IN our newest countdown series wrapping up the 2020 Sal’s National Basketball League (NBL) Showdown, we look at our top 20 players that took to the court this year. While it was an incredibly difficult list to create, we have had a mix of pure domination, defensive efforts and eye-catchers to form this list.

#5 HYRUM HARRIS

When looking at players lighting up the court and the stats sheet across the board, it is hard to look past Manawatu Jets’ Harris. The talented big man missed a few games due to injury, but would have been right up in conversation for All-Star Five selection, and was among the very best defensive players in the competition. Whilst he might not have shared in the Defensive Player of the Year award with Jarrod Kenny and Izayah Mauriohooho Lea’afa, some of the numbers Harris put up week-in, week-out was ridiculous.

He finished the 2020 Sal’s NBL season ranked first in the league for steals (2.7) and second for both rebounds (11.6) and assists (6.4), whilst averaging the sixth most minutes in the competition, with 31.5. While he was not as prolific scorer as some others, he still managed to finish equal 15th in the league with almost 15 points per game, making it a double-double average. Not only did he carry that average throughout the season, but he put up some of the biggest stat lines that the competition saw all season, picking up a rare triple double, but twice looking at the unheard of quadruple-double with at least seven assists and steals twice when picking up double-digit points and rebounds.

When discussing his best games, his sole triple-double effort against Taranaki Mountainairs with 24 points – 67 per cent from the field – 10 rebounds and 10 assists has to come into the picture. Though it would also be remiss not to mention what could well be his best effort in the semi-finals against the Airs again, putting up an unbelievable 17 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, seven steals and only three turnovers. His other game close to a quadruple-double was against Auckland Huskies with 16 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and eight steals, though with six turnovers.

With stats like that, it is hard to find too many faults, though his shooting from range and the charity stripe remain as areas of improvement. Other than that, Harris had an incredible season, and factoring in his limited minutes showing in the qualifying final – where he scored three points from 18 minutes – he could have averaged even more. In the grand final, Harris finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals in a prominent shooting display including 80 per cent from two-point range. Overall it was a remarkable year and he kicks off our top five players.

STATS:

Points: 14.9
Rebounds: 11.6
Assists: 6.4
Steals: 2.7
FG%: 54.2
2P%: 60.6
3P%: 21.1
FT%: 51.6
Minutes: 31.5