Dajuan "JUANDO" Harris



  • Needs to start. Garrett is better off the ball as well, just all around better for the team. He’s elite defensively in addition to helping the offense click with his passing.



  • How many games last year did Dave start until Bill finally gave up on the high-low, and made him exclusively a backup for Dok? It will be at least that long this year until Harris starts.

    Not that I disagree with you, but whose starting spot would he take besides Dave’s? Marcus, Ochai, and Braun will start every game this year, barring injury. Wilson is starting to look like the guaranteed 4th starter, although we’ll see about his consistency. But I think Bill will have to buy into small ball for Harris to get that starting PG spot. He will still get a lot of minutes, though.



  • @tundrahok Yeah, definitely over Dave and I agree it will take a long time if it even happens.



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    This is nuts. Small sample size but still…

    ETA: This only includes the first two games. Can’t imagine it changed a ton tonight but hopefully the guy that does this (Chris Stone) posts and update. Cool info.



  • I hope we get to play all our games this year. This team needs as many games as possible to come together.

    We don’t have an offense plugged in yet. We were just fortunate to get in a rhythm and exploit St. Joe. The Kentucky game looked more like the Zag game. An unformed offense just waiting for something to happen and when it doesn’t guys force up a shot.

    It looks like the easiest path to fix many of our problems is to keep Harris on the floor. Watch the game again… you’ll see how he won us several possessions… got the ball moving on open court finishes… and set up some people on offense. The ball doesn’t stick with him and the other guys need to speed up their passing and movements to open up offensive opportunities. I was impressed with Harris’ defense and he seemed to help others get it moving to where we shut down Kentucky in the second half.

    I’ve been saying this for a while now… Wilson is going to make his presence known on this team. He can have his shot blocked 10 times and it won’t stop him from being aggressive. The guy has one speed and if we didn’t have him going to the rack this was a bad loss. Athleticism isn’t everything. I’d take a hustle guy any day over untapped athleticism.

    David… poor David. It’s hard to not like him! He’s really trying hard. But he’s going to have to adapt a lot to help this team. It will help if we can start plugging in an offense. I kind of don’t like the idea of this team running strict on a packaged offense, but not sure if the flow will be there.

    Marcus was sick and it showed. I still question if he is a PG playmaker. And it was mentioned in this game that his focus on being a PG might sacrifice his defense… and that would be a real pity. I know I’d like to see him at the 2, where he belongs. Harris is a natural PG. The longer we hesitate from the obvious, the longer it will take for this team to figure the game out.

    Calipari looks silly in this game on timeouts when he is out on the court educating his players like they are little kids. I find his coaching style to be horrible and I can’t believe players want to go there and be patronized by him in public. Disgraceful.



  • Well maybe the counter position is that if we start small and it doesn’t work we are toast with Dave playing this poorly. He isn’t looking like a “spark off the bench” guy. Who will that be? Dave got 1 foul yesterday. If he comes off the bench, I expect that number should be more like 4 with 3 less layups by Kentucky.



  • Harris can play the role as an assassin off the bench.



  • @AsadZ said in Dajuan Ball Hawk Harris:

    Harris can play the role as an assassin off the bench.

    Were I a betting man, I’d live bet the hell out of KU games if this continues to be the case.



  • On a looking for a positive note for big Dave… he got some timely boards at the end and he’s our best thrower. I said last year I didn’t think we couldn’t depend on him, mostly cause of fouls. That’s better🤣





  • I’m eager to see us learn some offense. Running the chop constantly is getting old and teams quickly adapt to it. Once that happens it’s a real negative to run it because it wastes down a lot of the shot clock.

    One of the first plays I want to see us do is run the backdoor alley oops off the baseline screens. Seems like forever since we’ve seen that and those dunks always help jazz up the team. It’s also a great play that can involve Dave and he’ll get a lift by knowing he is doing something positive to help the team.

    When we run 5 guards, we have to do more than perch 5 guys on the trey line and throw the ball back and forth hoping the defense seams allow us to get a shot off. That’s some of the offense we ran years ago ineffectively. We need off-ball screens and motion away from the ball.



  • @drgnslayr Who is setting the screen? That’s the problem right now. Self will figure out an offense and have it going after Christmas, will be interesting to see where he goes with it.



  • @drgnslayr How’d you like the x-axis hawks beating the y-axis wildcats last night? Jalen seems and Harris seem to be excellent x-axis players and were really our only options to move the ball and score against a taller, higher jumping team.

    I agree with some others that I think Harris’s best role right now is going to be off the bench as a spark/change of pace. Self likes to win the tip and at least try to establish the inside to start the game so I will be SHOCKED if Dave comes out of the starting line up for the shortest guy on the team.



  • @tundrahok said in Dajuan Ball Hawk Harris:

    How many games last year did Dave start until Bill finally gave up on the high-low, and made him exclusively a backup for Dok? It will be at least that long this year until Harris starts.

    Not that I disagree with you, but whose starting spot would he take besides Dave’s? Marcus, Ochai, and Braun will start every game this year, barring injury. Wilson is starting to look like the guaranteed 4th starter, although we’ll see about his consistency. But I think Bill will have to buy into small ball for Harris to get that starting PG spot. He will still get a lot of minutes, though.

    Have to agree , Harris needs long quality minutes but also like you said who you taking out ? The kid though is instant fire/emotion/hustle - crazy on the defensive end - - - -very good assisting on offense . - To think we got this guy for 4 years can you imagine



  • @benshawks08

    Ha… you know I love seeing the x-axis burn the y-axis… even if it went down ugly. Our guys will have to learn to protect the ball better and not telegraph so much on their shooting in the paint. It’s something they will learn. We still have quite a few players that are feeling the game is sped up for them.

    It’s been kind of a yucky opening of the season for us… but gone are those easy bunny games to start off with to help with the jitters and build confidence. Washburn should be a fun game…

    Even though it’s been “eye-sore basketball” I do see a lot of things I like. Our guys don’t give up. They continue to go after it, even when they are getting a dozen shots blocked. They had moments in the second have of that Zag game where they competed toe-to-toe, which I give them credit because we had very little of anything to run and the Zags already are playing like they are in mid-season. Very polished. I’d like another crack at the Zags in March!

    I think you are right and that Harris will be more of a spark guy at first. It’s just typical of how Bill does things. Those starting slots have to be earned and showing promise in a few games isn’t enough yet. Self will want to push Harris to keep improving… and I think he has maybe the most upside potential of anyone on our team! The guy has a sense for the game I’m not seeing in anyone else.

    I’m going out on an early season limb here… I think Harris is going to end up being a real legacy player at Kansas! I think his size will keep him a 4-year player and he will create some big waves (with help from others)… and it may be Final Four waves eventually! Like I say… I’m out on a limb! lol



  • @drgnslayr said in Dajuan Ball Hawk Harris:

    I’m going out on an early season limb here… I think Harris is going to end up being a real legacy player at Kansas! I think his size will keep him a 4-year player and he will create some big waves (with help from others)… and it may be Final Four waves eventually! Like I say… I’m out on a limb! lol

    I’m going to go out on that limb with you and say that in a year where I find myself going to sports more than usual to find a kernel of pure goodness and inspiration, it’s there in the play of Dajuan and Wilson. A clarity of basketball mind that rings out like a harmonious chord or maybe a pentatonic scale when accompanied by Agbaji, Braun and Garrett. It’s soothing and familiar like runs of old, it is timeless and quiets the critic in me. It beckons me to bear witness, marvel, and enjoy.

    We may lose to Baylor, even badly, but I’m not watching this group to cut down the nets. I’m watching to experience the magic of 5 kids attuned to each other working their ass off, guarding hard, trusting each other and themselves and being resourceful, come what may.

    Those 5 on the court make me a better fan. And if the addition of one kid can make it all click into place, that kid is pretty special.



  • Best DRTG on the team btw.



  • 6.9 steals per 40…

    Not sustainable but to tell you how crazy that is the highest finish under Self is like a 2.5 from my quick glancing. Chalmers.



  • @Kcmatt7 He is going to SHATTER the program steal record if he plays 5 years.



  • @BShark said in Dajuan Ball Hawk Harris:

    @Kcmatt7 He is going to SHATTER the program steal record if he plays 5 years.

    just need to name him easy lol - -as it looks pretty easy for him on the defensive end. mercy I think we really gonna like this kid before it’s all said and done - -Hell I already like him



  • @BShark said in Dajuan Ball Hawk Harris:

    @drgnslayr Who is setting the screen? That’s the problem right now. Self will figure out an offense and have it going after Christmas, will be interesting to see where he goes with it.

    That’s a screen for Big Dave to set. And if his big man switches then we have Mac in the post with a mismatch… and we have some guys that can jump well for the dunk, like Agbaji.



  • @drgnslayr Dave is horrible at setting screens though, maybe the worst 5 we’ve ever had at it under Self.



  • @BShark

    You are right. But it’s a lot easier to set a low off-ball screen than a high ball screen. If he can’t set that without drawing the offensive foul… he’s in trouble!



  • He needs to calm down, but idk if he has it in him. The pressure on him to replace Udoka is I think part of what is making him as bad as he has ever been.



  • We are lucky for every game we get with Harris in it. He has “old man wisdom” out there. He understands deception! He puts on a show to draw the pass or the dribble. Man… we are going to have one heck of a time watching him pull his magic out there!



  • @BShark

    Right on! He plays sped up while he is in a game that still moves fast for him. I think he’s lacking confidence, too. It will help tremendously if we can use him to screen in plays where he isn’t fouling, etc. Anything to help him execute successfully on the floor because it will help him with confidence and knowing he is contributing to the team.

    He will never be anything like Doke or have that to offer. He has to make the best of his size and skill set. We sure miss having Danny Manning as an assistant right now. He would surely help him considerably… especially with his biggest fault… foot work!

    Dave doesn’t get a free pass and we have to stay on him to correct his game. It’s for his own good and I’m sure he wants to play at the next level. He can do the right thing and work on his weak areas and he can have a successful basketball pro career. Just not sure it will be NBA. But who knows? I really think it would help him to take dance lessons… not only to help him with foot coordination, but also to bend and use his body in other ways so he’s not playing so stiff.

    I look at Dave out there and it makes me think of “cow tipping.”





  • @BShark I guess the question is, what exactly is Dave good at 😂?



  • @BShark

    I see some Rondo. Juando will just have to learn to go stronger to the rack and know how to finish to seal that comparison. But he’s so young and time to learn. Guys like him who have that innate knowledge of the game at a higher level usually advance their games at a quick pace. I’m certain every year he is here we will see a different, much-improved player because that is typical for players like him.

    One thing is for sure… we are in for some incredible play while he’s here… so enjoy every minute of it!



  • Need more Juando tbh



  • Hopefully not Juan-and-Dondo 😉



  • @BShark

    right back to the bencho after 7 assists. Self loves him some Marcus. Jamari 2.0



  • We should be very excited that Harris could be here another 4 years…



  • @BeddieKU23 said in Dajuan "JUANDO" Harris:

    We should be very excited that Harris could be here another 4 years…

    Guard to guard lob dunks with Cuffe. 👀



  • They definitely still need another guard. But Harris playing the way he has at least gives you a bit of confidence for next season.



  • @BShark said in Dajuan "JUANDO" Harris:

    @BeddieKU23 said in Dajuan "JUANDO" Harris:

    We should be very excited that Harris could be here another 4 years…

    Guard to guard lob dunks with Cuffe. 👀

    Tyshawn to EJ like?




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