Big Ten Basketball: Breakout candidate from each team for 2020-21 season

Penn State: John Harrar

It would not be out of the ordinary to be skeptical about a junior who averaged slightly above four points and four rebounds per game. Most often the belief is, “if the player has not done it yet, he never will”. Why would John Harrar a 6’9 forward with a career scoring average just above three, be the exception? It comes down to the increase in opportunity.

Harrar started games 17 through 31 for Penn State Basketball after replacing  Mike Watkins in the starting line-up. During that end of year stretch, Harrar doubled his meager three-point scoring average with the additional minutes. Minutes that the senior will get in 2020-21.

Even with 6’10 commit and number one center Valdir Manuel coming to University Park, there will be plenty of room for Harrar in coach Patrick Chambers’ four-out one-in offense. The departure of the Nittany’s Lions top scorer 6’9 Lamar Stevens (17.6 PPG) and fellow frontcourt teammate 6’8 Mike Watkins all but ensures Harrar a starting position.

Harrar’s lone three-point attempt will not make him a threat coming off the first screen on the perimeter if coach Chambers’ runs a four-out offense, but if freshman Valdir Manuel can occupy the opposing big man, the 240-pound Harrar will be able to improve on his team-leading 63 percent on two-point field goals. Breaking out from a four-point average may not get him nominated to an All-Big Ten team, but Harrar is going to be important to Penn State.