Wisconsin junior guard Devin Harris and Illinois sophomore guard Dee Brown split 2003-'04 Big Ten preseason Player of the Year honors, as Harris was named POY by the coaches and Brown by the media.
\It means a lot to be recognized that way, but then again it's only preseason,"" Harris said of the recognition. ""It is pretty cool. I am very shocked. It kinda caught me off guard.""
Harris returns to the Badgers after helping lead UW to back-to-back Big Ten championships. A Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2002-'03, Harris will look to lead the Badgers to a third straight conference championship this season.
""He is a really quick guard; he can score; he plays good hard defense,"" Michigan State's junior guard Alan Anderson said. ""If you asked me what Devin Harris needs to work on, I wouldn't be able to say that he needs to work on one thing. At this point, he is just a tough guy to guard.""
Harris has proven in his first two seasons that he is more than a one-dimensional player. He led the Big Ten in steals per game with 2.03 and averaged 12.7 ppg for the Badgers last season, which was second only to Kirk Penney. He was also second on Wisconsin in assists (3.1 per game) and blocked shots (16).
""He is a good, solid player-does everything well. He's a winner,"" Purdue Head Coach Gene Keady said. ""A lot of people had never heard of him, but they have now, because of his team winning the Big Ten last year. He is just a solid all-around player. He is an ideal guy for coaches, ... he brings so much to the table.""
""Devin is appreciated by every coach in the league because he is kind of a coach's player and a coach on the floor,"" Minnesota Head Coach Dan Monson said. ""Coaches love kids that can play defense, and he's one of the best defenders in the league.... He shoots the ball when he is open, he gives it up when he is not. Coaches love versatile players; he played the off [guard] as a freshman and won the league; he converted to the point as a sophomore and won the league again at a whole different position.""
The Big Ten coaches agree Harris has endless qualities that allow him to play at such a high level. Harris is gifted with an abundance of talent, but his work ethic and intensity have defined his success in his first two seasons at Wisconsin.
""He is a terrific player. I think he plays at a pace that is far greater than most players,"" Michigan Head Coach Tommy Amaker said. ""He has enthusiasm and passion about the game. There is a spirit about the way he plays that becomes very contagious. It goes without saying that he is a terrific talent.""
As for Brown, Harris knows that the speedy point guard deserves the respect that he has received from the media. Brown was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman team, in addition to being a Second Team All-Big Ten selection a season ago. The sophomore guard led the Big Ten with 4.97 assists per game and an assist/turnover ratio of 2.56.
""[Dee] is pretty much the quickest player I have ever seen in my life,"" Harris said. ""I think he gets in the passing lanes just as well as I do. He can shoot the three, and he runs his team very well.\
