I'm not going to try to do something that I don't do because I don't think that's what coach wants from me. I just have to play hard." Harris developed his aggressive mentality during his first two professional seasons. After leaving Rice as the school's all-time leading scorer, Harris spent a season in Ukraine trying to become more of a perimeter player because of his size. He used that experience to earn a training camp invite from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2006-07, but didn't stick with the team beyond the preseason. Harris then went to the D-League with Colorado, quickly discovering that the only way he would break into the NBA is by being more aggressive than everyone else on the court. He went back to attacking the glass and fighting for loose balls. "I have to outwork the opponent," Harris said. "There's always someone else working just as hard if not harder than you. So all the extra stuff helps. I've noticed it as far as coming into this training camp. While some people might feel tired or have a few bumps and bruises, I feel great." Harris' teammates have certainly noticed his relentless nature. During Monday's scrimmage, Harris had a shot rejected by Yao Ming. But while everyone else seemed to stop after the block, Harris grabbed the loose ball and put it back in the bucket. "He's just tough," Rockets guard Mike James said. "He's a fighter. He's trying to show that he deserves to be out here and he works hard to do it. He's always one of the first players in the gym and one of the last ones to leave." With his tenacity, Harris could provide the Rockets with a spark off the bench. But first, he has to make the team. The forward said he isn't stressing over every practice or trying to do too much. Instead, Harris is just competing as hard as he can in every on-court competition that comes his way. "I can't control whether I make the team or not," Harris said. "The coaches just let me know what I'm doing wrong and I come in and watch tape. I try to learn from my mistakes. I just want to try to do better the next day."
Even the Rockets end of bench scrubs are better this year than last year... now we have Harris. Last season we had Haryasz. Speaking of camp bubble guys, how about our friend Buki? Kelena Azubuki looks to be getting some minutes with GS. Great story.
I suspect Rockets scouts are feverishly looking for another young NBA hopeful who's name sounds like "hairy ass" to bring in to training next year. He's more athletic than Chuck, and he's got an outside jumper. But Chuck's got experience, and he's proven himself to be effective against NBA-level competition. Harris hasn't. Jonathan Feigen says the following in his blog q/a:
I would say offensively Harris is way better than Hayes.. Have u seen Hayes shoot?? It's not a pretty sight...
Too many players on our rosters with great talent and man this one (Harris) is really wanted to get that ring. Blue collar that desrve a spot.
hayes and harris both smart, to do what they can do, and don't do, what they can't. chuck hayes not shooting, harris not ball hogging undestanding he has to outhustle everyone. smart players in my favorite team. i like it. a great combination to have in the future, and i look forward to it.
Why not make him Shane's understudy in the small forward position? PF is too filled up with Scola, Hayes and Landry there (sorry, I am not counting Novak in). I'd rather Harris learn from Shane and be the offensive part in the SF position (other than T-Mac of course). But in any event, I am really rooting for this guy to make the team. At the very least, he has a freaking long jumper
How can you not cheer for this guy. Athletically, physically and aggresively he reminds me of Ron Artest. Probably no where near the talent of Ron Artest but probably a lot more stable. I hope he makes the club.
Exactly. The guy is not an NBA PF. He is more of power guard at this level. The guy has the quickness to lock down NBA SG and SF, grab some boards and put some points on the board. Most importantly, he does not try to do things outside of his abilities. He needs to make this team.
Very well said! I'm really staring to like this guy, I hope he makes the cut. You get guys off the bench that can come in, be agressive, hustle, and most importantly with this team, hold a lead while the starters rest. He's a keeper.
Harris is much better offensively. Defensively Hayes has more experience but if Harris get some minutes, he will be better than Hayes.
Even if we take him, he's not going to be playing much unless someone gets injured. However, someone with his relentless attitude will be a great off court presence and good for scrimmages. That, and if you were in the rotation, you would'nt rest easy knowing that if you screw up, a hungrier dog like Harris is itching to take your spot. Excellent type of player to have on the team, he's got Bowen's enthusiasm and decent skills to match.
I don't know if Harris will ever match Hayes' position defense and rebounds. Few players are as good as Hayes in these departments. There are taller guys, more atheletic guys, but few are as good as Hayes. Look at the guys we've had... Swift and Snyder are both atheletic freaks, but Hayes contributed more with less. Also, Harris may not get any rotation minutes, but he's a good guy to have in case your rotation guys aren't doing well... throw him in there and tell him to bang some guys and see what happens.
Unfortunately, Swift and Snyder are also both somewhat lacking in the grey matter department, which, from the article posted in this thread, and from what has been displayed so far this preseason, does not seem to be the case with Harris. If anything, Harris has shown that he knows how to make the best use of the abilities he has with him. Did I forget to say that he has a long jumper too? Anyone knows if it ranges up to the 3 point range? In a previous thread, Mike Harris is thought to have the potential of a poor man's: a) Josh Smith b) Josh Howard c) Gerald Wallace (by me ) d) [I forgot already ]... I also say this... if he continues to perform well at training camp and in the next few preseason games, he HAS to be put on the roster.
For better or worse, Adelman and Van Gundy are similar insofar as they are sold on their respective styles of basketball, and seem determined to implement their styles into whatever team they coach. Because of this, you may see Mike Harris, Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola being melted down, poured into mold, and coming out to play like The Second Coming of Corliss Williamson. That can be good for Chuck Hayes (remember that Corliss Williamson was almost out of the NBA before he wound up with the Kings, and that he when he played for the Bulls he was called "Scoreless" - a moniker that is no longer associated with this name or style of play thanks to Adelman). From what I read in this thread, Mike Harris just might be The Second Coming of Corliss "Not Scoreless" Williamson. As I said, Mike Harris plays like Corliss, and Chuck Hayes might undergo a transformation akin to Scoreless to Corliss. But if I am correct about the Adelman/Van Gundy comparison, how will Luis Scola fair under Adelman? I haven't seen enough of him to have any real idea. Celvin Kato had a triple-double in the preseason one year, so when telling sharing what you think about this stupid little thread, please don't make too much out of his impressive play in the preseason game the other night...
