Transition is a basketball term used to describe the quick change from offense to defense or vice versa. While Devin Harris has always been a master at this concept, it is transition in life at which he has come to excel.
When the Badgers went to the Elite Eight two years ago and just narrowly lost to the eventual champions, North Carolina, many people in the Wisconsin community couldn't help but wonder if the Badgers could have pulled out the victory if only Devin Harris was still there. Harris, a graduate of Wauwatosa East High School outside of Milwaukee, left the University of Wisconsin after his junior year, and selfishly, we all wanted him back. Harris had taken the Badgers to a new level of basketball dominance, and we didn't want to see our hopes leave with the NBA draft. The early jump to the NBA is always scrutinized and second guessed, and this is exacerbated by the fact that hindsight for this decision is always 20/20.
Harris was the 5th overall pick in the draft and now in his third year with the league-leading Dallas Mavericks. He is excelling, and unfortunately for the Grateful Red, it is now painstakingly obvious that Harris belongs with the best. Harris has once again made a smooth transition, this time from college to the NBA.
""College is more of a pure sport, and it's a little more lively at the games, while the NBA is more business-oriented,"" Harris said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal before Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. ""[The Mavericks] look to turn our defense into our offense. Wisconsin is more of a walk-the-ball-up-the-court team, and now we push the ball and speed the game up.""
Harris' teammates say his transition from the Wisconsin-style basketball to the Mavericks style has been great.
""[Harris has] really grown over the last couple years and he's understanding what it means to be a point guard and to run the team,"" former all-star Jerry Stackhouse said. ""He wants to learn, he wants to grow, and whenever you have that type of mentality you are going to have success in this league.""
Harris says Wisconsin will always be home, and although he's moving on with his life in Dallas, he still keeps up with the Badgers.
""I definitely still follow the Badgers,"" Harris said. ""I think they have one of the deepest teams we've ever had and with the way everyone is playing this year I think they've got a great shot to go all the way. I enjoy coming home, although living in Dallas makes it hard to come back during the Wisconsin winters.""
After averaging just under 10 points per game and 3.2 assists per game last season, Harris exploded during crunch time. It didn't matter that this was not the Big Ten Tournament, in which Harris led the Badgers to victory during his last year, or the NCAA tournament, where he led the Badgers to the Sweet 16 in 2003. This was the NBA playoffs, where the best players in the world compete on the world's biggest stage.
Everyone knew about the ""Big Three"" for the Mavs—Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki, and Josh Howard—but no one thought Harris could hurt them. He calmly came out and helped dismantle the dominant San Antonio Spurs, putting up 20, 24, and 18 points respectively in the first three Dallas victories, leading them to the conference finals. There Harris continued his surge, scoring 30 points in the opening game against the Phoenix Suns.
""What I think a lot of people don't realize is that he was a big scorer in college, and now he's being asked to play a different role as more of a distributor—a pass first point guard,"" teammate Jason Terry said. ""That's a process, and it's a good steady pace he's developing at.""
Harris is already finishing up his transition from primary scorer to distributor and floor leader, but that will not be his last stage of development. It's just yet another phase for Harris who is now starting his transition from NBA rookie to NBA star.
This year, Harris has started 45 out of 51 games so far. He is a leader on the floor, and has earned the respect of his teammates as well as his followers. Monday morning, Harris' high school retired his jersey, honoring the great point guard who led them to a 61-8 record. His first couple years on the team, Harris was not asked to score as much. Senior year, however, as older teammates left, Harris promptly stepped up and took over the team en route to being named Wisconsin High School Player of the Year and earning the state's Mr. Basketball honor.
""You can see the growth and development in DH, and that's from a lot of dedication and hard work, and a lot of film work,"" Terry said, ""The sky's the limit for him. He's very fast, quick, and still has the ability to score the ball. I have complete confidence in him. I'd go to bat for him any day. I think he's going to be one of the best when it's all said and done.""
Harris and the Mavs were in Milwaukee Tuesday to face the Bucks and, although he didn't see much playing time because of early foul trouble, his presence was still felt. Every time his name was mentioned over the PA, the crowd cheered as ifit was for one of their own.
If the support for Harris by the fans is any indication, all of Wisconsin agrees with Terry's assessment of greatness, and that's one transition no one minds seeing.
