Is Time Catching Up to Former Michigan State Star in 11th NBA Season?
There was a time when former Michigan State Spartans star Gary Harris was one of the most intriguing young guards in the NBA.
Harris, who was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 19th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, was terrific in the early stages of his career.
He averaged 14.9 points per game while posting a true-shooting percentage of 61.1 percent during his third season, and in Year 4, he registered 17.5 points per game on 48.5/39.6/82.7 shooting splits.
Then, injuries happened, and now, Harris is a shell of what he once was.
The 30-year-old is currently in his fourth full season with the Orlando Magic, and the Michigan State legend has not exactly gotten off to a great start.
After scoring 18 points on six three-pointers in the Magic's season opener, Harris has been horrific ever since and was scoreless over his last three contests heading into Orlando's Friday night matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During that span, Harris has shot 0-for-8 from the floor, misfiring on five three-point attempts. It's not like he's been playing limited minutes, either, as he played 26 minutes on Oct. 28 and then 18 minutes in the following game.
Harris has actually been a critical part of the Magic's rotation over the past several seasons (when he has been available), and in 2022-23, he made 43.1 percent of his long-distance tries.
So, what exactly is going wrong for Harris this season?
Magic fans are obviously hoping it is just a shooting slump, but based on the fact that his efficiency dipped considerably last year after such a strong campaign the season prior, it's also entirely possible that Harris is declining.
Harris is not exactly old, but again, he has a horrendously checkered injury history, and that absolutely takes a toll on the body.
The Fishers, In. native spent two seasons at Michigan State, arriving in 2012-13 and registering 12.9 points and 1.3 steals across 29.7 minutes per game during his freshman campaign. He shot 45.6 percent from the floor, 41.1 percent from deep and 75.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Then, in his sophomore year, Harris truly broke out and established himself as a genuine NBA prospect, recording 16.7 points, four rebounds and 1.8 steals a night on 42.9/35.2/81.0 shooting splits.
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