Q&A | UK's Andrew Harrison eager to impress NBA
Andrew Harrison had a good day at the NBA Combine on Thursday in Chicago. He and his brother Aaron are the only two former Kentucky players (out of six who are here) participating in 5-on-5 games for scouts, and Andrew played a nice game – against Aaron, which was an odd sight.
Andrew hit 5 of 10 shots from the field – although he missed all three of his 3-pointers – and had 17 points, five assists and three rebounds. He looked quicker than his reputation and was in command, attacking and finishing. He hit 7 of 8 free throws and blew by his man to bank in a tying scoop shot with about 90 seconds left in what was ultimately a narrow loss.
Aaron overcome a rough start, missing his first three shots in rapid succession, to finish with nine points (1 of 6 field goals, 6 of 6 free throws), four assists and four boards. More on him shortly. For now, here's a complete Q&A from Andrew after today's game:
ANDREW HARRISON
On the twins buying their mom a new car: "We went half on it. We got to sign some autographs – did an autograph tour – before we left Kentucky, and we were able to buy my mom a Mother's Day present. She definitely deserves it. Greatest mom in the world."
On the last season, the 38-0 start, etc.: "It's unbelievable. Can't put it in words. I really believe that we have the greatest fan base in the world and I wouldn't trade my experience for anything."
On if the attention, scrutiny at UK was exhausting: "Yeah, but at the same time it really prepares you for this level. So I think I'm now prepared on and off the court, and I'm just ready to get better."
On his strengths and areas for improvement: "My strength is mid-range jumper, getting to the rack and finding my teammates. I just need to keep working on my three and my defense, really."
On what he wants to show scouts: "That I'm the best player in the draft."
On if he accomplished that Day 1 at the combine: "I played fine. I think I can get better, though. Missed some easy shots, missed some layups I shouldn't have missed."
On who he patterns his game after: "A lot of people say Tyreke Evans. I like the way Chris Paul plays pick-and-roll. To be honest, you can really just be yourself. You can't try to be anyone else."
On playing against his brother Aaron at the combine and if they talked on the court: "Um, yeah. He made some great moves and he made one big shot. It's tough when you don't have a point guard that you've played with all the time. So he played fine. It's not like he played bad or anything. I was just telling him to be aggressive and stuff."
On any UK alumni in the NBA he's leaned on for advice: "To be honest, just lean on Aaron. He's the strongest person I know, besides my dad and my grandfather. So I just lean on them three. Although they've never been on that level, they're definitely wise and give great advice."
On achieving so much at UK and now chasing NBA dreams with his brother: "It's great. I'm reaching my dream but at the same time I'm still hungry. I think I have the most to prove out of anybody, and I just want to continue to prove it."
On his relationship with Calipari going forward: "He's a great guy off the court. On the court, he's very intense. But I'm going to call him when I need him and I'm sure he'll text me every once in a while. So I'm excited."
On if he envisions Calipari being a big part of his life going forward: "Um, a big part? He's going to be there when I need him. That's it. I have my father and my grandfather for advice, but Coach knows so much about the next level – he coached there, he coached so many players there – I'm definitely going lean on him for advice in that situation."
On the focus of two-a-day workouts for two weeks with a trainer in Lexington: "I just feel like I worked harder than anybody in the country trying to go in the draft. I just worked on my conditioning, my 3-point shooting, everything like that."
On areas for improvement: "I want to improve on every part. Three-point shooting, off the dribble, and just improve my defense off the ball. Just become a better leader, a better man."
On any team he thinks he'd be a great fit for: "To be honest, I feel like I can be that to any team. So I'm very confident in myself and it would be such a blessing to get picked to wherever or whatever number."
On his NBA position: "Point guard, definitely."
On what he'll bring to an NBA team: "I think I bring fearlessness and toughness and winning."
On the honest conversations with his trainer about perceptions the twins had to answer: "It's funny, because some people actually think me and Aaron are like buttholes or whatever. I don't know. Anybody that knows me would say the opposite, so you can't really do anything about that; just continue to be the best man you can be."
On other names he's been called: "Uh, I don't really want to get into that. (Grinning)"
On playing in the 5-on-5: "I just want to prove I'm the best player here – not just playing, but in the whole draft. So I just try to prove that and keep getting better. I think I played well. I can definitely get better, so I'm looking forward to it."
On draft expectations: "It's in my hands with the team workouts. The team workouts are probably the most important things, so get in there and work hard and improve."
On how high he wants to climb in the draft: "I just want to be on the best team, the best opportunity for myself."
On if he talked to Portland at all: "I did."
On if there was family pressure to enter the draft: "No family pressure at all. I just felt like I was ready. I felt like I accomplished a lot in the college game and I matured over the two years and I think I was ready and I think I was the best point guard in the draft."
On if recruits coming in at UK helped push him out: "No."
On if he's heard that theory: "Have not. No."
On talking to Julius Randle: "I don't talk to him as much as when he went, but Julius is a strong kid. I'm sure he'll be fine next year. He worked so hard, and I'm happy that he's ready."
On NBA teams he's interviewed with: "I've talked to quite a few teams. I couldn't even name them all, to be honest. But all of them are pretty much telling me the same thing: just want to get me in a workout against those dudes that are, for some reason, higher than me, and just prove that I'm the best."
On workouts for team: "I don't think you're allowed to until after this."
On if he's met with OKC: "I have meet with Oklahoma City. They know everything about you, so they ask you questions they already know the answers to and you just gotta be honest with them and enjoy it."
On how he'd fit in OKC: "Man, I'd enjoy playing with Russ. I'm gonna go against him as hard as I can every day in practice and just get better."
On how he can show he's better than the other point guards: "Just play against them."
On what we'll see: "Just have to dominate every possession. I'm really looking forward to it."
On Julius Randle's message when he came back to UK during last season: "Not really a big message. He was hurt when he came back – he was on crutches and stuff – but he's motivated; he works hard. So you work as hard as him and have as much talent as him, you'll be fine."
On how UK prepped him for a setting like this: "Oh, this, I'm not nervous at all. I'm real comfortable right now."
On if the Lakers ended up with Karl-Anthony Towns, how he might complement Randle: "That's an answer I really couldn't – I have no idea, because Julius hasn't really played that much, so we'll have to see how Julius is. And if they pick Karl, I'd be happy for him."
On what led him to buy his mom the car: "She deserved it. Like I said, we did the autograph signing, made a little money, and I felt like we were in that position to do that. And it's just a blessing from God. You grow up wanting to take care of your mother and father and when you have that opportunity, it's a blessing to just do it."
On when he decided to go pro: "I feel like I was ready a few days after the season was over."
On what he can bring at the NBA level: "Toughness, fearlessness, a good winner, fight every day, and I'm going to attack."
On if he's met with the Celtics: "I have not."
On impressions of Brad Stevens: "He's the exact opposite of Coach Cal. He's real calm and stuff, from what I've seen. But you never know. I enjoy anybody. I know James is down there having a good time."
On if he'd respond better to calm coaching: "We'll see."
On what an NBA team would get in Aaron: "To be honest – not just saying this because he's my brother – I really do feel like he's the best two guard. He can handle the best, makes the biggest shots in the biggest situations, and he has a heart that's just (full of) fearlessness."
On competing against Aaron here: "It was very hard. Especially when sometimes I saw him open and I was like, 'Give Aaron the ball!' It was funny. It was funny."
On if his game translates better to the NBA than college: "I hope so. Can't really pack it in, in the lane and stuff, so I can really attack my man."
On if he wants to see those top point guards in team workouts: "I'll work out against anybody. I honestly do feel I'm the best point guard in the draft."
On Towns in the NBA: "If Karl stays hard-working and stays humble, he can do whatever he wants."
On if he achieved his goals in Year 2 at UK: "I accomplished every goal – except the biggest one, obviously, and that still, that's going to hurt me, haunt me for the rest of my life. But I'm just thankful that God put me in a position to go to Kentucky and win 38 games in a row."
On how long it took him to get over the FF loss: "I'm still not over it. It motivates me, actually."
On not come back one more year to improve his draft stock: "I feel like it was, I don't know, not much I could've done."
On toughest guy he faced this year: "Toughest guy? I've been getting that a lot, actually. Thunder asked me that. Our team defense was so good, it wasn't a lot of guys that got off on us, you know what I mean?"
On if any questions caught him off guard: "Um, no, not really. Used to it. Used to all the questions."
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