Missing the first nine games due to a suspension wasn’t easy for Jordan Harris.
Being that he’s one of just three seniors on the Georgia basketball team, that wasn’t the kind of start to his final year wearing the Red and Black that he wanted to have.
“It’s tough to sit out any game, for any reason. I just happened to be suspended,” Harris said before practice Friday. “It was tough watching the guys but I was able to watch a lot of ball, teach and show our guys all I know and all the information that I know and just help to guide them.”
Officially, the Iron City native was suspended for and not allowed to practice with the team for a “violation of team rules.”
“It sucked to sit out of the games but it was God just showing me something in a different way,” Harris said. “It was a bad decision that I made but I’ve put it behind me and haven’t looked back.”
Although he didn’t offer any details, Harris admitted the fault was all his.
“It wasn’t nothing crazy, just a mistake that I put behind me and I’m looking forward to a better day,” said Harris, who added he’s excited about being a positive role model to his younger teammates the rest of the year.
“You can say that. It was tough, but they always looked at me as a leader from Day 1,” Harris said. “For me it was just about being back on the court. I can take care of everything else. I’m back out there, it feels great being with my teammates, being with the coaches, I’m being coached hard again. I’m trying to be a positive impact.”
In the five games he’s played since coming back against SMU, head coach Tom Crean hasn’t wasted any time getting Harris back integrated into the lineup.
His 20 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to Kentucky tied the season high for the former Seminole County star who scored a season-best 10 points, dishing out three assists with three steals.
“What he's got to be as a tremendous defender. He's got to be on the glass. You saw the other night with the driving. I thought he did a better job the other night, but again, when you get overly anxious you start trying to hit a home run plays, and that's not the kind of team we have, that's not the kind of player that he is,” Crean said. “We need him to be the explosive athlete that he is. We need him to be the score defender rebounder that he can be, but most importantly be a face of stability out there for the team, especially with as many young guys as he's playing with.”
Graduate transfer Donnell Gresham Jr. hasn’t played with Harris long, but knows talent when he sees it.
“I see Jordan every day in practice and we know how good he is,” Gresham said. “But seeing him be successful since he’s gotten back it’s been very good for us.”
From an athletic standpoint, Gresham said only freshman Anthony Edwards compares.
“He brings tremendous athleticism, can rebound, can shoot, so he helps us in all facets of the game,” Gresham said. “We like to see him jumping and dunking. But he’s definitely at the top, him and Anthony.”
Harris smiled when told what was just said.
“I’m not surprised, but it’s great that he mentioned me because it’s always an honor to be mentioned with someone like Ant because he’s a freak,” Harris said. “Anthony is a freak athlete. … but if I had to tell the truth, I’d probably put us at the top two.”
