Prospect Profile

Strengths:
* Great athlete
* Length
* Good rebounder
* Good shot blocker
* Great in the open court
* Attacks the rim
* Gets in the passing lanes for steals

Weaknesses:
* Has to get bigger and stronger
* Perimeter shot has to become more consistent
* Ball handling can use tightening

NBA projection:
Scouts love Harkless's athletic ability and potential, and he'll be taken somewhere in the first round. He played out of position at St. John's but will transition over to small forward at the next level.

2011-12 Season:
Harkless became just the second St. John's player to win Big East rookie-of-the-year honors (David Russell in 1979-80 was the first). Harkless started all 32 games and averaged 36.1 minutes, which led the team.

Key statistics:
15.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.4 tpg, 1.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 36.1 mpg, .445 FG, .202 3PT, .678 FT

Cool statistic:
In a win over Providence, Harkless set a Big East debut scoring record with 32 points. The old record had been held by Notre Dame's Troy Murphy and Georgetown's Allen Iverson.

Reminds me of:
Trevor Ariza

What Insiders Say:
St. John's assistant coach Mike Dunlap
"He has a huge appetite to play huge minutes. He loves playing. He's good that way."

St. John's freshman D'Angelo Harrison
"He's really key in everything we do. He rebounds. He scores. He blocks shots."

What Outsiders Say:
Providence coach Ed Cooley
"He is terrific, a great player, a very, very good player. He's definitely a face of the Big East and he will go down as one of St. John's best players."

-- Profile by Chris Dortch, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Follow him @cdortch.