5 Andrew Harrison

Andrew Michael Harrison was born on October 28, 1994, in San Antonio, Texas, to Marian and Aaron Harrison. He and his identical twin brother, Aaron, developed a love for basketball at an early age, often spending entire days competing against one another on neighborhood courts. Their father, a veteran of both the U.S. Army and Navy, emphasized discipline and hard work, while former NBA player John Lucas helped refine their skills as they emerged among the nation’s top high school prospects. After leading Travis High School in Richmond, Texas, to the 2013 Texas Class 5A state championship, Harrison was ranked as the nation’s top point guard and one of the country’s premier recruits. He and Aaron committed to Kentucky in October 2012, joining what many considered one of the greatest recruiting classes in college basketball history.

Harrison started 39 games as a freshman and quickly established himself as the floor leader for a young Kentucky team that caught fire during the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 10.9 points and 4.0 assists per game while finishing third in school history for assists by a freshman with 159. Harrison delivered one of his finest performances with 20 points in Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament victory over previously unbeaten Wichita State before helping lead the Wildcats past Louisville, Michigan, and Wisconsin to reach the 2014 national championship game. Throughout the tournament, his steady play at point guard complemented the clutch shooting of his twin brother as Kentucky captured the nation’s attention with its improbable run from an eighth seed to the title game.

As a sophomore, Harrison again started every game for the Wildcats and served as the primary point guard for one of the greatest teams in school history. Kentucky opened the season 38-0 before falling to Wisconsin in the Final Four, while Harrison averaged 9.3 points and 3.6 assists and once again led the Wildcats in assists. Often overshadowed by Kentucky’s remarkable depth and star power, he quietly became one of the program’s most dependable leaders, earning SEC All-Tournament Team honors after guiding the Wildcats to the 2015 conference tournament championship. By the end of his two-year career, Harrison ranked among Kentucky’s all-time leaders in assists with 298, becoming the first Wildcat to lead the team in assists in consecutive seasons since Rajon Rondo. Alongside Aaron, he helped Kentucky reach back-to-back Final Fours, including one national championship game and one 38-0 regular season.

Following his sophomore season, Harrison declared for the 2015 NBA Draft and was selected 44th overall by the Phoenix Suns before his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He spent three seasons in Memphis, scoring a career-high 28 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018, before continuing his professional career overseas. While his twin brother became known for unforgettable late-game shots, Andrew’s legacy at Kentucky was built on leadership, toughness, and his ability to control the game from the point guard position, making him one of the most accomplished floor generals of the John Calipari era.