Believe it or not, he wasn’t asked about the football investigation.
The whole interview, conducted by Jason King, is too lengthy to post here so check out the whole thing here. We already knew Harrison Barnes had a good head on his shoulders and this interview only reaffirms that. Especially impressive is Barnes’ response to being asked about the fairness of the expectations on him as well as blame he might be getting for UNC’s losses. His answer? Absolutely not. It comes with the territory of being the #1 high school player at a school like UNC.
Below are a few quotes from the interview that speak to some discussions we have had around here about the best way for Barnes to function within the offense.
Q: Do you feel like you’re the same player as you were in high school? Are there things you did in the past that you’re just not doing now, like attacking?
A: “High school basketball and the AAU circuit and the all-star games … those are different than playing in college and playing in a system. I feel like, had I been making shots, people wouldn’t be saying the things they’re saying now. They wouldn’t be saying that they’re seeing a different side of me. It’s just a matter of missing shots and making them. I’ve been spending a lot of time watching tape. I see some things I could be doing to get my offense going.”
Q: Like what?
A: “I’ve been taking a lot of outside jump shots. Since my jump shot isn’t falling, I’ve got to find other ways to score. Whether it’s in transition, some inside post-ups, getting to the free-throw line – just any way I can find to score. If I can get my offense going, it will help everyone else.”
–
Q: Do you feel like you’re thinking too much? When you miss shots, do you start to press?
A: “I just need to get started early and get into the flow. The offense I’ve been trying to do hasn’t been in the rhythm of the team. I need to do a better job of getting involved with the game and getting out in transition and playing a fast-tempo game. Rather than trying to get on the wing and isolate, I need to move and play in the rhythm of the team.”
One comfort you can take is the fact Barnes has a grasp of what’s going on. I think it is only a matter of time before he puts it all together on the court.
