” I know there's a lot of young talent in this group and I really want to try to get the most out of it. » This is how it is expressed Harrison Barnes who, like the other veteran recruit, Chris Paul, did not hesitate for long to commit to the Spurs, ” a top-notch franchise in every way “.
Among the young talents that the former Kings player refers to, he knows one better than the others: Harrison Ingram. Drafted in the second round last June (48th pick), the rookie arrives from North Carolina, where he finished his university cycle after two years at Stanford.
Harrison Barnes also wore the Tar Heels jersey during his two seasons at the university (2010-2012) before being drafted by the Warriors (7th pick in 2012). The two men were able to meet for the first time in June 2023 when they faced each other during the annual summer camp game of the establishment between former and current members of the team. A memorable memory for the rookie.
“ This is Harrison Barnes from the championship-winning Warriors team. (2015), from UNC, a former first-round pick, he comes in the room – everybody knows who he is – and he does his job, giving it his all on every play. You look at a guy like that, an NBA champion, who's made hundreds of millions of dollars (editor’s note: 184 million) playing basketball, and you see how hard he works in the offseason. It's easy to see him as an example “, marvels the Dallas native..
An “iron man” as a model
The way Barnes and Ingram speak about each other shows that the Harrisons have already developed a bond together. He's an incredible human being. I'm a huge fan of his. We had the opportunity to meet last summer and he's hilarious, as you know or will know. He's going to work very hard. “, thus situates the older of the two.
The latter will undoubtedly have some advice to give the rookie in terms of physical condition: the 32-year-old player has just signed two full seasons in a row with the Kings, 82 games each time. Over the last three years, he has participated in 222 consecutive games – as a starter each time – which is the second longest current streak behind Mikal Bridges (472).
Having already seduced Harrison Ingram, Barnes intends to do the same with others. The best way to connect with players is to go through the same process they do. It's going to the gym, it's the cold baths, it's the bus rides, it's the plane rides, all that kind of stuff. You have to get to know guys on a personal level before you get into the basketball game. “, judges this model teammate who knows what he is talking about.
