As Game Slows Down, Gicarri Harris Ready to Make Big Impact for Purdue
They say most players drastically improve going from their freshman year to their sophomore season. Maybe it's old coach speak, but it rings true for Purdue guard Gicarri Harris. Things are beginning to slow down for him on the basketball court, allowing him to develop his game in every aspect.
Like most freshmen, Harris was thrown into the fire when he first arrived on campus last summer. He was tasked with learning a lot of information in a short amount of time. Now that he has spent a full year in Purdue's system, things are becoming more instinctual.
"I know our system, so I'm not really thinking as much. Everything is just flowing now." Harris told Purdue Boilermakers on SI. "My shot has been a little bit quicker, my defense has been better, my decision-making has been a lot better. I think everything has improved during this offseason."
Harris was a key piece for the Boilermakers during his freshman season, playing in all 36 games with 13 starts. He averaged 3.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and shot 39.1% from the floor.
Where Purdue's coaching staff really wanted to see Harris improve from last season was on the defensive end of the floor. Bettering himself on that side of the court will ultimately allow Harris to earn more minutes and close out games for the Boilermakers this season.
"They told me containing the ball better defensively, that was No. 1," Harris said. "Whether that's me picking up full court or trying to get around a ball screen — don't encounter screens, get around it. Little stuff like that."
Purdue struggled on the defensive end of the floor last year. It lacked rim protection, and its smaller lineup resulted in an issue with rebounding the basketball. While offense is what most people want to talk about when it comes to a Matt Painter-coached team, improvement defensively will be key to the Boilermakers' success.
That's why Harris has put such a heavy emphasis on taking giant leaps as a defender entering his sophomore year. Since last season ended, he has worked hard to become Purdue's premier defensive player.
"I want to be the best overall defender on the team. On the ball, I feel like I'm good, but off the ball, I need to do a better job and improve my communication," Harris said. "I want to be a leader, so that means I need to talk more, as well. Get out of my comfort zone on the court — be loud, be vocal at all times, never take breaks on plays."
Harris also focusing on his shot
Becoming Purdue's best defender may be Harris's top priority heading into his sophomore campaign, but he knows that's not the only area he needs to improve. When it comes to offense, he needs to make quicker decisions.
That's something he learned through playing during his freshman season. Now that the game has slowed down for him, he believes he can be more effective, whether he's shooting the basketball or trying to create open looks for his teammates.
"Working on my pull-up out of close-outs. I get a lot of close-out opportunities when we're on offense," Harris said. "I have to be shot-ready, and if I don't have a shot, I have that one-dribble pull-up. If I don't have the pull-up, I can get inside and shoot a floater or kick it out. If I don't have anything, I can swing it and get to the next action."
Harris shot well from the floor last season, but struggled to get into a rhythm early, especially behind the three-point line. He ended the year shooting just 31% from long range. He wants that number to be much closer to 40% this year.
"Last year, I struggled to start the season," Harris said. "My percentage last year, that doesn't really represent how good of a shooter I am ... just being able to maintain that consistency throughout the whole season."
Harris is on a team with a lot of talented players, which he acknowledges has made him even better throughout this season. Finding minutes isn't going to be easy, especially in a loaded backcourt that includes Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Omer Mayer, Antione West Jr., and fellow sophomore CJ Cox.
To accomplish his goals and finish games for the Boilermakers, Harris says it will require a lot of consistency on both ends of the court.
"I want to be able to finish out as many games as I can," Harris said. "That means I have to be a lot more consistent this year, do the little things, make hustle plays, and do a better job rebounding."
We won't know if Harris will be a starter until the season tips off in November. Whether he's in that role or not, he's made it clear that he wants to be one of the finishers on this year's team.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.