Knicks · Article on Harrellson from WKYT (page 1)

Harrellson Expected To Be An Enforcer
Brandon Fisher

It's been a wild week for Josh Harrellson to say the least. The former Kentucky Wildcat returned from New York City on Thursday, one week from the night he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets with the 45th overall pick in the 2nd round of the NBA draft, then shipped to the Knicks for $750,000 dollars in cash.

To say Josh Harrellson journey at Kentucky was tough would be an understatement. Three years ago he was sharp shooting JUCO transfer from Southwestern Illinois College, now he is well on his way to making an NBA roster, "it's amazing, thank God everyday for the blessings he's done, Enes Kanter being ineligible was a blessing because it gave me an opportunity for me to grow as a man and a player, " Harrellson said.

It's been a wild week for Josh Harrellson to say the least. The former Kentucky Wildcat returned from New York City on Thursday, one week from the night he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets with the 45th overall pick in the 2nd round of the NBA draft, then shipped to the Knicks for $750,000 dollars in cash.
It's a moment Harrellson described in detail, " it was a great feeling, closest family, friends, my mom and dad, everybody was there, got to see the enjoyment on their face, lots of tears, smiles, everyone was jumping up and down, it was a great night."

The player who brought blue jean shorts back in style already knows what expected out of him if he makes the Knicks roster, " be a big body, it's what they lacedk last year, what i bring, intensity, heart, passion, the will to win, everybody in the NBA needs somebody like that on the team." What may surprise some is how he feels Kentucky and the Big Apple have plenty in common, "it's a big city, a lot more things to do, the fan base is unbelievable, reminds me of Kentucky, they love us, no matter what, know about Jorts, everything i say about being an enforcer, protecting star players, they love what i bring to the table hopefully get on the team."

Now the wildcats loveable big man has to work on his own and be ready after the NBA lockout it's players, "nobody knows how long it will last, get resolved, i have to workout, be in great shape, show them how serious i am and in the end hopefully be on the team." There is one thing for sure, he already knows how to do deal with the media and has been told what to expect in the nations biggest media market, " yeah they warned me, it's not to much different than here, you guys are everywhere, they like to eat people alive if they mess up in New York, in Kentucky they do some of the time, i'm not going to say names, but you know who i'm talking about, but it will be something."

If Harrellson plays in the pros, like he did during his time at Kentucky, even Spike Lee may invest in a pair of Jorts.

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http://www.wkyt.com/sports/headlines/Har...

jorts have never been out of style.

And I'm happy that we're getting someone who thinks of himself as an enforcer. A dirty worker, jack of dirty trades, big guy.

When was the last time we had a true enforcer?

I'd love to see this guy in the summer leagues. The lockout sucks on so many levels.

Both the NFL and NBA lockouts are too much to take for me. My favorite time of year is when both sports are active. I'm a long suffering Jets and Knicks fan and now that my teams are getting good the leagues are out of business...

I actually think Jorts can have success here. You don't have to have a ton of talent to have an impact. It's about heart and desire. I believe he wants to mix it up and likes it. There aren't a lot of guys in the NBA that LOVE contact and he's that kind of player. As Zach Randolph and Kevin Love prove you don't have to be a freak athlete to rebound. It's about desire, position and instinct. He's such a densely packed dude that I think he should be able to clear space and hold it. He's not a shotblocking freak, but in terms of defensive position, I think he'd have more success in banging than anyone we have right now. It's kind of like how Shelden was able to hold his spot despite not being athletic and quick.

CrushAlot wrote: To say Josh Harrellson journey at Kentucky was tough would be an understatement. Three years ago he was sharp shooting JUCO transfer from Southwestern Illinois College, now he is well on his way to making an NBA roster, "it's amazing, thank God everyday for the blessings he's done, Enes Kanter being ineligible was a blessing because it gave me an opportunity for me to grow as a man and a player, " Harrellson said.

So nobody is the least bit intrigued by this description of Harrellson, our new "enforcer?"

Paladin55 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote: To say Josh Harrellson journey at Kentucky was tough would be an understatement. Three years ago he was sharp shooting JUCO transfer from Southwestern Illinois College, now he is well on his way to making an NBA roster, "it's amazing, thank God everyday for the blessings he's done, Enes Kanter being ineligible was a blessing because it gave me an opportunity for me to grow as a man and a player, " Harrellson said.

So nobody is the least bit intrigued by this description of Harrellson, our new "enforcer?"

OF COURSE! That's the whole idea. If he's going to make the team one of his most anticipated attributes is that he's not scared to mix it up. I love that when he defends guys just bounce off of him. He's so thick and stocky. He looks like an NFL lineman to be honest. But that works for guys that have the footwork and he seems to have good quick feet. He's not very fast laterally, but he gets on balance very well and gets his shots off quick on offensive rebounds.

He's got a nasty edge to him and we could use that on this team of mostly finesse players.

nixluva wrote:

Paladin55 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote: To say Josh Harrellson journey at Kentucky was tough would be an understatement. Three years ago he was sharp shooting JUCO transfer from Southwestern Illinois College, now he is well on his way to making an NBA roster, "it's amazing, thank God everyday for the blessings he's done, Enes Kanter being ineligible was a blessing because it gave me an opportunity for me to grow as a man and a player, " Harrellson said.

So nobody is the least bit intrigued by this description of Harrellson, our new "enforcer?"

OF COURSE! That's the whole idea. If he's going to make the team one of his most anticipated attributes is that he's not scared to mix it up. I love that when he defends guys just bounce off of him. He's so thick and stocky. He looks like an NFL lineman to be honest. But that works for guys that have the footwork and he seems to have good quick feet. He's not very fast laterally, but he gets on balance very well and gets his shots off quick on offensive rebounds.

He's got a nasty edge to him and we could use that on this team of mostly finesse players.

Look at the section I highlighted. I was intrigued by the description the writer used for him.

while I enjoyed the read, I had to check the source URL... I would expect the typos and what not from a blogspot post. Definitely a wlecome read, content wise, but I cannot believe that went up on a professional site

Josh's stats freshman year at SW Illinois College, - 14.8 points and eight rebounds per game.

Here's an excellent bio and summary of Josh Harrellson's life and HS and college Basketball career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Harrel...

Harrellson first played organized basketball as a freshman at St. Charles High School. Coach Gary Wacker helped develop Harrellson's skills, and he was named a first-team All-State player his junior and senior years. He signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Western Illinois University, but never enrolled there, choosing instead to attend junior college at Southwestern Illinois College. After one year at Southwest Illinois, he was recruited to Kentucky by then-coach Billy Gillispie. Gillispie was fired after Harrellson's first season...

High School - He averaged 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.6 blocked shots, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals during his final season of high school basketball, while leading St. Charles to the Class 4 state semifinals. He was named second team All-Metro by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was again named first team All-State....

Kentucky - In his first year at Kentucky, Harrellson played in 34 games, starting in 2. He was named to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team; he posted his first career double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) in the tournament's championship game against the West Virginia Mountaineers....

Kentucky fired Gillispie at the end of the season, replacing him with John Calipari. (Had very little playing time.)

Following the 2009-2010 season, Harrellson and teammate Jon Hood played nine games in China as part of an exhibition team assembled by Campbellsville, Kentucky-based Sports Reach. Playing against teams from China and Russia, Harrellson averaged 13.1 points and 9.2 rebounds. He said that the experience boosted his confidence after receiving limited playing time during the previous season (at Kentucky)....

Harrellson grabbed 26 rebounds in the Blue-White scrimmage prior to the 2010-2011 basketball season. When asked about the performance, Calipari remarked, "Either we are the worst offensive rebounding team in America or he's gotten better." Harrellson took exception to Calipari's lack of praise and tweeted, "Just amazing to me I can't get a good job or way to go. Yes he has been working hard this off season ... It is just amazing to me but I look past it and keep trucking!" Calipari then ordered Harrellson to shut down his Twitter account and to do extra conditioning drills as punishment. Harrellson made these drills part of his regular workout and credited them for improving his physical condition....

Harrellson started every game for the Wildcats during the 2010-2011 season.[22] He achieved career highs in points (24) and rebounds (14) against in-state rival Louisville on December 31, 2010, but regressed once conference play began. He nevertheless led the conference in rebounding with 8.8 per game, and scored 6.4 points per game during the regular season. During the 2011 Southeastern Conference Tournament, he averaged 10.3 points per game and was named to the All-Tournament team....

In the 2011 NCAA Tournament, Harrellson averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds, including a 17 point-10 rebound-3 block performance against Ohio State All-American Jared Sullinger in the third round. He followed up with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and a career-high 4 assists in the regional finals against Tyler Zeller of the North Carolina Tar Heels, helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four. After the game, Harrellson was named to the All-East Region Tournament team....

Basketball analyst David Aldridge ranks Harrellson as the third best center available in the 2011 NBA Draft. He is projected as a possible early-to-mid second round pick in the draft.

I really like this pick. 3rd best center of the draft and we got him with the 45th pick.

http://jorts55.com/

LOL!

skeng wrote:And I'm happy that we're getting someone who thinks of himself as an enforcer. A dirty worker, jack of dirty trades, big guy.

When was the last time we had a true enforcer?

Not since Oak.

Has anyone extensively watched this kid Harrellson play? I missed the tourney this year and did not get to watch him. Is this guy a stiff or does he really have potential to be a decent center?

TheGame wrote:Has anyone extensively watched this kid Harrellson play? I missed the tourney this year and did not get to watch him. Is this guy a stiff or does he really have potential to be a decent center?

he works with what he has. Played at Kentucky and showed his mettle. Uses his body to position himself well. Underated, but I think we'll be seeing him for a long time.

Sangfroid wrote:

TheGame wrote:Has anyone extensively watched this kid Harrellson play? I missed the tourney this year and did not get to watch him. Is this guy a stiff or does he really have potential to be a decent center?

he works with what he has. Played at Kentucky and showed his mettle. Uses his body to position himself well. Underated, but I think we'll be seeing him for a long time.

Okay, would you think he is better than a guy like Travis Knight or is he on that level.

TheGame wrote:

Sangfroid wrote:

TheGame wrote:Has anyone extensively watched this kid Harrellson play? I missed the tourney this year and did not get to watch him. Is this guy a stiff or does he really have potential to be a decent center?

he works with what he has. Played at Kentucky and showed his mettle. Uses his body to position himself well. Underated, but I think we'll be seeing him for a long time.

Okay, would you think he is better than a guy like Travis Knight or is he on that level.

Better than Knight. Plays with an attitude. Not sure what his range is, as he's usually doing work around the rim. He's what this team needs, defense, rebounding, hustle.

Sangfroid wrote:

TheGame wrote:

Sangfroid wrote:

TheGame wrote:Has anyone extensively watched this kid Harrellson play? I missed the tourney this year and did not get to watch him. Is this guy a stiff or does he really have potential to be a decent center?

he works with what he has. Played at Kentucky and showed his mettle. Uses his body to position himself well. Underated, but I think we'll be seeing him for a long time.

Okay, would you think he is better than a guy like Travis Knight or is he on that level.

Better than Knight. Plays with an attitude. Not sure what his range is, as he's usually doing work around the rim. He's what this team needs, defense, rebounding, hustle.

I think Donnie got another steal with this kid. He may just be a late bloomer in terms of his realizing how he can effect a game and help a team. He seemed to gain confidence in his role as the year went on. His performance in the NCAA Tourney is a case in point. He rose to the occasion. He used his limited skills perfectly. He's a banger and that's what he did. He avg'd 15/9 in the Tourney and I think he may be coming into his own at just the right time. Some guys get lost in the process and he got a big break with Enes Kanter not being able to play. So he got his shot and really they didn't have much confidence in him and he may not have either, but he got better and maybe now he is fully sure of himself in terms of what he brings to a team and that makes all the difference. AR didn't know what he was and it effected his play. You could see him thinking and looking uncomfortable. It's not that he doesn't have talent, but when you aren't sure how to apply that talent in a given situation you can look real bad. Now Jorts has a chance to try and apply what he's learned to making this team and what he does we need.

If he fights for rebounds and occupies the other teams rebounders that can make a huge difference for this team. I'm pulling for him, cuz I don't think he's going to allow himself to be manhandled and he's got the mass to back it up.