Josh Harrellson

Harrellson before a game, November 6, 2009
No. 55 – New York Knicks
Center
Personal information
Born	(1989-02-12) February 12, 1989 (age 23) St. Charles, Missouri
Nationality	American
High school	St. Charles HS (St. Charles, Missouri)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
College	Southwestern Illinois (2007–2008) Kentucky (2008–2011)
NBA Draft	2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45th overall
Selected by the New Orleans Hornets
Pro career	2011–present
Career history
2011–present	New York Knicks
Career highlights and awards
SEC All-Tournament Team (2011)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Josh Harrellson (born February 12, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 275 pounds, he played center for the Kentucky Wildcats from 2008 to 2011. He was selected by the New Orleans Hornets as the 45th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Knicks.

Harrellson first played organized basketball as a freshman at St. Charles High School. Coach Gary Wacker helped develop Harrellson's skills, and he was named a first-team All-State player his junior and senior years. He signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Western Illinois University, but never enrolled there, choosing instead to attend junior college at Southwestern Illinois College. After one year at Southwest Illinois, he was recruited to Kentucky by then-coach Billy Gillispie. Gillispie was fired after Harrellson's first season, and Harrellson played sparingly the next year under new coach John Calipari. Due to the ineligibility of star recruit Enes Kanter, Harrellson received significantly more playing time his senior year, during which he averaged 6.4 points per game and led the Southeastern Conference in rebounding with 8.8 per game. In the 2011 NCAA Tournament, he was named to the All-East Region Team.

Personal[link]

Josh Harrellson was born February 12, 1989 in St. Charles, Missouri.^[1] He is the son of Doug Harrellson, a construction worker, and Karen Harrellson.^[1][2] He has a brother named Matt and a sister named Ashley.^[2]

In August 2011, Harrellson risked his own personal safety and damage to his vehicle to prevent a drunk driver from driving and injuring others. [1]

High school[link]

Harrellson had never played organized basketball prior to 2003, his freshman year at St. Charles High School.^[3] St. Charles boys' basketball coach Gary Wacker noticed Harrellson, who stood six feet, four inches tall as a high school freshman, when he came to the football coach's office to ask about tryouts.^[4][5] When Harrellson showed up too late for football tryouts, Wacker encouraged him to try playing basketball.^[5] Wacker later recalled that, when he first started practice, he could not dribble or make a left-handed layup, and Harrellson himself conceded that he was "pretty much the worst player on the team."^[3] Before the end of his first season, however, he was playing on the junior varsity team, and by his sophomore year, he was playing with the varsity team.^[6]

Harrellson had a difficult home life, and eventually moved in with his AAU basketball coach.^[4] By his junior year, he had grown to 6 feet, 8 inches tall; he averaged 18.1 points and 11 rebounds for the season and was named a first team All-State player.^[3][6] After taking only one recruiting visit, he signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Western Illinois Leathernecks prior to his senior year.^[7] He averaged 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.6 blocked shots, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals during his final season of high school basketball, while leading St. Charles to the Class 4 state semifinals.^[8][9] He was named second team All-Metro by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was again named first team All-State.^[3][8] He finished his high school career with 1,325 points and 794 rebounds.^[9] After the season, he participated in summer workouts with University of Florida-bound Alex Tyus from nearby Hazelwood Central High School; during these workouts, he became convinced he could play basketball for a higher profile university.^[7]

College career[link]

Before enrolling at Western Illinois, Harrellson asked to be released from his letter of intent, citing rumors that head coach Derek Thomas was about to be fired and his desire to play for a higher profile school.^[3] Western Illinois refused to grant the request.^[10] Instead of playing for Western Illinois, Harrellson decided to matriculate to a junior college.^[3] His parents divorced following his high school graduation, and he chose Southwestern Illinois College because it was close to home.^[4][11] Harrellson joined future Alabama forward Chris Hines and future Minnesota guard Devron Bostick on the SWIC basketball team, and during the 2007-2008 season, he averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds.^[7][11] His team compiled a 28-5 record, won the Great Rivers Athletic Conference, and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association regional championship game.^[11] Harrellson was named first-team all-conference and all-region.^[3]

In March 2008, Western Illinois fired coach Derek Thomas, and Harrellson was released from his Letter of Intent in April of that year.^[3] Harrellson first expressed interest in transferring to the University of Missouri, but the school had no basketball scholarships available.^[10] He considered scholarship offers from Iowa, Iowa State, St. Louis, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.^[10] His final decision was between St. Louis and Kentucky.^[10] Despite his desire to stay close to home, in part because of his parents' recent divorce, Harrellson chose Kentucky because of the chance for better exposure, which he believed could lead to an opportunity to play professional basketball.^[10]

Billy Gillispie banished Harrellson to a bathroom stall during halftime of a game against Vanderbilt in 2009

In his first year at Kentucky, Harrellson played in 34 games, starting in 2.^[1] He was named to the Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team; he posted his first career double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) in the tournament's championship game against the West Virginia Mountaineers.^[12] The game was one of only six all season in which Harrellson tallied at least 10 points.^[5] At halftime of a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville on February 17, 2009, Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie ordered Harrellson to listen to the game plan from a bathroom stall.^[13] After the game, Gillispie made Harrellson ride back to Lexington in the equipment van instead of on the bus with his teammates.^[13]

Kentucky fired Gillispie at the end of the season, replacing him with John Calipari. Calipari quickly assembled a highly touted recruiting class that required more scholarships than Kentucky had to offer and held workouts to determine which of the players then on scholarship would best fit into his system.^[14] Sophomore A. J. Stewart and freshman Donald Williams decided to transfer, while senior Jared Carter decided not to apply for a medical redshirt.^[15] Harrellson impressed Calipari and remained on the team.^[13] However, playing behind Patrick Patterson, Demarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, and Perry Stevenson, Harrellson played a total of 88 minutes over 22 games during the season.^[16] He averaged 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, and his season high in points was five.^[1][5]

Following the 2009-2010 season, Harrellson and teammate Jon Hood played nine games in China as part of an exhibition team assembled by Campbellsville, Kentucky-based Sports Reach.^[17] Playing against teams from China and Russia, Harrellson averaged 13.1 points and 9.2 rebounds.^[17] He said that the experience boosted his confidence after receiving limited playing time during the previous season.^[17]

Harrellson grabbed 26 rebounds in the Blue-White scrimmage prior to the 2010-2011 basketball season.^[18] When asked about the performance, Calipari remarked, "Either we are the worst offensive rebounding team in America or he's gotten better." Harrellson took exception to Calipari's lack of praise and tweeted, "Just amazing to me I can't get a good job or way to go. Yes he has been working hard this off season ... It is just amazing to me but I look past it and keep trucking!"^[19] Calipari then ordered Harrellson to shut down his Twitter account and to do extra conditioning drills as punishment.^[20] Harrellson made these drills part of his regular workout and credited them for improving his physical condition.^[20]

Harrellson was pressed into playing heavy minutes by the NCAA's decision to rule teammate Enes Kanter ineligible for accepting excessive benefits from a professional team in Turkey.^[21] Harrellson started every game for the Wildcats during the 2010-2011 season.^[22] He achieved career highs in points (24) and rebounds (14) against in-state rival Louisville on December 31, 2010, but regressed once conference play began.^[23] He nevertheless led the conference in rebounding with 8.8 per game, and scored 6.4 points per game during the regular season.^[22][24] During the 2011 Southeastern Conference Tournament, he averaged 10.3 points per game and was named to the All-Tournament team.^[25]

In the 2011 NCAA Tournament, Harrellson averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds, including a 17-point, 10-rebound, 3-block performance against Ohio State All-American Jared Sullinger in the third round.^[26][27] He followed up with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and a career-high 4 assists in the regional finals against Tyler Zeller of the North Carolina Tar Heels, helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four.^[28] After the game, Harrellson was named to the All-East Region Tournament team along with teammates DeAndre Liggins and Brandon Knight, who was named the region's most outstanding player.^[29] In his final game as a Wildcat, a one-point loss to the Connecticut Huskies in the national semi-finals, Harrellson managed only 6 points and 4 rebounds.^[30]

Harrellson was invited to the 2011 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, widely regarded as a chance for college seniors to showcase their skills for NBA scouts, but withdrew from the tournament on the advice of University of Kentucky medical staff after the emergence of flu-like symptoms.^[19][31] Basketball analyst David Aldridge ranked Harrellson as the eighth best center available in the 2011 NBA Draft.^[32] He was projected as a possible early-to-mid second round pick in the draft.^[5]

While at the University of Kentucky he earned the nickname "Jorts" (slang for jean shorts) because he was often seen wearing them.

Professional career[link]

Harrellson was drafted in the second round (45th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets, but was traded to the New York Knicks for cash considerations reportedly between $700,000 and $750,000.^[33]

On December 31, 2011 he started for the first time for the injured Amar'e Stoudemire and achieved his first double double against the Sacramento Kings with 14 points, going 4-8 from the 3 point line, and 12 rebounds.

During the 2011-12 season, Harrellson was injured after appearing in 16 games. He missed several games to recover from wrist surgery. His first game back was on February 29, 2012, against the Cavaliers.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Josh Harrellson

• Aldridge, David (2011-05-16). "As usual, center crop has bevy of high risk-reward prospects". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/david_aldridge/05/16/big-board-centers/?ls=iref:nbahpt1. Retrieved 2011-05-17. 
• Astleford, Andrew (2011-03-30). "Missouri native Harrellson reaching NCAA peak". Fox Sports Midwest. http://www.foxsportsmidwest.com/03/30/11/Missouri-native-Harrellson-reaching-NCAA/landing.html?blockID=494021&feedID=3794. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Berman, Zach (2011-03-26). "Kentucky vs. Ohio State: Wildcats' Josh Harrellson comes up big against Buckeyes' Jared Sullinger". Newark Star-Ledger. http://www.nj.com/college-basketball/index.ssf/2011/03/kentucky_vs_ohio_state_wildcats_josh_harrellson_comes_up_big_against_buckeyes_jared_sullinger.html. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• Bozich, Rick (2011-03-31). "Kentucky's Josh Harrellson found new life in 'suicides'". Cincinatti.com. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110331/SPT0104/303300133/-1/external/Kentucky-s-Josh-Harrellson-found-new-life-suicides-?odyssey=nav. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• Clay, John (2009-05-16). "UK workouts are also tryouts". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Dortch, Chris (2011-04-04). "Social media helps Kentucky's Harrellson become NBA prospect". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/chris_dortch/04/02/josh-harrelson/. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Durando, Stu (2011-03-28). "Harrellson's change of heart lands him in Final Four". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/article_b339c244-19eb-5833-ba6a-6cb18d1fda9a.html. Retrieved 2011-03-30. 
• Fagan, Ryan. "The long and the jorts of it: UK's Harrellson grows up to dominate". The Sporting News. http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/feed/2011-03/final-four/story/the-long-and-the-jorts-of-it-uks-harrellson-grows-up-to-dominate. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Graves, Will (2011-02-08). "Josh's Journey Winding Down". The Gleaner. 
• Gump, Chris (2008-07-11). "New Cat Let Game Come to Him – Didn't Play Before Freshman Year". St. Charles Journal. 
• Harrellson, Josh (2011-04-05). "Harrellson withdraws from Portsmouth". UKAthletics.com. http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/040511aaa.html. Retrieved 2011-04-05. 
• Juliano, Joe (2011-03-31). "Kentucky's Harrellson turned season around after a mistake". Philadelphia Inquirer. http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-31/sports/29366320_1_josh-harrellson-enes-kanter-twitter. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• "Kentucky-North Carolina Postgame Notes". UKAthletics.com. 2011-03-27. http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032711aad.html. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• Megargee, Steve (2011-03-21). "Harrellson has become center of attention". Yahoo! Sports. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=sm-megargee_harrellson_has_become_center_of_attention_032111. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Mink, Nate (2011-04-02). "Kentucky's Harrellson stands tall despite defeat". NCAA.org. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2011/April/Final+Four+Focus+Kentuckys+Harrellson+stands+tall+despite+defeat. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Monter, Chris (2007-11-09). "Devron Bostick Scores 16 points in Opener". Scout.com. http://minnesota.scout.com/2/699979.html. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 
• Neunuebel, Greg (2009-01-01). "At the next level". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/stcharles/article_1ac92a6f-7978-5c25-b2c7-a3f6b589a4ab.html. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 
• "Player Profile: Josh Harrellson". UKAthletics.com. http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/harrellson_josh00.html. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• Schlabach, Mark (2011-03-27). "Josh Harrellson's turnaround key to UK". ESPN.com. http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=6251607&hcId=6186795&topId=null&y=1ah9h. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• Sheridan, Chris (2011-06-23). "Knicks purchase 45th pick from Hornets". ESPN. http://proxy.espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/5501/knicks-purchase-45th-pick-from-hornets. Retrieved 2011-06-24. 
• Story, Mark (2011-04-02). "Josh Harrellson's joy ride is over at Kentucky". Lexington-Herald Leader. http://www.kentucky.com/2011/04/03/1694834/josh-harrellsons-joy-ride-is-over.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2008-04-16). "Cats begin spring recruiting". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2010-11-06). "'Dumbest' move turns to gold". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2011-03-01). "Forgotten to formidable". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2009-05-27). "Four Cats leaving the program". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2011-02-11). "Harrellson appears to regain lost focus". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2008-04-30). "Harrellson commits to UK". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2008-11-06). "Harrellson's hoops career got late start - UK big man didn't start playing until ninth grade". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2009-10-06). "Last season in Harrellson's rear-view". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2010-06-10). "Two Cats get a chance in China". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tipton, Jerry (2010-10-28). "Young Cats learning do's, don'ts". Lexington Herald-Leader. 
• Tomasino, Dan (2011-03-28). "Kentucky's Harrellson draws cheers for role". The New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/harrellson_draws_cheers_for_role_VfNOnKk0s9vZreLLoOWhlJ. Retrieved 2011-04-01. 
• "Wildcats Return Home for Four Straight". UKAthletics.com. 2008-12-02. http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/120208aaa.html. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 

Chandler Parsons (born October 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Parsons played college basketball at the University of Florida, and was drafted by the Rockets in second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Early years[link]

Parsons was born in Casselberry, Florida. He attended Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, Florida, with future fellow Florida Gator Nick Calathes. Together, Parsons and Calathes helped the Lake Howell Silverhawks high school basketball team advance to the Florida Class 5A state basketball championship final four in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and win the state championship in 2007.^[1]As a senior, Parsons was a first-team all-state selection, and was recognized as the most valuable player of the state championship game after scoring thirty points and grabbing ten rebounds.^[1]

College career[link]

Parsons accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators men's basketball team from 2007 to 2011. During his freshmen season, Parsons played in 36 games averaging 8.1 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game, but the Gators failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

During the 2008-09 season, Parsons saw more playing time and his scoring, rebounding and assists all improved. The Gators once again failed to make the tournament though.

In Parson's junior season, he averaged 12.4 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game. The Gators made the NCAA Tournament, but lost to BYU in the first round.^[2] During the 2010–11 regular season, Parsons averaged 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds in 33 minutes a game while leading the Gators to the best regular season record in the SEC. On January 3, 2010, Parsons hit a seventy-five foot shot with no time left on the clock in overtime to give the Gators a one point victory over North Carolina State.^[3] Later in the season on January 23, the Gators trailed South Carolina by 1 when Parsons hit a three-point shot to give the Gators the win.^[4] On March 8, 2011, he was named the 2011 SEC Player of the Year, the first Florida Gator to win that honor.^[5] The Gators also made the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. In the first three rounds of the tournament, the Gators beat UC Santa Barbara, UCLA and BYU. In the Elite Eight, the Gators lost to Butler. Parsons was picked to the Fifth Team All-America by Fox Sports.^[6]

Professional career[link]

The Houston Rockets selected Parsons in the second round (38th pick overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Due to the NBA lockout, Parsons signed with Cholet Basket (France) in the 2011-12 Pro A season for a short term contract. In three games, he averaged 10 points and 2.3 steals.^[7]

During the 2011-12 NBA season Parsons appeared in sixty-three games, starting in fifty-seven, averaging 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.^[2] Following the season, Parsons was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.^[8]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	College basketball portal

• Florida Gators
• List of Florida Gators basketball players

References[link]