Reading And Reacting: Montrezl Harrell’s Forte

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Montrezl Harrell’s offensive game is still a work in progress. After knocking down a trio of threes in Louisville’s first game of the season (a very promising sign for his development) he has failed to make a perimeter shot since. As a result, he is more like the player we saw last season, one who relies heavily on outworking his opponent to create scoring opportunities.

While that lowers Harrell’s NBA ceiling and hurts his chances of being a lottery pick in the upcoming draft — assuming that he doesn’t showcase an improved jump shot over the course of the season — there is one thing that he excels at on the offensive end that should transition well to the next level: reading a defense and finding open seams to put himself in scoring position. It’s something he displayed on Tuesday night against Indiana, when he scored 21 points on 10-for-13 shooting in the Cardinals’ 94-74 victory.

Despite being slightly undersized for his position, Harrell is a smooth combination of athleticism and power. If he’s able to catch the ball near the basket, he’s very hard to stop because he gets off the floor quickly, he can power his way through defenders, and he finishes plays with authority. That’s why it’s important he finds ways to maximise those skills as he continues to fine tune his game.

In the half court, Harrell doesn’t necessarily look to attack the defense. Rarely will you see him post-up or put the ball on the floor to make a move towards the basket. Instead, he positions himself where he can take advantage of his strengths. His head is constantly on a swivel as he reads the defense and looks for any openings. Most of the time that means standing just outside of the key on the baseline when a teammate either catches the ball at the high post or drives towards the basket. This forces Harrell’s defender to make a split-second decision. If he leaves his assignment to help out, Harrell can step in for an easy two. If he sticks with Harrell, there’s plenty of space for his teammate to operate on the low block.

It serves Harrell well in other areas of the game, too. He is one of the best rebounders in the nation because he knows how to read the ball and he gets himself into good position. Similarly, he doesn’t just dart to the basket on pick-and-rolls. He changes his speed depending on how the defense is reacting and how far the ball handler can get into the paint.

While there is plenty of room for Harrell to grow, both as a defender and an offensive threat, he is still too raw to be relied upon to create his own shots on a nightly basis. That much was clear when Louisville hosted Ohio State on December 2nd. The Buckeyes outscored the Cardinals in the second half, 37-29, and nearly pulled off a come from behind victory. Louisville’s offense became stagnant because they were no longer hitting outside shots and Harrell wasn’t given the room to roam around the paint like he’s used to. While he’ll have more of a backseat role in the NBA, it’s why he’ll need a good supporting cast around him.

However, the promising sign is that many of Harrell’s weaknesses can be worked with. The important thing is that he has the tools to develop into a potent offensive threat and that he understands the game. Being able to read and react to defensive coverages as well as he already does is proof that he is an astute prospect.