Kentucky Basketball: Calipari Era top four shooting guards

1. Aaron Harrison

Yes, you have done messed up if this Harrison brother isn’t your pick for the starting shooting guard spot on Kentucky’s Godfather lineup. At 6’6, Aaron presents an elite two-way player who can guard up to four positions effectively on defense and specializes as a three-point sniper on offense. Other choices may wow you with ridiculous box scores and glamorous scoring outbursts but no two guards over the past decade embody winning like Aaron Harrison. The big-bodied twin wasn’t an efficient scorer and actually saw his numbers decrease across the board from his freshman to sophomore season. Additionally, Aaron is the worst scorer on this list statistically/analytically. He never averaged above 13 per-game and in his second year, Harrison achieved a scoring average of exactly 11 points per-contest while shooting just 31.4% from three.

By all statistical measures, this is a ludicrous choice. That’s where our vessel departs the seas of black and white numerical standards and enters the gray area–the sportswriter territory, where I actually explain a given player’s impact rather than read a statistical rap sheet.

Aaron Harrison without question is the most clutch Kentucky player of this decade. Shoot (that is, in fact, a pun), Harrison is probably clutchest player in the history of the program. With three profound strokes, Aaron immortalized himself in 2014. The corner three against Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen with 40 seconds left as Russ Smith dove past him. The dagger from a few feet behind the arc against Michigan in the Elite Eight with Caris LeVert’s outstretched hand just whiskers away. And, of course, down two against Wisconsin in the National Semifinal, six seconds left, “this is the point where he always hits it.” Bingo, Jim Nantz.

Those three strokes of genius in March 2014 alone are enough to elevate a college basketball player into the Pantheon of exaltation. After 2014, Aaron and his brother held excellent draft status but forewent their NBA dream to return to Kentucky and try to grant BBN its ultimate dream: a championship. It took tremendous sacrifice from Aaron. He accepted fewer minutes and a diluted role offensively for the betterment of Kentucky’s national title hopes. Aaron Harrison knew he was forfeiting potentially millions of dollars and would likely fall in the draft given his diminished role in 2015, but he returned nonetheless. And that team lost 1 game. By mere record, they are the greatest team in the history of the program. Chew on that next time you think about criticizing Aaron or his brother in Kentucky Basketball context.

Reasons to Pick Aaron Harrison: C.L.U.T.C.H. Selfless, physical/smart defender, great rebounder for a guard, three-point shooting, size/versatility (6’6)