The Harrison twins are two of this NBA Draft‘s most polarizing figures. The former Kentucky Wildcats blue chip guard recruits stayed in Big Blue Nation one year longer than expected. However, this year was indeed the time for them to leave Lexington to “succeed-and-proceed.”
Andrew Harrison began his college basketball career rather slowly, but he’s had some fine moments and is now projected as an early second rounder.
Also, Andrew Harrison did an excellent job of damage control with that Frank Kaminsky n-bomb f-bomb combo during the Final Four. No one talks about that anymore when discussion of the Harrison twins comes up.
Aaron Harrison became iconic of 2014 March Madness when he hit his back-to-back cold-blooded game winning threes to eliminate two Big Ten powers. His shots sent Michigan home in the Elite 8 and Wisconsin packing in the Final Four. Yet, he really not even be drafted Thursday night.
Here’s where we have the Harrison twins slotted in our latest NBA mock draft:
37. Philadelphia (from DEN)-Andrew Harrison, PG, Kentucky, 6-5, Soph.
Andrew Harrison displayed improved maturity and decision-making as a sophomore but still didn’t do much to help his draft stock.
Here is the Andrew Harrison highlight reel:
51. Orlando (from CHI)-Aaron Harrison, SG, Kentucky, 6-6, Soph.
A streaky shooter, Aaron Harrison would be a solid second round value.
Kentucky Coach John Calipari on Aaron Harrison:
“I’m not worried. I think he’ll be drafted. I’ll go even further; I think he’ll be in the league for a while. And I believe that because of his ability to play multiple positions. (At) 6-6 and his size, everyone knows that this kid makes game-winning shots. There’s not a whole lot in the league like that let alone a guy in the draft like that.”
Kentucky Coach John Calipari on Andrew Harrison
“I’m getting calls. You’re talking in that late first, maybe early second. But I think he’s going to bounce into that early first because everybody is like, ‘We’re not getting this (criticism of him). He’s this big, he’s this athletic, he’s this skilled.”
Kentucky Wildcats NBA Draft profile series
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook