Summer prep Spotlight: Q&A with Andre Harris

Bella Vista basketball's Andre Harris, set to graduate in 2020, sat down with Prep Hoops writer Eric Newman to discuss summer basketball, as well as his goals moving forward for his last two years of high school ball.

Newman: How does it feel at the Southwest All-American Camp to be out here competing with some of the best players in Arizona?

Harris: It's been fun. I know most of these guys, grew up with a lot of them. So it's fun to get to compete together and against each other, just a really cool experience.

What are you trying to improve on most this offseason?

Definitely one of my goals is losing weight and getting faster. I want to be more versatile and get my shot better, so pretty much working on my overall game, because you never need to stop getting better on or off the court.

What specific skills have you tried to implement in your game this summer?

Pretty much trying to finish with my left hand. I'm righty, so I want to get more comfortable dribbling and shooting with the left, because you need both to succeed at the next level.

What about defense, what are you currently working on there?

Guarding the wing is important, sliding my feet and being versatile instead of reaching against ball handlers, and using my size and being disciplined basically against the dribble.

How has the college recruiting process been like?

I have seven offers right now. The process has been crazy for me, and there should be more coming in July, but for right now that's where I'm at. It's fun because you're meeting new people, meeting the coaches and seeing how they react to certain stuff. They give a lot of advice that I try to use.

Can you give me an example of something one of the college coaches have told you?

Keep pushing and try your hardest no matter where you are or what court you're on. There's always going to be someone watching you, so do what you can to make it obvious you're the best player on the court.

Are you leaning anywhere for college ball?

Not yet. Especially moving back into the class of 2020, it should be a lot more offers in. I'm just straightening everything out, so it should be good.

What position are you looking at for the college basketball?

In high school, I'm playing a lot of four, but at the pro or college level, I'd probably be a small forward because I'm 6-foot-7. So that's why I'm trying to get out on the perimeter more and get better there, so I can be more versatile on offense and defense.

What gives you hope that you're going to be successful at the next level?

It's just always been a dream of mine, to play in college and the pros. I have to keep that drive and keep on playing. The love for the game is there, and I know I don't really have another plan besides basketball professionally, so I'm going to put 100 percent into it.