The Charlotte Hornets are down to the NBA-mandated 15 players for opening night, and rookie guard Aaron Harrison is among them.
Harrison was the undrafted twin brother from Kentucky last summer; Andrew Harrison was selected 44th by the Phoenix Suns and was traded on draft night to the Memphis Grizzlies. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer detailed how Aaron was able to secure a spot for the Hornets' opener on Wednesday night, when they will visit the Miami Heat:
- "After going unselected in June’s draft, Harrison drew the Hornets’ attention in Orlando summer league. A 6-foot-6 guard, Harrison played mostly off the ball in his two seasons at Kentucky, but the Hornets used him as a point guard in Orlando. He showed a knack for getting to the rim off the dribble and has the length to be a solid defender. Harrison wasn’t a particularly good shooter at Kentucky, making just 41 percent of his shots from the field. He worked extensively with Hornets shooting coach Bruce Kruetzer over the summer to improve his 3-point range."
When small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had shoulder surgery in early October that will likely sideline him for the entire season, Charlotte brought in veteran swingman Damien Wilkens. Wilkens presented a threat to Harrison making the team, but Wilkins was waived Friday.
Harrison averaged 3.5 points playing in six of Charlotte's eight preseason games, which resulted in a 7-1 record.
