Manny Harris - College - Junior Year

Junior Year

Entering the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season for the 2009–10 Michigan Wolverines, Harris was regarded by some as the most highly rated player in the Big Ten. E.g., the FOX Sports preseason All-American list included him on its second team. No other Big Ten player was listed above the third team. However, ESPN chose both Lucas and Turner to its preseason second-team All-American list, while Harris was not shown on a single ballot. Harris and Sims were named among the 50 preseason Wooden Award watch list nominees. Harris was also named to the preaseason Naismith College Player of the Year watchlist. The 24-member Big Ten media panel selected Harris as a first team preseason All-Big Ten team member.

Harris opened the season by recording the second triple double in school history (Gary Grant was the first) against Division II Northern Michigan. This earned him his third Big Ten player of the week honor and marked the second consecutive season he earned the honor in the first week of the year. Harris was suspended prior to the January 23 game against #13 Purdue due to unsportsmanlike conduct in one of the team's practices. Harris was named as a finalist for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award and a Midseason Top-30 finalist for the 2010 John Wooden Award. At the conclusion of the regular season, he was named a third-team All-Big Ten selection by both the conference coaches and the media. He was recognized as an All-District second-team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches making him eligible for the State Farm Division I All‐America teams. Since the Big Ten Conference was its own district, this is equivalent to being named second team All-Big Ten by the NABC. Harris concluded his junior season with 484 free throws made. Cazzie Russell holds the official Michigan career record with 486 with Louis Bullock's 505 total having been vacated due to the University of Michigan basketball scandal. He joined Jalen Rose and Mike McGee as the only Wolverines to amass 1600 points over a three-year period. Harris finished the season among the Big Ten Conference leaders in several statistical categories including: fourth in scoring, tenth in rebounds, fifth in assists, seventh in free throw percentage, second in steals (1.83 to 1.81), and eighth in minutes played.

Harris told Coach John Beilein he would not be returning to the team for his senior season on March 26, 2010. He is soon to be hiring an agent. Although these were rumors reported by The Detroit News, Harris held a press conference on March 29 to announce his intentions to enter the NBA Draft. ESPN has him ranked at 76. Draft Express, projects him as the 25th pick of the 2nd round. Another source has him listed as the 22nd pick of the 2nd round. Two days after the announcement, Harris was recognized as an Academic All-Conference performer again. Harris' name remained on the draft eligible list after the May 8 deadline for withdrawal. Harris endured a hamstring injury shortly before the draft, which hampered his draft workouts and draft potential. Harris was undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft on June 24, 2010.