Harrellson never worried about not being back
October 14th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
Josh Harrellson knows plenty of folks are surprised he’s still on the University of Kentucky basketball team, but he’s not one.
The junior center never worried that new coach John Calipari would ask him to leave because he wouldn’t fit into the offense and he thought playing for Calipari would be a boost for him after one year under former coach Billy Gillispie.
“I think what gave me the confidence I would stay was everybody doubting me about why I wouldn’t stay. That just made me put my head down, start grinding and working even harder. I built confidence. I was playing better. I had more freedom and started playing a lot. I think the criticism motivated me,” said Harrellson.
“It surprised me a little that so many people thought I wouldn’t be back, but I could see where it was coming from with players we had coming in and players we had back. I didn’t perform great last year. I had games where I played well, but I didn’t play especially good. Hopefully this year I can play consistently well.”
He thinks experience will have a role in Calipari’s system even with the arrival of six talented newcomers.
“Coach Cal kept us (experienced players) all around for a reason We have been through the battles. The freshmen are all great players and deserve what they are getting media-wise, but don’t forget about us. We are still here,” Harrellson said.
“I did not get to play enough last year to have any consistency. One mistake and I was out of the game. It was hard to come off the bench and play cold. One mistake and I would come out and not get the chance to get hot and confident,” Harrellson said. “I never really understood why I kept coming out and never got to go back in, but I guess there was a reason for it.”
He never understood why Gillispie singled him out for so much criticism in a loss at Vanderbilt last year, either. He finally admitted that the UK coach made him stay in a bathroom stall during the halftime break and then had him ride an equipment van home rather than travel with the rest of the team.
“I just don’t know why he did all that. He was just mad. He was mad because of how the team was playing. He was just frustrated with team. I don’t understand what happened. It is a new year and the leash is gone now. I don’t have to worry about all that stuff happening now,” Harrellson said.
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19 Responses to “Harrellson never worried about not being back”
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[...] Posted in Kentucky Basketball | October 14th, 2009 Larry Vaught of VaughtsViews.com catches up with Josh Harrellson. Read article. [...]
I will admit that as soon as Cal was hired I made a list of my predictions on who would not be back next year. I am ashamed to say that Josh was at the top of that list. It was not based on anything other than the fact that he just didn’t seem to have the “IT” that Cal would require of a player. I spent the whole season bad-mouthing the fact that BCG would punish a player for any small mistake and bench them immediately. I failed to take this into account when evaluating Josh. That was not fair. I am extremely happy to find out I was wrong about his abilities. I knew that he was a great young man and I am happy that he gets to stick around and prove what a total moron BCG really was. I am so sorry for the abuse that Josh had to endure and it breaks my heart to hear this kid still making excuses for BCG. That is the classic behavior of an abused person. But it is all behind him now and as miserable as he was last season, he will be ten times as happy that he stuck around for this season. Nobody puts Baby in a corner and nobody puts Josh in a stall!!! Great article Larry. GO JOSH AND GO BIG BLUE!!!!!
[...] Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger reports that Josh Harrellson could never figure out why he was singled out. [...]
Jim, it was the benching and the pressure that Gillispie applied that makes me think that Liggins will be a different player too. Calipari loves big men that can hit the jumper, and I believe that’s a big reason why we see Josh back.
I always blamed BCG for Josh’s lack of production. If people were really watching the games you could see the players spent to much time looking to the bench. They had bad body language and I argued with a vast majority of UK fans that last years team was mentally beat down. The common response was Tubby left us nothing so you can’t blame the coach. Now I find myself defending Liggins the same way. I like that he is your surprise pick as a starter. Larry could you go out on a limb and tell the BBN why you think he could be that 5th starter? You are a respected member of the BBN so they might(not) listen to you. GO BLUE OR STAY HOME
carlos, I think the same way about Liggins. In fact, I don’t think we are going to recognize any of our returning guys this season. They are going to be like totally different players.
I think Cal is going to like LIggins’ versatility and I think he may want to find out early just what he can and cannot do. The kid is hungry for redemption and I think Cal can capitalize on that. And don’t feel alone Jim about Josh. NOt many thought he would be back, but I think Carlos nailed the problems.
It is just hard to see Josh playing in regular action. His ability to shoot the 3 makes him a good option at the 4 spot, but is he athletic enough? If he is in at 4, that means Cousins or Orton is there at 5. Will that be enough speed to get up and down the floor? Cal typically likes athletic 4 men with one big bruiser at 5.
That is all I worry about with him, but even so, he could play some this year, and then be a decent contributor next year. I’ll pull for him either way.
It’s what I’ve been saying all along… the guys were mentally and emotionally stressed, and therefore, couldn’t perform physically up to their potential. Remember, some of these freshmen won’t be around in the following years, yet some of our former players may be… even Patterson may be back next year- don’t count it out, at this point in time. (who thought he would come back this year, last March?)(and who really thought that Meeks would not return this year?) Well, here we are on the brink of a whole new ball game. GO BIG BLUE… forever.
Fair worry Kent and I don’t think Josh will play 25 minutes a game. but in spot roles, he could be a huge help because as Ky Wildcat noted, it’s going to be a whole new game with Cal
53 hours and counting…
Can’t get here quick enough
Kent, you make a good point. I believe we will see Josh as more of a situational player. He’s not going to be taking his man off the dribble, so that limits him a bit in the DDM offense. However, when a team goes zone, Josh is the perfect guy to have catching the ball in the gaps and burning people with the 15 footer. He will also draw a big out on him, and that will open up Patterson and/or Cousins underneath. Josh commands respect away from the basket, and he will be used to press teams into coming out of their zone.
I agree Carlos and could never figure out why Billy G. didn’t try to use him that way. After all, almost every player kept raving about how Josh shot the ball last year
LONG TIME READER,FIRST COMMENT.FRIST, LARRY IT’S A PLEASURE TO READ ANYTHING YOU WRITE. I MEAN I CAN TAKE THE NEGATIVE IF IT’S FACT. BUT THATS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE WITH C.CAL. ONE OTHER THING,YOU SIR. ARE ONE OF THE FEW THAT REPLY’S BACK TO NEARLY EVERY COMMENT. THANK YOU!!! NOW TO THE SUBJECT,I HAVE SEEN WHAT THIS KID CAN DO IF GIVIN THE CHANCE. NO KID CAN HAVE A BREAK OUT GAME WITH ONE EYE ON THE COURT AND ONE EYE ON THE SIDELINE. THUMBS UP KID YOU SHOW US ALL. G0 CATS…. P.S. SORRY ABOUT ALL THE CAPS. IN NEVER,NEVER LAND I GUESS…LOL
Thanks for the great comments and I do try to reply because I appreciate everyone who reads and takes the time to comment. Great points you make
The way bg treated Josh is sad,that low life has no business coaching young men,no human being should be treated that way,I think this story should be published nationaly,and I wish some of the other players would come out and tell how he treated them,hopefully he will never get another coaching job any where,it just makes me sick to think someone could be that cruel and heartless.
Heres hoping Josh has great year,he deserves it.
Conley I have been surprised other players have not said more because there were many more incidents. I wish they would share them, too. And I will relay your wishes Catfan55 to Josh. He will appreciate that