Tennessee coach Rick Barnes believes Juke Harris has the talent to make a significant impact for the Volunteers. The challenge, he says, is getting the Wake Forest transfer to stop putting so much pressure on himself.
Harris showed signs of settling in during the second half of Tennessee’s season-opening win over Wofford. He finished with seven points, four rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes.
After going scoreless in the first half, Harris scored all seven of his points after halftime, shooting 2 of 3 from the field and making both free throw attempts. He also finished with a team-best plus-29 rating.
For Barnes, the difference came when Harris stopped worrying about expectations and started playing freely.
“I just want to see you let it go. Just play, man. Just play. Take your shots,” Barnes said of his halftime message to Harris.
Harris also came off the bench in his Tennessee debut, a decision Barnes said was not intended to send a message. Instead, he opted to stick with the starting lineup that performed well in the team’s exhibition against Davidson.
“I’m not really concerned about who starts,” Barnes said. “We’ll determine who starts if that’s important by film. Film will determine that for us.”
Barnes compared the pressure surrounding Harris to what previous Tennessee standouts experienced when arriving with significant expectations. He believes Harris is working so hard to be a good teammate that he sometimes passes up opportunities to showcase his offensive ability.
“He’s turned down shots that he needs to take,” Barnes said. “He’s a really good basketball player. He just got to let it go.”
Barnes also praised Harris’ defensive improvement, particularly his effort fighting through screens in the second half.
That change did not go unnoticed by his teammates.
Following the win, Tennessee guard Tyler Lundblade pointed to Harris’ second-half performance as an example of what happens when the junior allows the game to come naturally.
“He’s too good of an offensive player to be uptight or stressed about that,” Lundblade said.
Lundblade, who connected with Harris for a corner 3-pointer in transition, said the moment reflected a noticeable change in his teammate’s confidence.
“He definitely loosened up in the second half, and that’s how we need him to be,” Lundblade said. “That was a big shot. I was pretty fired up after that one.”
For Lundblade, the adjustment is also about understanding the talent surrounding Harris.
With several players capable of creating offense, he believes Tennessee does not need individuals forcing opportunities.
“We don’t have to force anything. Let the game come to us,” Lundblade said.
Sophomore forward Dewayne Brown II echoed that message, emphasizing the importance of trusting Barnes and adjusting to a roster filled with talented players.
“You got to trust the coaching,” Brown said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s been doing it for a long time.”
Brown acknowledged that the transition can be difficult for newcomers accustomed to being the primary option on their previous teams.
“When you come in with a lot of new guys, you’re probably the best guy on your old team,” Brown said. “Now you come in with a lot of great guys. It’s hard to kind of change the ways.”
For Barnes, Harris’ development goes beyond scoring. The Tennessee coach wants the junior to embrace a defensive-first mentality while continuing to grow comfortable within the offense.
Barnes allowed Harris to play an extended stretch of 17 consecutive minutes in the second half, giving him an opportunity to find his rhythm rather than repeatedly coming off the floor.
The result was an encouraging glimpse of what Harris could become as Tennessee continues developing its chemistry.
“He looked like a defensive guy in the second half,” Barnes said. “He really was fighting to get through screens and doing some things that we needed to do.”
