Tobias Harris on visit to UT: looking for best plan as player, student

Tobias Harris said he plans to make a verbal commitment before the start of his high school basketball season and could sign in the November early period.

But today the nation’s No. 1 power forward in the Class of 2010 will arrive in Knoxville to evaluate the Tennessee men’s basketball program on an official visit.

“I’m looking for the school that has the best plan for me as a player and a student,’’ said Harris, a 6-foot-8, 220-pounder out of Half Hollow Hills West High School in Dix Hills, N.Y. “I look at the system they play, and the trust and bond I have with the coaches.’’

Harris, rated No. 5 in the Rivals 150 and No. 9 overall by Scout.com, said he gained a great deal of insight when he attended the “elite” portion of coach Bruce Pearl’s basketball camp in June.

“I learned that coach (Pearl) is energetic, and I can see how he gets the best out of his players,’ ’’ Harris said. “Their fours (power forwards) really play, and they play the whole game. The system is good for them.

“Tyler (Smith) plays the four, but he can still play on the perimeter.’’

Harris has the same sort of inside-out game as Smith and shows the same ball-handling skills. A look at Harris’ YouTube video highlights reveals he also has the same high-arcing turnaround that has made Smith devastating in the lane.

Harris said he’s looking forward to being around the UT players this weekend to evaluate the team atmosphere.

As for the pomp typical of recruiting weekends, Harris said he expects to enjoy attending the football game against Georgia Saturday, but he doesn’t expect it to factor into his decision.

“That stuff doesn’t really affect me,’’ Harris said. “I’m looking at how the players interact and the atmosphere as a whole.’’

Harris has already said “no” to Connecticut, despite an in-home visit from Huskies coach Jim Calhoun.

“That the toughest part of recruiting,’’ Harris said, “saying “no” to the coaches.’’

The Vols, ironically, have a home-and-home series set up with Connecticut the next two seasons .

Tennessee also has a spot in next year’s preseason NIT, which concludes in Harris’ homestate of New York at Madison Square Garden. It has been speculated that Villanova, UCLA and North Carolina will be the other three teams to meet in the Big Apple, though there have been no confirmed published reports.

Harris said he liked Knoxville during his June camp visit, and he has no qualms about following in the footsteps of another New York legend, Bernard King, and playing his college basketball in the South.

“The SEC has gotten really big,’’ Harris said. “And I like it that coach Pearl has finished first or second in every league he’s ever been in.’’

If the Vols were to land Harris, Pearl would have a considerably better chance at extending that streak after this season.

Tennessee loses at least three starters and four seniors after the 2009-10 season — and it could be more.

Senior combo-guard Josh Tabb is indefinitely suspended, and may or may not return to the team this season or next season. Sophomore starting shooting guard Scotty Hopson expected to consider declaring himself eligible for the 2010 NBA draft, and the playing career of sophomore Emmanuel Negedu is likely over after he suffered a cardiac arrest on Sept. 28 and had a heart procedure performed on Tuesday.

The Vols have received verbal commitments in the Class of 2010 from point guard Trae Golden (Powder Springs, Ga.) and shooting guard Jordan McRae (Liberty County, Ga.).

Harris has already visited Syracuse and has a visit set for next weekend at Kentucky. He said he also has tentatively planned an official visit to Georgia Tech in November.

The other schools Harris is still listing as possibilities are Louisville, Maryland and West Virginia.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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