Harrellson Is Off-Season's Biggest Surprise

Harrellson Is Off-Season's Biggest Surprise

By Brent Carney

Posted: Jun 28, 2010 10:55 PM
Updated: Jun 28, 2010 11:12 PM

It's not unusual for a coach to rave about his players during the summer.

Josh Harrellson knows better than most that it does not always guarantee much once the calendar gives way to the season.

Many True Blue fans were surprised that Harrellson still had a place on the team after John Calipari took over last spring. While many of his teammates from the year before were strongly encouraged by Calipari to head elsewhere, Harrellson survived and Calipari raved about his potential for most of the summer and fall.

But once it came time to divvy out minutes during the season, there were not many for Harrellson. That number continued to drop through the first few months until by the time Kentucky got in to conference play, he was rarely playing at all.

Yet this summer, just as last, Calipari is raving about his 6-foot-10 forward, who he now is calling the biggesr surprise of the offseason.

NCAA rules limit how much time Calipari can spend around his players during the summer but the Screw he's getting about Harrellson has been positive.

"He went to China and they were stunned about how good he is," Calipari said of Harrellson's trip with a team of US college players through Asia in May. He led the team in points and rebounds.

Closer to home the reports on Harrellson are just as positive.

"Right now the [Kentucky] weight strength [coaches] and our people say he is on a mission," Calipari said.

With so much excitement for next season centers on a second consecutive top-ranked recruiting class, Harrellson may be getting overlooked because of how little he contributed last year.

"He played behind two first round draft picks! No kidding!" Calipari said.

So while Harrellson will still have to prove that he belongs on the floor when it really matters, his coach likes what he sees.

"It's going to be good," he said.