VITALS: 6-3, 170, Wisconsin OVERVIEW: Harris played three years of college ball at Wisconsin before a breakout junior season propelled him into the draft. He averaged 19.5 points and 4.4 assists this past season and was named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year. Harris is best described as a pure point guard prospect who is an excellent shooter and defender. However, his passing ability is still a bit of a question mark since he needed to score at Wisconsin. Despite his slight build, Harris is an excellent athlete who played volleyball in high school. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Should go anywhere from Nos. 7-13, although there are rumblings that Charlotte (4) is considering him. Harris' place in the draft will in part be dictated by the perception among teams of UConn point guard Ben Gordon, with whom he is jockeying for position. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Kevin Johnson, Bobby Jackson COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Juan Dixon, Keyon Dooling ROLE PROJECTION: Immediate starter POSITIVES: Harris is best described as "an electrifying blur." He plays at a lightning pace, and his hops are out of this world. He is not just an athlete, however. He is a good shooter in both off-the-dribble and stand-still situations and has good touch and poise finishing around the hoop. SHORTCOMINGS: He's thin, he's streaky, he isn't a true point guard - the knocks on Harris are just as abundant as the admirations. Evidently, he will have to learn to become a pass-first, shoot-second type of player in the NBA, because his smallish frame could never match up with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady or Ray Allen at the 2-guard. Even if Harris adapts his mentality, he probably will never break out of the "scoring point guard" mold. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "Devin Harris has had a meteoric rise (in terms of his stock over the last year). He's a great kid, he's a hard worker and he's a point guard, and those are things that are highly valued in our league. - Denver Nuggets assistant general manager Jeff Weltman
