Harrison Barnes: Breaking Down UNC Star's NBA Future
NBA draft prospect Harrison Barnes is an enigma.
On the one hand, he has the deadly shooting, ideal size, and gaudy athleticism that make him the perfect pro prospect. On the other hand, his inability to dribble past defenders and propensity to disappear in big games make him the perfect bust prospect.
So, what is Harrison Barnes? Is he a steal if he goes outside the top five? Is he a bust anywhere in the lottery? Is he somewhere in between?
Let's take a closer look at the former Tar Heel and see what type of career he'll achieve in the NBA.
Strengths
Barnes is a decent defender and rebounder, but the No. 1 attribute he'll bring to an NBA team is his scoring, so we are going to concentrate on that.
First and foremost, Barnes is an elite shooter. He only shot 35.8 percent from long range during his sophomore season with North Carolina, but his shooting motion is easily the prettiest of anyone in the draft.
Take a look:
He's just as pure as it gets. Barnes is one of those players where you don't care if he makes or misses the shot, because his form never falters and the next one will have the same good chance of going in.
Simply put, he has the perfect stroke that will eventually make him one of the best shooters in the NBA. Scouts aren't looking at percentages, they are looking at motion and form.
Barnes' form is as good as it gets.
Additionally, at 6'8", 223 pounds, Barnes has the perfect size, length, and athleticism for an NBA small forward. Not only is he effective coming off screens and shooting on the catch, but Barnes' size allows him to get off an array of fadeaways, step-backs, and even shots out of the post.
He has the look of the prototypical NBA wing.
NBAdraft.net compares Barnes to Glen Rice, and while that is a picture-perfect comparison, Barnes' game also resembles Paul Pierce in that fact they aren't overly flashy and just have a smooth feel to their game.
Weaknesses
Barnes may resemble Paul Pierce in the "smoothness" category, but he's nowhere near Pierce when it comes to a killer instinct.
If Barnes' shot isn't falling on a certain night, he too often shies away from action and becomes a complete non-factor. Someone like Pierce, however, will continue to look for his shot even if he's zero-of-10 on the night.
In addition to the lack of aggressiveness or perfect mental capacity, Barnes can't get to the hoop. He may be athletic for his size, but he's not explosive.
The young small forward lacks a quick first step, and as a result, struggles to create his own shot or get to the rim and draw fouls.
Take a look at his ball-handling video:
He's not bad at the step-back jumper off one dribble, but that's not going to work against NBA players who are quicker and longer than NC State wing Scott Wood.
There's almost no north-south movement in Barnes' game, and that's not a good sign.
What this means for Barnes in the NBA
If Barnes wants to be successful in the NBA, at least for the first few years while he improves on his ball-handling, he's going to need a good point guard.
Just look at the NCAA tournament and how helpless he looked without Kendall Marshall running the show for the Heels.
If Barnes gets paired up with a good point guard on a bad team, I see him scoring 15 points per game right away, with most of it coming from off-the-ball movement, which Barnes' high basketball-IQ makes him capable of.
If he doesn't get that type of situation, however, and he's forced to be a leader on offense, Barnes is going to struggle. He'll likely still score 10-to-12 points per game, but it will be the opposite of efficient.
Barnes has unique skills for his size, and he has the look and feel of an NBA All-Star, but as an enigma, he also needs the perfect situation to be successful.
