NBA: 10 under the radar players to look out for in 2015-16
By Tom West
Harrison Barnes
By no means is Harrison Barnes forgotten about. He was a key part of the Warriors team that won an NBA championship this year and dominated their opponents all year long with a win differential of +10.1. However, did the growth of Barnes’ game get as much attention as the praise surrounding Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr, and reigning MVP Stephen Curry? No.
As the Warriors brought small-ball to the forefront of the NBA, the 6’8″ Barnes played a vital role in their historic 67 win season. His versatility was on full display after splitting his time between power forward, small forward and center. Due to his hard work at both ends of the court, strength to hassle players like LeBron as he did in the Finals, improved shooting and fierce athleticism, Barnes was far more important to the Warriors than some may realize.
If it wasn’t for the Splash Brothers, maybe that wouldn’t be the case. However, Barnes still did all that Kerr could have asked of him.
He emerged as another 40 percent three point shooter for the Warriors, shot a career best 48.2 percent from the floor, as well as averaging career highs in points (10.1) and rebounds (5.5). Of course, he won’t be a star in Golden State when there’s so much competition, and where every player has a role and they stick to it. As is often the case, though, certain players steal all the attention.
If it wasn’t for Barnes, the Warriors would have had a far harder time winning 67 games. Furthermore, if Barnes continues his upward trajectory, the end result after another year or two is exciting.