CHICAGO — At the start of the season, there were doubts about whether Kansas basketball guard Dajuan Harris Jr. would take enough shots.
Harris didn’t have a single shot in the No. 1 Jayhawks’ season opener, a 99-56 win against North Carolina Central, and had a limited mark in the next game, a 99-61 win against Manhattan. Despite that, Harris displayed an incredible offensive performance.
However, his performance in an 89-84 win against No. 16 Kentucky (2-1) in Chicago on Tuesday could change the narrative. Harris scored a career-high 23 points. He made 7-of-12 shots from the field, 5-of-6 from behind the arc, and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line.
“That was big-boy basketball,” said Harris, a redshirt senior. “That’s always a fight, a dogfight, every time we play them. But they — I think they wanted me to beat them. They left me open. And then I just had to step up and make the shot.”
Harris scored most of his points during a second half that saw Kansas (3-0) mount a comeback after trailing by seven points at halftime. His impressive performance in the comeback earned him praise from coach Bill Self.
It’s too early to make sweeping judgments about what Harris’ performance means for Kansas, but it’s worth noting that last season, Harris finishing in double figures scoring resulted in an impressive 17-1 record for the Jayhawks. His performance might make opponents reconsider giving him so much space on the court.
This could also mean more room for senior center Hunter Dickinson to maneuver. Against Kentucky, he achieved a 27-point and 21-rebound double-double, showcasing the potential of the duo playing together.
“He makes it easier for me, (Kevin McCullar Jr.) and KJ (Adams Jr.) because we’re all three playmakers and pass the ball,” Harris said about Dickinson. “And then coach — we have one of the best playbooks in the game. So, we just throw it up to Hunter. He’s the 7-footer, what we needed last year, and he has one of the softest touches in the country. So, just give him the ball. We know he’s going to make something happen. He’s a great passer, too, so he had a great game for us.”
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
Olivia Wilson is a trendsetter in the world of digital culture. With an eagle eye for emerging trends and viral phenomena, she keeps readers up-to-date with the latest online sensations, memes, and pop culture trends. Olivia’s passion for staying ahead of the curve is infectious.
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