Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Why MKG Is a Better Prospect Than Harrison Barnes

Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes are the two top small forwards in this year’s draft, but the Wildcats’ star will be the better professional. 

Kidd-Gilchrist will be an elite defender, even if he never develops a dominant offensive game. Barnes, on the other hand, does everything well, but does not excel in any single area. 

Kidd-Gilchrist is 6’7.5” and 233 pounds with a 7’0” wingspan. He has an incredible motor and focuses his energy on the defensive end of the floor.

He uses his length and athleticism to lock down defenders on the wing. He is unquestionably the best perimeter defender in the draft. 

Barnes is 6’8” and 228 pounds with a wingspan just over 6’11”. The two players are remarkably similar in size, but Barnes does not display the same tenacity on defense as Kidd-Gilchrist, nor is he as athletic as the Kentucky star. 

However, Barnes is a much better scorer and averaged 17.1 points per game on 44 percent shooting this past season. In comparison, Kidd-Gilchrist posted marks of 11.9 points and 49 percent on his field goals. 

Barnes has a smooth mid-range game while Kidd-Gilchrist lacks a consistent perimeter game. However, the UNC star does not have the necessary quickness to create his own shot.

This was evident in the Tar Heels’ final two NCAA Tournament games when point guard Kendall Marshall was out due to injury. Barnes did not have Marshall dishing him the ball and scored just 12 points on 18.8 percent shooting in a win against Ohio, and 13 points on 35.7 percent shooting in a loss to Kansas. 

If Barnes does not go to a team with a talented point guard, he will struggle to score. 

Kidd-Gilchrist, however, will fit in wherever he goes. His hustle and relentless effort on defense, as well as his rebounding skills, are assets that any team could use. 

The Kentucky star pulled down 7.4 boards per game, compared to just 5.2 rebounds for Barnes. 

Ultimately, every part of Barnes’ game was above average in college, but there are legitimate concerns over how well he can score, rebound and defend in the NBA. 

Kidd-Gilchrist’s defense, in contrast, undoubtedly translates to the pro game. He has the size, speed, athleticism and motor to be a destructive defender on the perimeter. 

He has the potential to turn into one of the best defenders in the NBA, whereas Barnes will not be a top player in any single area, nor will he be one of the top overall players in the game. 

Teams would be wise to bet on a player with one elite quality than one who does several things well.