Orlando Magic guard Tyler Harvey will have to fight hard
By S.W. Guest
While Tyler Harvey‘s route to the NBA was more challenging than most, his route to regular NBA minutes may prove more challenging still.
Selected 51st overall by the Orlando Magic, Eastern Washington alum Tyler Harvey led the NCAA in scoring last year, averaging, 23.1 points per game on 46.9 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from deep.
In fact, Harvey’s scoring led the Eagles to a 14-4 conference record and the Big Sky Championship, after they beat the Montana Grizzlies in the finals. Making their first tournament appearance in 10 years, the Eagles went on to lose to the Georgetown Hoyas in the second round, a game in which Harvey lit up the scoreboard for 27 points.
Up against a superior opponent, it was a gutsy performance from the senior. One that saw him make 9 of 20 field goal attempts and 6 of 12 from deep – not a bad end to the college career for a player who almost gave up on the game altogether after failing to make his high school team because he measured just he measured just 5-foot-4 at the start of his freshman year.
It also told us everything we need to know about Tyler Harvey: He can flat out score the rock.
And if there is one thing Orlando needs right now, it is players who can put the ball in the basket.
That is why Rob Hennigan and company took Mario Hezonja with the fifth overall pick. But while Hezonja is all but guaranteed playing time, Harvey will have to fight for every second he gets — especially as there is no guarantee he will even make the roster with the likes of Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier and even Devyn Marble all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Marble might actually be a good role model for Harvey. The Iowa Hawkeyes product, selected 56th overall in 2014, spent the majority of last season playing for the Magic’s D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks. However, he also made 16 appearances (seven starts) for Orlando last season, averaging 2.3 points per game in those appearances.
Harvey should take heart from that, as Marble’s involvement proves hardwork and dedication can result in NBA experience.
Furthermore, Marble’s talents are less tangible than Harvey’s, who should be able to make an impact simply by putting points on the board.
If his involvement at this year’s Summer League is anything to go by that should not be too difficult for him either. After a slow start, during which, it should be noted, he played limited minutes, Harvey erupted during his fourth appearance, scoring 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 4 of 7 from deep against the Indiana Pacers.
Although he was unable to repeat the feat in his fifth and final appearance, that game alone enabled the young guard to showcase his potential. He proved himself capable of knocking down contested shots from all over, while notching five assists in the process.
Though Harvey’s ability to put points on the board has never been in question, it is perhaps his development on the other end of the floor that will determine how likely he is to earn a spot on the Orlando Magic’s roster.
Although by no means a terrible defender, at just 6-foot-4 Harvey is undersized for a 2-guard and should expect to encounter problems when matching up against the NBA’s best at that position.
Furthermore, he is not exactly an elite athlete either (Harvey logged a vertical leap of just 2-foot-4 ahead of this year’s draft, for instance) but developing this aspect of his game by, say, adding strength enough to fight through screens or working on his explosiveness could help cover up a multitude of sins.
These weaknesses alone are enough to ensure Harvey spends the majority of next season plying his trade against D-League opposition. But, as his college coach Jim Hayford (he who invited the sharpshooter along to Eastern Washington as a walk-on after he failed to attract much attention out of high school) points out:
"Quickness, athleticism, defense, as it relates to the next level, I don’t know about that. But I do know two things: You won’t find a better shooter. And No. 2, you’re not going to find a person as well rounded and perfect for an NBA locker room. As a person, Tyler is a first-class guy. Any team would love to have him—on the court, in the community, and in that locker room. They don’t come any better."
Those personal attributes, combined with the strong work ethic that ensured he went from being an undersized high school freshman to the player who led the NCAA in scoring last year, could go a long way to securing Tyler Harvey’s future in the NBA.
There is still a lot of work to be done and Harvey’s route to regular NBA minutes is not going to be an easy one. But, based on what we know about him that may not be such a bad thing.