Tyasha Harris' Throwback Style At Point Guard Is Refreshing
This piece does not reflect the views of the Minnesota Lynx front office.
Tyasha Harris: 5’10, G, University of South Carolina
College Stats in 2019-20:
33 games, 28.7 MPG, 12.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 42.6 FG%, 38.4 3P%, 85.7 FT%
Where she’ll go:
Harris will likely be taken in the second half of the first round of the 2020 draft.
The Rundown:
There are plenty of capable point guards in the 2020 draft class, but Harris still stands out because of her throwback floor general qualities.
Since her sophomore season, Harris has averaged at least 10 points and five assists per game. But Harris isn’t concerned with racking up her own accolades. She’d prefer to make those around her shine.
Their point guard’s mentality paid off for the Gamecocks during their 32-1 2019-20 season.
Frontcourt players Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and Aliyah Boston may be the first players we think of when we look back on this epic run by the Gamecocks, but Harris’ influence shouldn’t be forgotten.
No South Carolina player averaged more than 13.1 points per game this season, yet they were considered by some to be the best team in the nation. That’s Harris’ doing.
Harris averaged 5.7 assists per game in her senior campaign, holds the record for most assists in an SEC career and served as a calming presence on her team that hadn’t lost a game since Nov. 28.
You’d think a player who had the ball in their hands so often would turn the ball over frequently. Not Harris. The senior point guard averaged 2.03 turnovers per game in her final run, giving herself an impressive assist/turnover ratio of 2.81.
Harris’ greatest talent might be setting up her teammates, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a capable scorer herself. Harris’ 5’10 frame allows her to tower over most of her guard opponents, but she still has the speed of a smaller guard which she frequently utilizes on fast breaks.
However, Harris’ shooting efficiency could use some improvement. Harris finished her college career with a 41.7% career field goal percentage and a 32.8% 3-point percentage. She recorded her best 3-point percentage this past season at 38.4% (previous best came during her freshman season 33.3%), but she also attempted 28 fewer 3-pointers than she did as a junior when she went 39 for 127 from deep.
Will WNBA teams be willing to take a risk on Harris’ inefficient shooting in order to reap the benefits of her classic point guard style? Or will her resume not be enough for what modern WNBA teams are looking for in their point guards? We’ll find out on draft day.