Background: After earning all-Big 12 honors in the 2003-04 season, the University of Colorado star left for the NBA after his junior season. Although he expected to be a mid-first-round pick in the 2004 draft, the 7-foot, 280-pounder was the final pick in the first round, selected by Indiana. Harrison averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds as a rookie and set a Pacers rookie record by shooting 57.6 percent from the field. Had Harrison waited until after his senior year, he would have probably been a lottery pick in a draft that didn’t have many centers.
“I wish I would have been (drafted) higher,” Harrison said. “But you still don’t know what the next year was going to produce. I think I had an opportunity, and I took it. I don’t regret leaving college.”
What’s up: The Pacers are under a cloud after the recent suspension of 2004 all-star forward Ron Artest, who is expected to be traded soon. Artest is talented, but he might be best known for his fight with fans in Detroit last season, which resulted in a 73-game suspension. The Pacers visit the Nuggets on Wednesday.
“We are trying to show everybody that we can play without Ron,” Harrison said. “We have to prove a lot to people, especially coming off of the whole fiasco last year. We’re just trying to make a statement.”
What’s next: Artest is expected to be dealt in a multiple-team trade soon, and Harrison could become involved in the deal. Though he says he would prefer to stay with the Pacers, Harrison would have no problem with a trade to Denver.
“It’s on the organization,” said Harrison, who is averaging 2.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 9.1 minutes through Friday. “If they feel they can move me to make the Indiana Pacers a better team, so be it. I don’t really read into much of the hype. Half of them are just fantasy trades. Ron’s such a good player and his contract makes so little it will be really, really hard to get fair value for him.”
Spears’ take: Considering the Nuggets’ lack of size, injury problems and dire need for post play, they should try to acquire Harrison along with Artest. Keep in mind Harrison is just 23 years old, and you can’t teach size. While his maturity has been questioned, expect that to be old news in the coming years. With so few true centers in the NBA, Harrison will have success once he develops.
