76ers' Tobias Harris Joins Elite Company After Career Year

Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris joined elite company statistically after his career year under Doc Rivers.

Part of what has made the Philadelphia 76ers successful this season is the evolution of Tobias Harris. When it was announced that Doc Rivers was going to be the next head coach, many instantly thought of Harris. 

When together in LA, Rivers had Harris playing at an All-Star level. Now in Philadelphia, Rivers continues to elevate his game to new heights. 

Harris has had a stellar season for the Sixers this year. Posting averages of 19.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG (career-high). 

The way Harris elevated his game and became a reliable second on a nightly basis has been a major lift for the Sixers.

While his averages are fairly similar to recent seasons, it's Harris's efficiency that stands out. This season was undoubtedly the best shooting season of his ten-year career. 

Harris posted a career-high in field goal percentage, hitting 51.2% of his shots. That mark is almost four percentage points higher than his second-best percentage in a season. He also shot 39.4% from beyond the arc and 89.2% from the foul line (career-high). 

These splits leave Harris just short of entering one of basketball's most prolific clubs. Only nine players in history can say that are part of the "50-40-90 club," which consists of players who shot 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line for a season. 

While Harris may not have been able to break the 50-40-90 mark, he still put himself with some elite company. According to Stathead, only Larry Bird and Kevin Durant are the only other players in history to post Harris's averages and shooting splits in a season. 

.@tobias31 finished the regular season averaging 19.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG, while shooting 51.2 FG%, 39.4 3FG%, and 89.2 FT%.

Larry Bird and Kevin Durant are the only other players to reach those splits in the same season (h/t @Stathead). pic.twitter.com/0oIszw3mxe

— brianseltzer (@brianseltzer) May 18, 2021

Durant and Bird are not only two of the best shooters ever, but two of the best offensive players in history. Harris putting himself in the same breath as those two is a testament to how good he has been this season. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.