Wisconsin guard Devin Harris has been one of the top freshmen in the Big Ten this year. That's no surprise considering he was the top player in the state last year, averaging 25 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals per game. He led Wauwatosa East to a 21-1 overall record even though the team had lost two of its top players from the year before.
Harris said the toughest adjustments from high school to college have been playing on the road and the physical play in the Big Ten. He said teammates like senior guard Travon Davis and sophomore guard Freddie Owens have really helped him make the transition.
\They've shown me what to do and what not to do. They've just been great and [have] shown me things that I don't see on the floor,"" Harris said.
Owens said that he and Davis try to help Harris more with the mental part of the game.
""He has all the talent, the physical abilities,"" Owens said. ""It's more of a mental game now when you get to this level. You have to withstand the pressure, and play on the road and do school work at the same time. What we try to do is help him get adjusted mentally ... because physically we knew he would be alright.""
One thing Harris has not needed help with is his confidence. He started off the year as the team's leading scorer and although he has dropped off that pace, he still is not afraid to take the big shot. In the Ohio State game last Wednesday, Harris did not give up the ball when he was about to get fouled. He wanted to get to the foul line, and he sealed the 94-92 victory with his clutch free-throw shooting.
""You've got to be on the court [thinking] nobody can stop you,"" Harris said. ""That's the attitude you've got to have because they're going to take advantage of you if you don't.""
Harris' play is a big reason why the Badgers have surprised some people. Among freshmen in the Big Ten, he is second in scoring at 11.6 points per game, third in assists and first in steals. He plays primarily at the off-guard position, but fills in at point guard when Davis is out.
Harris said he feels more comfortable right now at off-guard because he only has to concentrate on a couple things. He said point guard is more difficult because the position requires a player to handle the ball and get teammates involved more often. But he knows it is something he's going to have to get used to.
""That's going to be my position next year, so that's something I need to work on,"" Harris said.
Harris said he also needs to work on driving to the hole, shot fakes, ball-handling and off-the-ball defense. He feels that the strongest part of his game right now is his on-the-ball defense.
Although Harris has not been scoring as much recently, that does not mean that his level of play has dropped off. Owens said he sees Harris growing as a player.
""He's contributed in other ways as far as defense and getting other people involved,"" Owens said. ""You can tell he's maturing a lot because he's starting to recognize now that there's more to the game than just scoring.\
