Harrison Barnes says transitioning from Warriors to Mavericks has been 'a huge adjustment'
Harrison Barnes spoke with FOX Sports this week, courtesy of his partnership with McDavid and Shock Doctor to encourage a broader adoption of protective equipment in basketball.
Barnes is having a career-best statistical season now that he's been the focal point for the Mavericks and discussed his new role, playing for two of the league's best coaches in Steve Kerr and Rick Carlisle, his relationship with Dirk Nowitzki and the transition to Dallas.
FOX SPORTS: First off, I saw you guys got a nice win (on Monday by 20 points over the Nuggets), and you’ve won two out of three now. Do you feel like you can turn things around after the slow (6-18) start once everybody is healthy and back in the lineup?
BARNES: Yeah, right now we feel good about what we’re doing. We’re starting to get some chemistry going with the guys that are playing consistently now that we’ve had some of the same lineups in. Everything is good off of that, and we’d like to see where it goes.
FOX SPORTS: I know Dirk Nowitzki’s been out the bulk of the season, but has he been around the team a lot? And if so, what have you been able to learn from him during your brief time in Dallas?
BARNES: Dirk’s been great. When he’s playing, he’s extremely vocal in practice and very loud. Even in the locker room and at games, he’s still involved, talking to the young guys. And I talk to him a lot about shot selection, how I can be one of the go-to guys and how to get more involved in the offense and stay aggressive. So, he’s been a great leader from that perspective.
FOX SPORTS: Has it been difficult at all adjusting, as far as coming from basically the best team in the league in the Warriors to a Dallas team where obviously you’re off to a little bit of a slow start this season?
BARNES: Yes, it’s been a huge adjustment. But I’m just embracing the process. Night in and night out, I have a lot more responsibilities, so a lot of it falls on my plate, and that’s something that I get a chance to work through and grow through. One of the biggest pieces of advice that Coach Carlisle gave me before the season was you just have to love the process. And that’s what I’m doing.
FOX SPORTS: You mentioned Coach Carlisle ... I was going to ask you about that. You’ve had the good fortune of playing for a couple of the best coaches in the NBA in Steve Kerr and now Rick Carlisle. How are their styles different?
BARNES: I’ve been extremely fortunate to have great coaching. Only five years in to be able to play for two of the best. But, Coach Carlisle is great. He’s very hands-on with his approach — daily workouts, he’s always pulling me to the side to do extra work on the side, he watches film with me after every single game. And for a head coach, who has so many responsibilities, to be able to sit down with me all the time and help me with my personal development, it’s huge.
FOX SPORTS: Did the fact that Andrew Bogut also came over to Dallas make the transition from Golden State this season a little bit easier?
BARNES: It did make it a lot easier having Bogues come with me, just because he was one of my best friends for the first four years of my career. And to be able to go into a new situation where, you know, it’s new teammates, new environment — to have a familiar face with you was huge for me.
FOX SPORTS: How much have you been able to pay attention to what Golden State is doing this season? You still in touch with those guys, or are you really more focused on what’s going on in Dallas?
BARNES: I keep up with a few of the guys, but I don’t follow the team much. I’m mostly focused on Dallas.
FOX SPORTS: Makes sense. So tell me a little bit about your partnership with McDavid and Shock Doctor. It looks like those arm sleeves and stuff players wear actually might help and not just be for decoration.
BARNES: (laughs) Absolutely. The game has become so much more physical, you see the highlights every single night, and when you’re playing, there’s just so many more athletes in the league. Being protected is one of the biggest priorities for me personally — wearing the Shock Doctor mouthguard is huge because I go into the paint a lot and I’m getting fouled, so I’m making sure I’m protected from that perspective. And with the McDavid hex protection, with the arm sleeves, when you get bruised up, when you get banged up, it’s important to have that protection there to keep you on the court.
FOX SPORTS: Yeah, I’ve seen some of the guards in the league up close, and they have all these scratches on their arms just from driving into the paint. And I can imagine, even if it’s unintentional, like you said, you’re going to the basket, everybody’s so big and strong in the league, you’ve got to protect yourself. You’re going to banged around a little bit.
BARNES: The physicality in the league has definitely improved, and if you want to stay healthy, you’ve got to take the time to protect yourself.
FOX SPORTS: Is there one particular moment or play that you remember where you got roughed up, that was maybe the worst of your career?
BARNES: The two plays that I remember where I was injured the most in my career, one was in my rookie year when I got undercut and landed on my head, and I got a concussion — if I was wearing a mouthguard it would have been much better. Or, when I got my nose broken and both of my teeth in the front were chipped, that also would have helped if I had a mouthguard. So, now I consistently and faithfully wear one (laughs).
