Getty Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the first quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 2022 in New York City.
Few players have seen their role change as much as Tobias Harris throughout his five seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 11-year veteran has been a well-respected player for the duration of his career, holding averages of 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds throughout his time in the NBA. However, in recent years he has done an impressive job of making the necessary alterations to his style of play to fit what the Sixers need. The situation has drastically changed around Harris- with him remaining on the team throughout the Al Horford era, Ben Simmons trade, Tyrese Maxey addition, and more- and he was forced to adapt with it.
Harris recently joined the Rights to Ricky Sanchez Podcast where he gave a window into his mindset for the adaptations he has made. He revealed he set a goal this season to attempt eight three-pointers per game, a notable uptick as his previous career-high is 5.6 per game during the 2017-18 season. The Tennessee product also spoke on his belief that his defense is underrated as well as going fairly in-depth with his impact on the team. Harris also admitted that it is difficult for himself and all players to hear their names mentioned in trade talks and was open throughout the interview.
damn, 1 minute & 57 seconds into the interview
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Harris’ Mental Struggles
While the changes have been clear, it does not mean it has been easy. As he put it on the pod, “It was definitely a struggle because it was like, I’ve had success in my game playing a specific way. People say, ‘Describe your game. Like, how would you play?’ And for me, it’s just one word: flow. Like, in the flow of the game, you can put me in a position to post up, you can put me in pick-and-rolls to create, to come off. I’ve always been very efficient in the midrange and whatnot.”
Two of the notable changes have been his quick decisions, especially off of the catch-and-shoot, as well as making an effort to dunk the ball more often. Harris joked that his desire to dunk to the ball more often stemmed from hearing the comments that he was losing his athleticism. The 30-year-old mentioned he tries to get at least one slam per game. These have been notable, especially on a Sixers team which is oftentimes overly reliant on jump shots and finesse in their style of play.
James Harden finds Tobias Harris on the Alley-oop and the bench was loving it!
Finding Peace and Making an Impact On Court
Despite the difficulty in making these changes, Harris is satisfied with the impact he is making. his team-first mentality has always shined throughout his career. As he put it, “I’ve always been somebody, whatever you ask of me, I want to do.”
how often is doc practicing zone 🤔
So far this season he is averaging 16.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and a career-high 1.2 steals per game. Harris is connecting on 39.5% of his three-pointers while attempting 5.4 long-range shots per game. While the 5.4 three-pointers are the most he has attempted during his time with the Sixers, and make up just under 42% of his shots overall, he still has a ways to go to reach his goal of eight per game.
While James Harden and Joel Embiid will be the key to determining the Sixers’ ceiling, Harris will be vital to the team moving forward. The gravity the duo command further maximizes the value of the three-and-D style of role players which Harris is growing into. He has hit some big shots already this season and will continue to be tested as the year progresses. It is great to see him embracing the role the team needs him most, and both Harris and the Sixers are benefitting as a result.