maurice harkless

Dan Savage

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ORLANDO -- Often unsure of himself and sometimes wobbly, Maurice Harkless frequently resembled a knock-kneed, newborn deer during his formative NBA years.

``We joked on him and called him `Bambi’ because he runs super fast, but he has the baby face and the short haircut. He looked like a teenager and to us he was `Bambi,’^’’ recalled power forward Kyle O’Quinn, Harkless’ best friend on the Orlando Magic. ``But now, Mo’s a full-grown deer, a buck.’’

About to enter his third NBA season, but still only 21 years old, Harkless knows that he has plenty of more growing to do as he carves out a bigger niche with the Magic. He chuckles now when he thinks back to the ``Bambi’’ moniker from two seasons ago and he said it was a nickname that never offended him because he truly was feeling his way through the NBA like a baby deer. But now, after putting in an offseason full of three-a-day work sessions and becoming much more confident and comfortable on the court, Harkless pronounced himself ready to run and jump in a big way this season.

``Back in the day, Kyle and (former Magic point guard) Jameer (Nelson) used to call me `Bambi.’ Now, they think I’m a full-grown deer,’’ Harkless said with his hearty and infectious laugh. ``It’s like night and day for me now. Back then (as a rookie in the 2012-13 season), I was timid because it was my first time ever to play at this level. To be hurt (following hernia surgery) and not be able to experience my first training camp, that was tough too being thrown into the fire. But now with a lot more experience, I feel a lot more confident about everything.’’

Harkless’ confidence has shown throughout this preseason for the Magic (4-2), which will host an open practice for fans at the Amway Center on Monday at 6:30 p.m. (Free tickets can be downloaded at OrlandoMagic.com). So far, Harkless is averaging 9.8 points a game and shooting a robust 55.2 percent while expanding his offensive arsenal with moves rarely ever seen in the previous two seasons.

Why, just last week in Charlotte, Harkless twice rubbed off top-side screens, read the defender retreating backward to protect against the drive and he confidently buried two mid-range jump shots.

Before, Harkless was not only unsure of making plays off the dribble, but he also rarely even attempted jumpers that weren’t stationary threes from the corner or point-blank dunks. Now, the pull-up jumper is a shot that Harkless worked on thousands of times this past offseason and one that he perfects before games while drilling with Magic player development coach Laron Profit. Harkless’ growth has allowed him to escape the somewhat insulting ``3-and-D’’ label given to him in the previous two seasons.

``Overall, he’s feeling more confident because he’s worked on his game,’’ Magic coach Jacque Vaughn observed. ``Part of that growth has been increasing the opportunities when he has the basketball in his hands. He (hit mid-range jumpers) twice the other night where there was no hesitation. That’s a tough shot, but his confidence now has increased to the point where it’s the highest it’s been since he’s been here.’’

Vaughn wants his Magic to play up-tempo basketball this season and pressure the ball relentlessly all over the floor. Those tactics have worked in the preseason as Orlando has averaged 98.3 points, while holding foes to just 93.8 points a game and 40.4 percent shooting.

At a wiry 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Harkless would seem to be the poster boy athlete for the up-tempo, defensive-minded style that Orlando wants to play. Tearing up the floor on the fastbreak, he runs like a deer; his rare combination of size and quickness allows him to play two wing positions and have the versatility that GM Rob Hennigan and Vaughn covet; and because Harkless has great height and length, he can at times be a smothering defensive force.

``For a lot of guys on this team, this system is perfect,’’ Harkless said. ``A guy like (reserve center) Dewayne (Dedmon) he runs the floor like a guard. Tobias (Harris) can run the floor better than any (power forward) in the league. This style is perfect for a guy like me and our group.

``And there’s competition at every spot every day. I wouldn’t have it any other way,’’ Harkless continued. ``That’s the only way we’ll get better and we push each other every day.’’

Undoubtedly, Harkless has gotten better on the offensive end. Last season, he exerted himself mainly on the defensive end – he had a steal in 54 games and at least two steals in 31 games; and he also had a blocked shot in 32 games and two or more 12 times. But when it came to his offense, Harkless was primarily limited to dunks or corner threes.

Harkless did something about that this summer, staying in gymnasiums in either Orlando, New York or Clearwater most of the offseason. He practiced dribbling two balls at a time to better his handle. He stroked jumpers while on the move. And putting those two new facets of his game together helped him learn how to get space between a defender so that he could better create his own shot.

``I worked really, really hard this summer and that’s where that comfort level comes from. I’ve put in the work and I’ve been grinding. That’s where my confidence comes from,’’ Harkless said. ``I was in the gym three times a day throughout the summer whether it was playing in open gyms, lifting or working out. But every day it was about grinding. After the season, I took a couple of weeks off, but then I was back in the gym three times a day or two times a day, just working.’’

O’Quinn, who hails from the same Jamaica, Queens, area of New York City as Harkless, is blown away by the progress that Harkless has made since the two of them came into the NBA together two seasons ago. But he said that he isn’t surprised one bit because he’s seen firsthand the dedication that Harkless had in working to better his craft.

``His improvement just goes to show you the work that he’s put in, the trust that he has in our coaches and the trust that the coaches have in him,’’ O’Quinn said.

While not necessarily fully grown as a player just yet, Harkless is clearly ready to shed his ``Bambi’’ nickname and run and jump freely this season. He believes that he is primed for a breakout season because of the new-found confidence he has in his game.

``In the system that we’re running now, it gives me the freedom to do more things,’’ Harkless said. ``I’m just excited for this year and looking forward to getting better every day.’’

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Harkless: From Bambi to Buck

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Harkless Soars High vs. Pacers

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Projecting Most Improved Magic Players in 2014-15

ORLANDO -- After two years of arduous building, it’s an important season ahead for an Orlando Magic squad hoping to make significant strides.

That theory also rings true on an individual level for the three players at the small forward position for the Magic.

Young players Tobias Harris, 22 years old, and Maurice Harkless, 21 years old, know full well that their NBA futures could be linked to the progress and play that they display this season. Harris could be a restricted free agent following the season if he’s not signed to a contract extension by late October, while Harkless is headed into his all-important third season and he’s in a battle to carve out a regular niche in the rotation.

As for rookie Aaron Gordon, the No. 4 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, he heads into his first NBA season knowing that he will have to fight for minutes because of the talent ahead of him on the roster. Regularly the biggest and most athletic player on the floor all through high school and college, the 19-year-old Gordon will now have to greatly improve on his shooting and ball-handling skills throughout the season if he is going to push his way into head coach Jacque Vaughn’s rotation as a rookie.

With the start of Orlando’s training camp just two weeks away, OrlandoMagic.com is breaking down each position with some in-depth analysis. For a look back at analysis of the center and power forward positions, click HERE and HERE. Today, we break down the Magic’s strengths and weaknesses at the small forward position:

PROJECTED STARTER: Tobias Harris (2013-14 stats: 61 games, 14.6 ppg., 7.0 rpg., 46.4 FG percentage, 25.4 3FG percentage, 80.7 FT percentage).

PROJECTED RESERVES: Maurice Harkless (2013-14 stats: 80 games, 7.4 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 1.21 spg., 46.4 FG percentage, 38.3 3FG percentage, 59.4 FT percentage); Aaron Gordon (2013-14 stats at University of Arizona: 38 games, 12.4 ppg., 8 rpg., 1.0 bpg., 49.5 FG percentage, 35.6 3FG percentage).

OVERVIEW: The Magic appear to be set at the small forward position where they have three young players who seemed poised for big seasons ahead. Harris has had a tremendous summer while changing his body to add more muscle and starring on the USA Basketball Select Team in July. Harkless has spent most of the offseason in Orlando in an attempt to strengthen his body and once again greatly improve his offensive game. Gordon was the No. 4 pick of the June NBA Draft and he figures to be one of the best athletes on the team from the very start. Harris’ best asset is his ability to pile up the points in bunches and be a solid rebounder for his position.

Harkless and Gordon will most likely make their marks for the Magic as long-armed and athletic wing defenders. Harkless has been in the ``3 and D’’ role for the past two seasons, but the Magic need him to make a leap this season with his maturity and abilities as a versatile small forward. Gordon’s offensive game is very much a work in progress, but he can earn minutes in the rotation with his off-the-charts athleticism, his basketball smarts and his abilities to shut down scorers with his defense.

STRENGTHS: In Harris, Harkless and Gordon, they are three of the best all-around athletes on the team. The trio should allow the Magic to play up-tempo basketball and push the pace in order to get easy baskets. No one on the team – the always-hustling Victor Oladipo included – runs the floor harder than the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Harris, and that was evidenced by his buzzer-beating, game-winning dunk against Oklahoma City Thunder last season. Harkless needs to play with more aggression and confidence this season, but he has shown flashes of being the kind of player who can stuff a stat sheet with his all-around talent. Gordon will head into the season as the NBA’s youngest player at 19 years old, but he is incredibly mature and smart for his age. He must quickly learn ways to carve a niche out on the team with his hustle and defensive abilities.

WEAKNESSES: Despite Harris, Harkless and Gordon spending much of their time on the wing, perimeter shooting is not their forte. Harris struggled mightily from the 3-point line last season, shooting just 25.4 percent from beyond the arc. He would very much prefer to put the ball on the floor and use his size and strength to overpower foes on the inside, but he needs his outside shot to complete his game. Harkless greatly improved his 3-point stroke last season and the hope is that he will be even better this year. Harkless still has to get more confident at creating his own shot and scoring from the mid-range. Gordon could get away with playing with his back to the basket in college because he is strong and athletic, but he projects more as a small forward in the NBA. He has worked hard over the past year to improve his jump shot and much of this season will be spent doing the same.

EXPECTATIONS: If Harris isn’t signed to a contract extension before Oct. 31, he can become a restricted free agent after this season. That motivation, combined with his tremendous inner drive and professionalism, will push him to have a great season. He must avoid the temptation to become too much of a shoot-first player and help out the team in other ways with his hustle and rebounding. First-cousin Channing Frye, a Magic free-agent signee in the offseason, will be a tremendous asset to Harris. Harkless is still only 21 years old, but he is well aware that this is a big season for his NBA career. The Magic are hoping that he can make a big leap this year in terms of confidence, maturity and toughness. He has the body and the smarts to be a solid player, but he must show progress in terms of aggression and focus. Gordon will elicit plenty of ohhhs and ahhhs from Magic fans with his abilities to catch alley-oop passes for dunks and swat shots out of the air. But at the NBA level, it will be the first time in his life that he’s not always the best athlete on the floor. He’ll have to continue to work hard to improve his skills and the Magic are confident that he will do just that. Gordon will have to earn his playing time as a rookie and the belief is that his combination of talent and work ethic will help him push his way into the regular rotation in time.

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2014-15 Position-by-Position Breakdown: Small Forward

ORLANDO -- If you’ve checked your social timeline recently, chances are you’ve seen someone pouring ice water over their head.

While some social phenomena exist without purpose, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” often involves daring a select group of people to dump a bucket of ice water over their heads in the next 24 hours, or donate money – usually $100 – towards battling ALS.

The Orlando Magic have joined in on the social craze led by STUFF the Magic Mascot, who was among the pioneers of the challenge, completing it over two months ago with an extreme nine tubs of pure ice water.

More recently, Maurice Harkless showed off his stuff and challenged a few teammates along the way.

What members of the Magic will be next? Stay tuned and find out.

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Orlando Magic Ice Bucket Challenge

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Photos: Orlando Magic Summer BBQ

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We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, the NBA has announced that the Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, November 9 will tip-off at 5:30 PM. Amway Center doors open at 4:30 PM.