College Basketball

Michigan State Basketball: Gary Harris developing into star for Nuggets

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:45 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Fansided, Connor Muldowney/FanSided via Spartan Avenue

Former Michigan State basketball stud Gary Harris is developing into a star for the Denver Nuggets.

Michigan State basketball knew what it was losing a few years ago when Gary Harris decided to leave two years early for the NBA. Heck, just getting the former five-star for two seasons was surprising enough, but he left and was selected 19th overall by Chicago.

Must Read: MSU Basketball: 5 bold predictions for December

If the Bulls held onto Harris, he would be be teammates with 2016 NBA Draft choice Denzel Valentine. The two close friends, however, are in opposite conference because the Bulls traded Harris to the Nuggets on draft night.

Who would have guessed that trade would have been one of the best moves the Nuggets could have possibly made?

After a quiet rookie season in which he averaged just 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds on 30 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent from three-point range in 55 games, he really came to life in his second year.

Sophomore slump? Just the opposite, actually. Harris averaged 12.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while making 47 percent of his shots from the floor and 35 from three-point range. Oh yeah, and he started all 76 games that he played in.

To start his third year in the league, Harris found himself battling injuries. In fact, he sat out the first four games of the season, came back to play the next five and averaged 10.8 points and then was out again for a month.

Since he’s been back, the third-year player has been molding himself into a star and quite possibly the top player for the Nuggets. He’s averaging 14 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting a scorching-hot 54 percent from the field and 46 from three-point land.

In the three games since his return, he’s averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game and the Nuggets are 3-0. His hot shooting might lead this team from the basement of the Northwest Division to a playoff position.

Tom Izzo has to be proud of Harris’ progress and he’s just another feather in the cap that is his track record of getting guys ready for the NBA.

More from Spartan Avenue

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

College Basketball

Chicago Bulls

Denver Nuggets

National Basketball Association