2014 NBA Draft: So Your Team Drafted Michigan State's Gary Harris

Congratulations! Your NBA team that stunk on ice last year just got a little bit better! Either that or your good team traded up and added a player who can help it get closer to a championship as early as next season. It's all good news, because your team just drafted Gary Harris.

Blessed with solid size, athleticism, and shooting ability, Harris will at the very least be a good defender in the NBA. He was able to stick with and even cause problems for fellow projected lottery pick Nik Stauskas when Michigan State faced off against Michigan in the 2014 Big Ten season. At 6'4", Harris has the frame and quickness to guard points as well as wings, but we know what you're really looking forward to is his offense.

2014 NBA Draft Story Stream

BTP's breakdown of the Big Ten prospects in the 2014 NBA Draft

Harris saw this three-point shooting drop from 41 to 35 percent between his freshman and sophomore seasons, but a big part of that was Harris becoming a more important part of the Michigan State offense and not just a spot-up shooter. As evidence of that, he bumped up his two-point shooting from 50 to 51 percent, got to the free throw line more, and assisted his teammates about twice as often as he did in 2012-13.

I can see Harris going through the same transition in his pro career. He might start out as a guy who just plays defense and shoots threes, but he'll eventually show off his athleticism more on offense, especially in transition, where he showed in 2014 he can be a devastating finisher.

So can Harris develop into a superstar player? Probably not, but he does have the tools necessary to make the All-Star Game a possibility down the road. The NBA is full of athletic wings who can shoot and play defense. Harris needs to continue the leadership and distribution skills he displayed in his sophomore year to set himself apart. If he can do that, he'll be well worth the first round pick your team just spent on Harris.