Harrellson picks Cats, says UK's advantages outweigh St. Louis' proximity

By Jerry Tipton

JTIPTON@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Because ambition ultimately trumped proximity, junior college big man Josh Harrellson committed to Kentucky Tuesday.

Harrellson, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound player, hoped to stay close to his St. Charles, Mo., home because of family problems that included his parents' divorce. He tried to get Missouri interested, but Mizzou had no scholarships available. He then considered St. Louis, where first-year coach Rick Majerus gave the Billikens credibility.

Kentucky acted as a counterweight. UK lacked a geographical advantage. But Kentucky could sell tradition, exposure and the perennial hope of contending for championships.

Two days after declaring himself "confused and torn," Harrellson cast his lot with UK.

"The only reason I didn't want to go to begin with is because it's five hours away," Harrellson said on Tuesday. "I can't let the decision be ruled by distance.

"This is more important. This is my future. Maybe I can solve the family problems with this."

He meant by getting noticed as a Kentucky player and then continuing his basketball on a for-pay basis, either overseas or in the NBA.

"I really was just lost," Harrellson said when reminded of the confused-and-torn statement. "I really thought about it. Where would be the better program, more exposure. Where can I go further at."

Harrellson, who will have three years of eligibility for Kentucky, averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds for Southwestern Illinois College this past season. That was only his fifth year of playing for a school team.

"I've been blowing up every year," he said of his improvement. "I work as hard as I can, and I want the best."

Harrellson signed out of high school with Western Illinois. When he changed his mind and asked out of the commitment, the school refused. That led Harrellson to go to junior college.

Southwestern Illinois Coach Jay Harrington, a Kentucky native, vouched for the player's improvement. "He is the only member of his family to ever go to college," Harrington said. "He just wanted to get it done."

Harrellson had considered Iowa, Iowa State, St. Louis, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky before narrowing his choice to UK or St. Louis.

Harrellson joins an incoming UK crop that includes another junior college player, wing Kevin Galloway of the College of Southern Idaho, and two high school prospects: Darius Miller of Mason County and DeAndre Liggins of Chicago by way of Nevada-based Findlay Prep.

Harrellson expects to be a contributor at Kentucky.

"Coach (Billy Gillispie) plans on me to come in and start," Harrellson said. "If I don't start, it'll be my fault."

Harrellson envisioned himself teaming with Patrick Patterson and taking some of the defensive attention away from Patterson.

When asked about stepping up from junior college to UK's level, Harrellson said, "I"m pretty confident. I'm going to take these couple months to prepare."

By that, he said, he meant working to get stronger and bringing a more consistent effort.

"Crashing the boards every play," he said. "I kind of take breaks every once in a while."